Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Black Friday sees lots of new devices, record app downloads this year
Flurry's analytics blog has a new post up about the bump that the App Store got last weekend. As I said in last week's talkcast, app developers have noticed that the holiday shopping season not only brings a slew of new iPod touches and iPhones into the mix (and this year, the iPad as well), but a resultant flood of customers seeking to buy and try out new apps. According to Flurry, new devices jumped on Black Friday by 57%, and total growth over the entire weekend was 31%. App downloads were
Report: In-app purchases to overtake download revenues by 2013
Here's an interesting report from Juniper Research. According to their work, mobile app revenues will reportedly grow from the current US $ 6 billion to a whopping $ 11 billion by 2015. And the majority of that revenue will come not from the standard download fee, but instead from in-app purchases, according to Juniper. The firm claims that in-app purchase revenue will top one-off download fees by 2013. That seems hard to believe, given my current anecdotal usage, but there's no question
Schiller answering questions on Twitter
Last week, we reported that Apple's Phil Schiller has gotten a verified account on Twitter, and since then, his popularity on the short form social networking service has apparently skyrocketed. Rather than just retreat to the shadows, he's stepping up into the limelight, sharing insights and answering questions of all kinds from Apple fans. It's pretty awesome, actually -- he's sharing everything from his favorite apps to why you have to put in your iTunes password every time you install a
Apple patent teases convertible laptop / tablet
Seen any of those rumors over the years about Apple making a tablet/laptop combo for the masses? Well it seems at least part of the rumor has gone and gotten itself a patent for itself.
Calling it a "convertible MacBook-to-iPad-like device", Patently Apple reports that the patent could be for a MacBook-type device that would convert to something like an iPad in horizontal mode. As a laptop the screen would be propped open at an angle with a virtual keyboard below it; as a tablet, the screen
Calling it a "convertible MacBook-to-iPad-like device", Patently Apple reports that the patent could be for a MacBook-type device that would convert to something like an iPad in horizontal mode. As a laptop the screen would be propped open at an angle with a virtual keyboard below it; as a tablet, the screen
Steve Jobs says AirPlay video will work in Safari and third-party apps next year
MacRumors is reporting that one of their readers emailed Steve Jobs to ask if Apple was ever going to enable AirPlay to stream videos from third-party apps or those embedded in a web page in Safari. Jobs answered:
"Yep, hope to add these features to Airplay in 2011."
AirPlay is the technology introduced in iOS 4.2 that enables users to stream content from their iOS devices to televisions connected to an Apple TV. A number of third party developers have also introduced AirPlay products, like
"Yep, hope to add these features to Airplay in 2011."
AirPlay is the technology introduced in iOS 4.2 that enables users to stream content from their iOS devices to televisions connected to an Apple TV. A number of third party developers have also introduced AirPlay products, like
Monday, November 29, 2010
Oski for iPad is the thoughtful person's word game, with a lot of twists
Oski a word game for the slow thinker. Not for the dimwitted, that's not what I mean, but for the word game player who likes to think - a lot - about her options and to and really plan out the next move. With no randomness and no hidden information, this is a game that invites analysis paralysis. With only 16 moves in each game (eight per player) it's the player who makes the most of each move who will win.
Let's get one thing out of the way right at the start: Oski can be played with a pen
Let's get one thing out of the way right at the start: Oski can be played with a pen
Infinity Blade hits App Store December 9th for $5.99
Chair and Epic Games' extremely impressive Infinity Blade title has gotten a final release date and price: you'll be able to hack and slash your way around the medieval RPG on December 9th for a purchase price of $ 5.99. The app will be universal and will run on iPhone 3GS and above, up to and including the iPad and the latest iPhone and iPod touch. Players will be able to level up and gear up their characters as they fight through the world towards the game's big boss, a character called
Mongoliad apps out now on iPhone and iPad
We've been following the Mongoliad project by author Neal Stephenson ever since it was announced last May, and the iOS apps for the project have finally been released on the iOS App Store. The apps are free, but you'll remember that the project is actually a subscription-based universe of fiction, so while there are some free things to read in there, you'll have to buy a membership or a subscription if you want access to everything. You can do so from directly within the app -- it's about seven
Microsoft Office or iWork, that is the question
No doubt about it: Microsoft Office is the 800-pound gorilla of productivity suites, both on the Mac and on Windows. In the latest version, Office 2011, the product teams have added lots of zing both in performance and features.
Question is, can you go with alternatives? In particular, what about iWork? The answer is, it depends on the apps that you'll be using, the level of functionality you want from them, how you work, and who you collaborate with. As there are great deals to be had today
Question is, can you go with alternatives? In particular, what about iWork? The answer is, it depends on the apps that you'll be using, the level of functionality you want from them, how you work, and who you collaborate with. As there are great deals to be had today
27" iMac gets an SSD, process is not for the faint-hearted
There comes a time in a boy's life when his latest toy no longer thrills him as it did when it was shiny and new. Engadget blogger Richard Lai found that his Core i7 27" iMac was slowing down as it neared its first birthday, so he decided to liven things up by popping a 240GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD into the box.
Watching Richard tear apart his baby was a bit unnerving to me. I recall opening a iMac G5 about five years ago to swap out a noisy power supply and fan assembly, and I still shudder to think
Watching Richard tear apart his baby was a bit unnerving to me. I recall opening a iMac G5 about five years ago to swap out a noisy power supply and fan assembly, and I still shudder to think
How’s your iPhone 3G performing with iOS 4.2?
How’s your iPhone 3G performance with iOS 4.2?survey software
We tested out iPhone 3G on the original GM release of iOS 4.2 and performance seemed far better than the dismal results on iOS 4 though still not as snappy as iOS 3.1.3. Now that you’ve had your hands on it for a week we were wondering how it performed for you? If iOS 3.1.3 was great and iOS 4 was all but unusable, where does iOS 4.2 fit along the curve? Is it a breakthrough or still a deal breaker?
Vote up in
We tested out iPhone 3G on the original GM release of iOS 4.2 and performance seemed far better than the dismal results on iOS 4 though still not as snappy as iOS 3.1.3. Now that you’ve had your hands on it for a week we were wondering how it performed for you? If iOS 3.1.3 was great and iOS 4 was all but unusable, where does iOS 4.2 fit along the curve? Is it a breakthrough or still a deal breaker?
Vote up in
TUAW's Daily App: Cookie Rush
Cookie Rush is an interesting title. The goal is to keep some villagers away from a giant rolling cookie, but instead of guiding them directly, you control them by placing jump arrows in their way -- it's kind of like a group Canabalt where you're controlling the environment rather than the character. Things get frantic quickly. As you go along, you have to dodge gaps and try to get your villagers up to rescue vehicles, there are dogs to dodge, and there are bad guys that you don't want
Sunday, November 28, 2010
UPDATED: Redsn0w beta, Ultrasn0w updated to use old iPad baseband to unlock iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS!
MuscleNerd and the iPhone Dev-Team have released their long awaited update to Ultrasn0w which will use iPad’s old baseband (06.15.00) from iOS 3.2.2 to unlock anyone stuck at basebands 5.14.01, 5.14.02 or 5.15.05 for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Ultrasn0w requires you to be jailbroken and to use pwnagetool to upgrade your baseband firmware to iPad’s 06.15.00 baseband. Ultrasn0w is then available to unlock that baseband and can be downloaded for free from Cydia. Please read
Netflix on Apple TV “Recently Watched” and “Suggested for You” glitches?
I turned on my Apple TV (2010) tonight, went to Netflix to continue a show, clicked on Recently Watched, and was greeted with a blank screen. I hit menu to go back up a level and suddenly there was a different menu devoid of the Recently Watched (and Suggest for You) options. I went up a level again, went back down, and the personalized menu was back, but Recently Watched still wouldn’t work. I tried a third time only to find a “Netflix is currently unavailable” screen pop
Talkcast 10 pm ET: Look ahead to Cyber Monday
Tonight on the TUAW Talkcast we'll be working off those food comas from Thursday, and looking ahead to tomorrow's best online bargains for Cyber Monday. If you got a great deal on Mac gear or an iPod touch this weekend, c'mon out and let us know about that too.
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the Web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the Web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on
Angry Birds Christmas to be free upgrade to Halloween edition
Rovio has a free gift on the way for everyone that ponied up the $ 0.99 for the Halloween edition of Angry Birds. The promised Christmas edition of the super-addictive mobile game will be a free update for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users. @RovioMobile responded to a query on Twitter confirming that the next edition of the game will come gratis.
Rovio has not yet indicated whether it will start incorporating iAds into the iOS version of the game and giving it away as they have done with
Rovio has not yet indicated whether it will start incorporating iAds into the iOS version of the game and giving it away as they have done with
Saturday, November 27, 2010
iPhone photographers, get your Glif on with new tripod mount
It's a local-boys-make-good story for the Internet age: two New Yorkers brainstorm an idea for the kind of iPhone 4 tripod mount/stand they'd want to buy. They put their design on Kickstarter with the intention of raising US$ 10,000 in ramp-up funding. With a snazzy prototype video and the attention of some traditional and not-so-traditional media outlets, they missed their funding estimate by more than 10x -- in the positive direction.
Having collected almost $ 140,000 in preproduction
Having collected almost $ 140,000 in preproduction
Audio tool WireTap Anywhere hits v2.0
Ambrosia Software has released WireTap Anywhere 2.0, an upgrade to the company's professional audio routing and mixing software. Following up on the 2008 release of version 1.0, this upgrade claims that "hardwired is out; softwired is in" and allows users to capture, map, and independently adjust audio channels from any combo of applications or input devices and route it to the audio processor application of your choice.
Interested in recording your Skype conversations or sending some
Interested in recording your Skype conversations or sending some
Angry Birds Halloween getting Christmas update!
It seems that the folks at Rovio Mobile have been working on an free update for Angry Birds Halloween… Angry Birds Christmas! According to Rovio’s Twitter account, the update has been submitted to Apple for approval and should be appearing in the App Store in the next few days.
We recently posted that the TiPb Readers Choice Award-winning Angry Birds would be getting a major update this holiday season, with the introduction of many new levels and inclusion of the in-app purchase,
We recently posted that the TiPb Readers Choice Award-winning Angry Birds would be getting a major update this holiday season, with the introduction of many new levels and inclusion of the in-app purchase,
iOS 4.2 makes iPad a productivity rival for MacBook Air, says CNET
CNET's Brook Crothers claims that with the launch of iOS 4.2, he is pretty much ready to abandon his MacBook Air in favor of full-time use of his iPad. Even before the upgrade to the mobile OS, Crothers found that he was almost exclusively using the 3G tablet in the airport, hotel and plane for his various tasks.
With the new functionality in 4.2 including multitasking, folders and printing he expects that trend to be amplified. The key to Crothers' argument is what he calls the iPad's
With the new functionality in 4.2 including multitasking, folders and printing he expects that trend to be amplified. The key to Crothers' argument is what he calls the iPad's
Friday, November 26, 2010
Rumor: iBooks update to bring Collections, PDF emailing and printing
Steve himself has hinted at improvements "coming" soon to iBooks, and 9to5Mac claims to have nabbed some internal Apple documents that lay out those improvements. The biggest feature is called "Collections," and it sounds like it works the same as Folders in the rest of iOS -- you can combine items in iBooks however you like, and the collections you've got in iBooks can be viewed right on your bookshelf in the main screen. Sounds handy, if not all that revolutionary.
Second, PDF users will
Second, PDF users will
Do you want BBM on your iPhone?
Every WWDC keynote we’ve joked that Mike Lazaridis from BlackBerry maker RIM would surprise everyone by joining Steve Jobs on stage to announce BlackBerry Connect and BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) for iPhone. Then we laugh and marvel out our new copy and paste, multitasking, or whatever Apple chooses to invent that year.
Our sibling site CrackBerry.com has put the whole BBM on iOS (and every other platform) issue right back on their front page, however, with Kevin asking the question:
Our sibling site CrackBerry.com has put the whole BBM on iOS (and every other platform) issue right back on their front page, however, with Kevin asking the question:
Apple set to have a great holiday season, says Changewave
The holiday shopping season kicked off in America with Black Friday today, and Apple should finish out the rest of 2010 with a bang. ChangeWave, a firm that covers consumer trends, has told Apple 2.0/Fortune Tech that one of its surveys has consumers leaping for laptops, specifically those made by Apple.
10 percent of respondents told the firm they plan to buy a laptop in the next 90 days, and of those, 36 percent say they're looking for a Mac. That's an 11 point jump since the last time
10 percent of respondents told the firm they plan to buy a laptop in the next 90 days, and of those, 36 percent say they're looking for a Mac. That's an 11 point jump since the last time
AirVideoEnabler brings Airplay to ALL apps! [Jailbreak]
With Apple only giving us a very limited version of AirPlay video streaming, the Jailbreak community has picked up the slack with AirVideoEnabler, a simple tweak that brings AirPlay video to all apps.
After Erica Sadun and Steven Troughton-Smith showed what was required to add AirPlay capability to 3rd party apps, a developer going by Zone-MR has created a Jailbreak hack which is available now on Cydia. While only available on a private repo (http://cydia.zone-mr.net) it will not be long
After Erica Sadun and Steven Troughton-Smith showed what was required to add AirPlay capability to 3rd party apps, a developer going by Zone-MR has created a Jailbreak hack which is available now on Cydia. While only available on a private repo (http://cydia.zone-mr.net) it will not be long
Lost in translation: Microsoft retail stores not matching Apple success?
In a pattern we've seen repeated numerous times over the years, copying the superficial look and feel of something often does not yield the same end result. Over the years, Microsoft has frequently taken inspiration from the work of Apple, including Windows, Zune and, of course, its new retail stores. The record of commercial success for Redmond has been decidedly mixed, with Windows obviously being huge and the Zune a dismal failure.
Despite hiring (and then losing to Tesla) George
Despite hiring (and then losing to Tesla) George
Thursday, November 25, 2010
iPhone live podcast 127: The Great Georgia Jailbreak
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Rene, Farbod, and Ally help Georgia Jailbreak her iPhone 4 live — and hilarity ensues. Plus iOS 4.2.1 for iPhone and iPod touch is here and we cover the good, the bad, and the bugs. Cough. AirPlay. Cough. This is iPhone Live!
Credits
Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!
Our music comes from the following sources:
I
Download Directly
Subscribe via iTunes
Rene, Farbod, and Ally help Georgia Jailbreak her iPhone 4 live — and hilarity ensues. Plus iOS 4.2.1 for iPhone and iPod touch is here and we cover the good, the bad, and the bugs. Cough. AirPlay. Cough. This is iPhone Live!
Credits
Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!
Our music comes from the following sources:
I
Apple Online teases Black Friday sales – Save$15 to $41 on iPod nano, iPod touch, iPad
Appe Online in the US has posted their once-a-year sale prices for Black Friday and as expected, iPad, iPod touch, and iPod nano as all being discounted. Come tomorrow you’ll be able to save $ 15 on a brand new iPod nano, $ 21 on an iPod touch, and $ 41 on an iPad.
Accessories like the iPad camera connection kit are also on sale from $ 5, while an Airport Express (for AirPlay audio) is $ 11 off. Check them all out and plan tomorrow’s spending accordingly. (And let us know
Accessories like the iPad camera connection kit are also on sale from $ 5, while an Airport Express (for AirPlay audio) is $ 11 off. Check them all out and plan tomorrow’s spending accordingly. (And let us know
Shop Savvy for iPhone packs a punch for shopping season
Just a couple of days ago I took a look at the Amazon Price Check app. It's a great way to compare prices against Amazon and other online retailers. Before you hit the stores this weekend, it's also a good idea to have the free app Shop Savvy tucked away on your iPhone.
It contains an accurate scanner like the Amazon app, but it also includes local prices and a map to get you to your store of choice. Even better, the app puts a little blue dot next to the stores that have your items in stock.
It contains an accurate scanner like the Amazon app, but it also includes local prices and a map to get you to your store of choice. Even better, the app puts a little blue dot next to the stores that have your items in stock.
Apple Store bedecked with giant iPad Snow Globe for the holidays
What says winter like an Apple Retail Store iPad snow globe, right? Complete with falling snow, curved glass, and recommended apps for just that holiday season. At my local Apple Store this new display just replaced the previous iPad on top of giant books and other desk accessories, while the poor old iPhone 4 display has been ousted in favor of giant cutout Beatles. Come on, we know where Steve Jobs’ heart is this holiday, right?
There are also some changes inside, namely a new
There are also some changes inside, namely a new
Apple Store US posts Black Friday discount preview
It's not Friday in the US yet, but you can get an early look at Apple's discounts for Black Friday on the store site now. Savings include $ 101 off the purchase of new MacBook Pro or MacBook Air laptops, and the same off new iMacs. The iPad is available at a $ 41 discount, and the iPod nano costs $ 11 less tomorrow. Accessories are also on sale: $ 11 off an Airport Express and $ 51 off a 2TB Time Capsule are tempting.
We've got a roundup of other Black Friday offers; check out our holiday
We've got a roundup of other Black Friday offers; check out our holiday
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Apple limiting users to 3 free Find my iPhone account setups per device?
Turns out there might be a hard — and permanent — per device limit to setting up those free Find my iPhone accounts Apple announced alongside iOS 4.2.1, the ones you needed an iPhone 4, iPod touch (2010), or iPad to initiate but could then use on iPhone 3GS and other, older hardware.
TiPb Forum member milani started setting up a few accounts and after the 3rd he was greeted with a popup that said:
Cannot Sign In
The maximum number of free accounts have been activated on
TiPb Forum member milani started setting up a few accounts and after the 3rd he was greeted with a popup that said:
Cannot Sign In
The maximum number of free accounts have been activated on
President Obama signs another iPad
At the NATO summit in Lisbon, Portugal, an iPad-toting attendee approached President Obama and asked him to sign his 21st century autograph pad. The President replied, "I've done this once before."
Back in October, President Obama signed an iPad at a rally at the University of Washington. As Dave Caolo noted at the time, this was the first presidential autograph captured with an iPad that we know of.
Click Read More to watch a video of the autograph.Continue reading President Obama signs
Back in October, President Obama signed an iPad at a rally at the University of Washington. As Dave Caolo noted at the time, this was the first presidential autograph captured with an iPad that we know of.
Click Read More to watch a video of the autograph.Continue reading President Obama signs
iPhone live! podcast tonight, join us at 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT
All your iOS 4.2 for iPhone and iPod touch questions answered! And Georgia just might Jailbreak live on the show! (Don’t tell Steve!)
http://live.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions for the show tweet them to @TiPb, email them to podcast@tipb.com, or leave them in the comments below!
Now make sure you show up for the live show! (Yes, you!) You don’t want to miss this!
iPhone live! podcast tonight, join us
http://live.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions for the show tweet them to @TiPb, email them to podcast@tipb.com, or leave them in the comments below!
Now make sure you show up for the live show! (Yes, you!) You don’t want to miss this!
iPhone live! podcast tonight, join us
TUAW's Holiday Gift Guide: External drives for every Mac
Welcome to the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide! We've sorted the treasure from the junk and are serving up suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving a little easier.
Giving someone a new hard drive can be one of the best gift choices ever. Whether the recipient uses it to store backups of their photos or movies, or wants to be able to boot an aging Mac a bit faster, the gift of storage is always appreciated.
In this edition of the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide, I'll give you some ideas for inexpensive
Giving someone a new hard drive can be one of the best gift choices ever. Whether the recipient uses it to store backups of their photos or movies, or wants to be able to boot an aging Mac a bit faster, the gift of storage is always appreciated.
In this edition of the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide, I'll give you some ideas for inexpensive
Seasonality Go is an iPad weather app with a lot of promise
This time of year we seem to do a lot of thinking about weather. Will it snow for the holidays? How is uncle Milton doing with those high winds?
Seasonality Go at US $ 9.99 is a very powerful weather app for the iPad. It works in more than 200 countries, and lets you customize the screens and the information displayed. If you aren't at one of the 30,000 pre-defined locations, you can use the iPad's location services to get current weather where you are.
Features include:
Current
Seasonality Go at US $ 9.99 is a very powerful weather app for the iPad. It works in more than 200 countries, and lets you customize the screens and the information displayed. If you aren't at one of the 30,000 pre-defined locations, you can use the iPad's location services to get current weather where you are.
Features include:
Current
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Phil Schiller's Twitter account gets verified
Apple's Phil Schiller has joined Scott Forstall (though not Steve Jobs) over on Twitter -- he now has a verified account to tweet from, and is following a few celebrity and official company accounts so far. The account's actually been around for a while (Schiller tweeted from France while there and mentioned 500 million app downloads when it was announced last January), but only recently got verified, which means there's one more official Apple voice on the networking service.
It's strange
It's strange
Mac sales growth continues to surge ahead of PCs 3 to 1
In a pattern that has become very familiar to watchers of the computer market in the last few years, sales of Macs have grown at three times the rate of computers powered by other operating systems. According to a report issued by IDC, Apple computer sales jumped 28.5 percent in the July-September 2010 quarter compared to the same period in 2009. Sales of other personal computers only grew by 9.7% in the same period.
The single biggest jump in sales has come from the business market, which is
The single biggest jump in sales has come from the business market, which is
iPhone demand in China still exceeds supply
We've heard some crazy stories out of China about the call for Apple products there, both that Apple is trying to increase supply as quickly as possible, and that they're still not living up to the demand. And here's more news that Apple is racing, and probably failing, to keep up with all of the demand there. China Unicom says that Apple is still falling short of orders in that country. So far, 600,000 iPhone 4s have been ordered, but there's no word on how many of those have been delivered
Hands on: AirPlay for audio streaming in depth
My colleague Mike Rose has already taken a long look at video streaming via AirPlay and found it a rather mixed bag. Although it works well as far as it goes, it doesn't support non-Apple apps -- even video streaming ones such as Netflix -- and can't even manage to stream video footage shot on an iPhone from the iPhone to an Apple TV. Meanwhile, Victor Agreda wasn't at all impressed that AirPlay doesn't offer the ability to stream his iTunes library to an iOS device.
However, as someone who
However, as someone who
TuneLink Auto Bluetooth-to-FM transmitter for iOS 4 devices
Up until just a few months ago, I had always used an FM transmitter like this Belkin one to play my iPhone through my car stereo. It was unwieldy and it made my Apple Lossless-encoded music sound like garbage, but at least it (kinda) worked for those long trips. If you are still using transmitters but are looking for a wireless solution in your car, Engadget has the scoop on the new TuneLink Auto from New Potato Technologies. It plugs directly into your cigarette lighter and provides a
Monday, November 22, 2010
iOS 4.2 features: The triumph and tragedy of AirPlay [video]
One of the flagship features of iOS 4.2 for iPad and iPhone was and arguably still is AirPlay — the ability to wirelessly beam video to an Apple TV or audio to an Airport Extreme with speakers or other AirPlay-compatible (formerly called AirTunes-compatible) audio gear. And it works great. It really does. Magically even. Provided you only want to beam video from the iPod app (Video on iPad and iPod touch) and YouTube app. With any of those apps, you get the AirPlay video option, tap it,
Edible iPhone birthday cake
And you thought that store-bought $ 10 cake you got for your birthday was cool. Sure to be the envy of Apple fanboys everywhere, Chris Samuels -- an independent iPhone and iPad developer -- received this detailed iPhone cake for his birthday from his wife Cath.
Everything on (and inside) the cake is edible, with the icons carefully made from frosting and food coloring. With all the work that must have gone into this cake it would almost be sad to eat it. Almost.
This certainly isn't the first
Everything on (and inside) the cake is edible, with the icons carefully made from frosting and food coloring. With all the work that must have gone into this cake it would almost be sad to eat it. Almost.
This certainly isn't the first
Just in time for Thanksgiving, The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks
Although the print book has been out for more than a year, The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Jan and Mike Brerenstain (US$ 2.99) has just hit the App store in time for Thanksgiving. This is the tenth in the series of Bear books released by Oceanhouse Media, and it employs the same excellent engine used by all their books. Instead of having one picture per page, the engine allows for lots of panning and zooming, so one picture can be used for multiple pages. I consider this a good idea since
Untethered 4.2.1 Jailbreak Requires Saved 4.1 SHSH Blobs!
Dev Team has announced that Greenpois0n will be updated within the next few days to allow for 4.2.1 to be Jailbroken. As of right now, the Jailbreak will be tethered for all 4th gen based devices (iPhone3GS w/ new bootrom, iPhone4, iPad, iPodTouch3&4) but Comex is hard at work creating a userland exploit to untether 4.2.1. Word is that this untethering will require 4.1 SHSH Blobs. If you have not saved your blobs yet, even if you are not currently Jailbroken and/or not currently using
PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit raises the bar for interactive children's books
PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit (US$ 4.99) is the first of what will be a series of PopOut! books published by Loud Crow Interactive Inc. It tells the well-loved tale of naughty Peter Rabbit getting into Mr. McGregor's garden, eating his fill of all the yummy vegetables, and when he's discovered, escaping back to his family. Many of us have a warm place in our hearts for this story, having enjoyed it as children. It's an old story, dating back to 1902. The app is similar to the wonderful
Flickr Find: Say hello to the Mac-in-craft
You can make a lot of things in the gigantic sandbox game Minecraft, including a gigantic floating Macintosh computer. Flickr user Caius Durling put together this floating replica on his own Minecraft world, assembled pixelbrick by pixelbrick, along with a floating "Hi" to match.
It's pretty impressive. The "resolution" on the Minecraft materials isn't quite good enough to show the Mac OS running on the machine, but he got the dimensions right, and he even got the handle built into the back.
It's pretty impressive. The "resolution" on the Minecraft materials isn't quite good enough to show the Mac OS running on the machine, but he got the dimensions right, and he even got the handle built into the back.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Is the Apollo News Reader defunct?
I liked the Apollo New Reader for iPad. It allowed you to read RSS feeds full screen, something that the Pulse news reader doesn't do. Another advantage was that it could usually play video from within the app. Alas, good things come to an end; the Apollo News Reader is no longer listed in the App Store, and the freshest stories are 6 days old. The iPhone version of the app is also M.I.A.
I recently reported that the app was not updating, but the developers said they expected to have it back up
I recently reported that the app was not updating, but the developers said they expected to have it back up
App beat: Pack like a professional with Packing Pro
If you invariably find yourself arriving at a travel destination missing one or more critical items left sitting on your desk or bed, Packing Pro from Quinnscape may be the app for you. Creating a packing list on a slip of paper is great as long as you don't leave anything off or lose the list. Most users tend to be more careful about keeping their electronic devices close at hand than they are with random lists.
This universal app includes a number of handy features, including a catalog of
This universal app includes a number of handy features, including a catalog of
iPhone dock/photo printer combo may be too much, too late
Contrary to some rumors, Apple users are pretty close to having the ability to print to anywhere via their iOS devices with Air Print. But if you happened to be in the market for an iPhone-specific printer dock today, you can stop looking. The Bolle BP-10, which can charge your iPhone (all versions) and print out 4X6" photos at the same time, uses the free Bolle Photo app to allow you to select photos from your albums and/or select individual pictures on your iPhone for printing. Users can
Talkcast reminder: Black Friday preview and more, 10pm ET
There's nothing like a bargain, and many of our US readers will be searching eagerly for the best savings starting right after Thanksgiving. We'll share tips and recommendations if you join us tonight on the TUAW Talkcast; we'll also be talking about the expected 4.2 or 4.2.1 iOS release.
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the Web UI, just click the
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the Web UI, just click the
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Count The Beats: A closer look at Amplitube 2.0 for iOS
A few weeks ago, IK Multimedia released Amplitube 2.0, the next iteration of its guitar effects and amplifier emulator app for iOS (don't forget, you need the external iRig piece of kit, too). It's only been about 5 months since version 1.0 came out, but when we got word that version 2.0 was in the works, we got pretty excited.
Update 2.0 brings 5 new stomp boxes (additional in-app purchase required), a promise of improved sound quality, a 4-track recorder and master FX section with 3 effects
Update 2.0 brings 5 new stomp boxes (additional in-app purchase required), a promise of improved sound quality, a 4-track recorder and master FX section with 3 effects
Friday, November 19, 2010
Free version of MobileMe coming with iOS 4.2 for iPhone, iPad?
MacRumors scores yet more evidence Apple might just be considering adding a free level of MobileMe service for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad owners on iOS 4.2.
The evidence comes in the form of a new private framework known as AppleAccounts.framework that includes a series of device-specific error messages referring to free MobileMe accounts. In particular, the error messages include alerts regarding having reached “the maximum number of free accounts” for a given device and
The evidence comes in the form of a new private framework known as AppleAccounts.framework that includes a series of device-specific error messages referring to free MobileMe accounts. In particular, the error messages include alerts regarding having reached “the maximum number of free accounts” for a given device and
Vote now for your favorite Jailbreak hack! – TiPb Awards
What’s your favorite Jailbreak hack?Market Research
The 2010 TiPb Awards are underway and right now it’s time to vote on your favorite Jailbreak hack of the year. This isn’t about Jailbreak apps, this is strictly for those little extensions, enhancers, and otherwise awesome tweaks that make existing functionality just that much better.
With iOS 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and iPad this year Jailbreak devs had an entirely new software and hardware playground at their
The 2010 TiPb Awards are underway and right now it’s time to vote on your favorite Jailbreak hack of the year. This isn’t about Jailbreak apps, this is strictly for those little extensions, enhancers, and otherwise awesome tweaks that make existing functionality just that much better.
With iOS 4, iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, and iPad this year Jailbreak devs had an entirely new software and hardware playground at their
Magellan updates RoadMate with free traffic and iOS 4 support
It was almost exactly a year ago that I reviewed the first version of the Magellan RoadMate app for the iPhone. Over the last several months the price has dropped, and features have been added.
In the latest update of the app, released this week, RoadMate USA now fully supports multitasking and fast application switching. If you are listening to music, it fades it for voice announcements, and voice guidance continues if you switch to another app. There is also an option to pause audio, which is
In the latest update of the app, released this week, RoadMate USA now fully supports multitasking and fast application switching. If you are listening to music, it fades it for voice announcements, and voice guidance continues if you switch to another app. There is also an option to pause audio, which is
25 iPads used to make one big interactive touch display
This is awesome -- a group of musical composers and artists connected up 25 iPads in an installation commissioned by the Environmental Ministry of Japan to create a huge display 25 touchscreens big. Not only do the iPads stream one big image, but they're also interactive -- you can speed the image up or down by swiping, or even change each iPad's individual view. Each iPad also starts out playing one tune, all of them together in harmony, but as visitors come along and change the views and the
Thursday, November 18, 2010
How D7 Consulting uses the iPad at work
We've been covering the story of D7 Consulting for a while here on TUAW -- that's the company that originally won 20 iPads from Box.net through our comments section, and then became a showcase project for how the iPad can be used in real-life business. I called up CEO Joe Daniels for one final interview this week to see how things have progressed and what he and his company have learned from using their iPads while out and about.
He told me that even though the dust has settled on the initial
He told me that even though the dust has settled on the initial
Boot Camp, MacBook firmware updates appear in Software Update
After the excitement of the Safari 5.0.3 update this morning, Apple quietly slipped in a few more updates this afternoon.
Boot Camp Software Update 3.2 for Windows 32 bit and Windows 64 bit both provide support for the ATI-Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, the Apple USB Ethernet adapter, and the MacBook Air SuperDrive, as well as "addressing critical bug fixes."
Don't be fooled by the post date of "January 18, 2010" -- the previous update came out on January 19, 2010, so it appears that someone
Boot Camp Software Update 3.2 for Windows 32 bit and Windows 64 bit both provide support for the ATI-Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, the Apple USB Ethernet adapter, and the MacBook Air SuperDrive, as well as "addressing critical bug fixes."
Don't be fooled by the post date of "January 18, 2010" -- the previous update came out on January 19, 2010, so it appears that someone
News Corp developing a tablet-exclusive publication
Reuters is reporting that News Corp, the world's third-largest media conglomerate, has confirmed they will be releasing a news publication developed specifically for tablet computers like the iPad. "It's a tablet-only product and it's very exciting," says James Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive, who was speaking to journalists at a conference in Spain. "You'll hear more about that soon." Companies are looking for ways to capitalize on user demand for instantaneous, real-time news as the
Magellan RoadMate for iPhone updated, want a promo code? [give away]
Magellan RoadMate for iPhone has just been updated to version 1.3 and that means a it’s received several new features to help you better and more enjoyably navigate from point A to point B:
Location-based offers and coupons – First branded GPS App to provide relevant offers on-screen while you route to your destination. Users can re-route to the sponsoring store’s location or save promotional coupons for redemption at a later time.
iOS 4.0 support – Multitasking capabilities
Location-based offers and coupons – First branded GPS App to provide relevant offers on-screen while you route to your destination. Users can re-route to the sponsoring store’s location or save promotional coupons for redemption at a later time.
iOS 4.0 support – Multitasking capabilities
Infinicam gives you a boatload of filters for your iPhone images
It's been almost a year and a half since I took a look at CameraBag, an app that allows you to filter your photos, mimicking classic film cameras from days gone by. Now the creators of CameraBag have stepped the game up with Infinicam. The app can generate an almost unlimited amount of filters to apply to images, and also provides 18 border styles to suit your photographic whim.
I tried the app on a variety of landscape images, and found the results interesting. You simply press an on-screen
I tried the app on a variety of landscape images, and found the results interesting. You simply press an on-screen
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
What is it like to work at Apple?
Ever wondered what it's like to work at Apple? AOL Jobs spoke to Joe Moreno, a software engineer who worked at Apple from 1998 to 2007. Joe touched numerous products and projects, notably WebObjects and the Apple Online Store (No, he wasn't the guy who puts the yellow sticky note up when new products arrive). His accounts of Apple make it sound like working there is almost as innovative as their products. From HR to communications, there's a lot other companies could learn from.
As TUAW is a
As TUAW is a
iXtreamer streams audio and video from your iOS 4 device to your TV
Didn't see the iPad dock of your dreams in the Holiday Gift Guide: Docks that rock post from the other day? Looking for one that can turn your iPad into a media streaming device? You might want to check out Xtreamer's new iXtreamer system, which enables wired and wireless AV streaming from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod to your TV. While it isn't sold with any internal means to store your media, there is space for a 3.5" HDD with a capacity of up to 3 TB storage along with two additional USB
Zen Bound 2 arrives on the Mac via Steam
Zen Bound 2, the second in the series of terrific iPhone and iPad games, is now out on the Mac platform as well, courtesy of Valve's great Steam platform. If you've ever played this one (and you definitely should), you'll know how it works -- wrap a virtual rope around a series of weird shapes trying to cover a certain percentage of the surface with paint. The gameplay's super intuitive and the whole experience is very zen, with solid colors and graphics backing up a great soundtrack and some
iPhone live! podcast tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT
It’s almost time! You ready?! Come 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT, we’ll be live over at:
http://live.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions for the show tweet them to @TiPb, email them to podcast@tipb.com, or leave them in the comments below!
Now make sure you show up for the live show! (Yes, you!)
iPhone live! podcast tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog
http://live.tipb.com/live/
If you have any questions for the show tweet them to @TiPb, email them to podcast@tipb.com, or leave them in the comments below!
Now make sure you show up for the live show! (Yes, you!)
iPhone live! podcast tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog
Tron app updated with Light Cycles
Disney's Tron movie is coming up quick, and today, the official Tron app (which has been out since Comic-Con, hosting exclusive previews and news from the movie) has added another new feature: Light Cycle battles. Yes, you can download the official app for free, and play a fun little 2D version of the famous Tron Light Cycle battle game right there in the app. The whole thing is pretty simple -- just swipe to change direction, and of course the goal is to leave a light path that will block
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Adobe is testing optimized Flash Player beta for the MacBook Air
Today Engadget sat down with Adobe's Shantanu Narayen and asked him what the MacBook Air's increased battery life -- sans Flash installed -- meant for the future of Flash in the wake of HTML5.
Narayen kinda dodged the question with this stay-on-message answer: "When we have access to hardware acceleration, we've proven that Flash has equal or better performance on every platform," but then went on to say that Adobe is currently testing a beta version of Flash specifically designed for the
Narayen kinda dodged the question with this stay-on-message answer: "When we have access to hardware acceleration, we've proven that Flash has equal or better performance on every platform," but then went on to say that Adobe is currently testing a beta version of Flash specifically designed for the
Jailbreak tip: How to use Mobile Terminal to change the default SSH password [Jailbreak]
Just getting into Jailbreak and OpenSSH on iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad and curious how to change the SSH password”? Since Apple defaults all iOS devices to “alpine” If you decide to enable SSH it is important for security reasons that to change the password to something unique so not just anyone can gain access to your iPhone or iPad. We’ll show you how after the break!
Here’s what you need to do to change the default SSH password. Note, this method is only
Here’s what you need to do to change the default SSH password. Note, this method is only
How-To: Create PDFs from your iOS device
AirPrint may not be officially implemented in Mac OS X yet, but the feature remains present in the latest iOS 4.2 GM available to developers. For those who do have iOS 4.2 GM installed on their iDevices and are hoping to enable AirPrint, we've got a handy guide for you. Or you can also can use the AirPrint Hacktivator to get the job done.
That all covers printing to paper from iOS, but I've decided to take it a step further for those who want to "print" but remain paperless: Print to a PDF.
That all covers printing to paper from iOS, but I've decided to take it a step further for those who want to "print" but remain paperless: Print to a PDF.
Twitter for iPhone, iPad updated — now with push notifications!
Twitter for iPhone and iPad just got an update and the big news is — push notifications. This has been a highly desired feature for a very long time. At the moment, push notifications for the official Twitter app are only available for @mentions. Hopefully Twitter will include direct messages in the future.
Interestingly, Twitter does not include push notifications in the release notes. So it was a pleasant surprise to see Twitter asking for permission to send push notifications when
Interestingly, Twitter does not include push notifications in the release notes. So it was a pleasant surprise to see Twitter asking for permission to send push notifications when
Twitter for iOS gets push notifications, bug fixes, UI enhancements
There's an update to the official Twitter app for iOS. The new version 3.2 adds push notifications, so you can be pinged whenever someone mentions your Twitter handle, and also adds full support for iOS 4.2.
On the iPad, there are UI improvements that include panel animation and a dismiss feature. You can manage saved searches, and media can now be viewed inline.
The iPhone client provides additional Retina Display graphics, geotagging with just one tap, and improved display of shortened
On the iPad, there are UI improvements that include panel animation and a dismiss feature. You can manage saved searches, and media can now be viewed inline.
The iPhone client provides additional Retina Display graphics, geotagging with just one tap, and improved display of shortened
Monday, November 15, 2010
10.6.5 server update back online, with a small security tweak
The Mac OS X Server 10.6.5 update is back online, now marked v1.1 and with an incremented build number. It's available through Software Update and for download after fixing a memory aliasing issue in Dovecot's handling of user names.
We reported earlier that the 10.6.5 Server update was pulled briefly, coincident with reports of a number of issues. These included problems with Whole Disk Encryption, DNS resolution issues, LDAP/Open Directory master hiccups and remote connection drops.
It's not
We reported earlier that the 10.6.5 Server update was pulled briefly, coincident with reports of a number of issues. These included problems with Whole Disk Encryption, DNS resolution issues, LDAP/Open Directory master hiccups and remote connection drops.
It's not
Apple’s surprise for tomorrow is Beatles finally coming to iTunes?
According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple is set to announce that they’ve worked out an agreement to offer the entire Beatles catalog on its iTunes Store — something Apple has been negotiating for what seems like the better half of a decade. WSJ reports:
Apple Inc. is preparing to announce that its iTunes Store will soon start carrying music by the Beatles, according to people familiar with the situation, a move that would fill in a glaring gap in the collection of the
Apple Inc. is preparing to announce that its iTunes Store will soon start carrying music by the Beatles, according to people familiar with the situation, a move that would fill in a glaring gap in the collection of the
Why 10.6.5 and Symantec's PGP Whole Disk Encryption didn't get along
Those of you who joined us for last night's TUAW Talkcast know that one of the Mac OS X 10.6.5 issues that we discussed dealt with PGP WDE (Whole Disk Encryption), a Symantec product that is used to encrypt an entire hard drive. PGP WDE is very useful to those who carry sensitive information on their MacBooks, as they can be assured that nobody can access the info or even boot the machine without knowing the encryption password.
Mac OS X 10.6.5 "broke" PGP WDE, with users of the product unable
Mac OS X 10.6.5 "broke" PGP WDE, with users of the product unable
How to integrate Ping and Twitter to better share your musical tastes
Wondering how to connect with more friends on Apple’s new iTunes Ping social music network? Well Apple’s iTunes News has put up a short post telling you how their new Twitter integration works. Check it out after the break!
[iTunes News]
You can now automatically tweet your Ping activity to your Twitter followers, and easily discover which of them has also connected their Ping accounts to Twitter. If you’re new to Ping, use the Connect to Twitter link that will appear
[iTunes News]
You can now automatically tweet your Ping activity to your Twitter followers, and easily discover which of them has also connected their Ping accounts to Twitter. If you’re new to Ping, use the Connect to Twitter link that will appear
Australia election campaign promises iPads in every hospital
In what I can comfortably say is a previously unimagined application, the iPad is now being used as an election promise to entice voters in Australia. ZDNet notes that the promise was made last week by Victorian Premier John Brumby as part of a proposed new state health policy, which would see iPads given to every doctor in Victoria's public hospitals, "noting their potential to impact positively on long-term hospital problems such as scheduling across the health ecosystem". Australia-based
TUAW's Daily App: Ash
Ash is a game that hearkens back to a simpler time, when strong RPG stories could be told in just two dimensions, and enemies randomly jumped on you in dungeons only to kindly wait their turn to attack during the actual battles. Yes, it's a Dragon Warrior-style RPG, and while the graphics actually place the game squarely in the 16-bit era, the gameplay is reminiscent of very old-school games, with an evil empire attacking the populace and a hero and his party caught in the middle of it all.
Boxcar 4.0 vastly improves on iPhone notifications
While people who have used both iOS and Android devices will argue over which OS exhibits a greater degree of polish, Android definitely has the better notification system. Even the addition of multitasking to iOS 4 did little to improve the state of notifications on iOS devices compared to Android.
Boxcar, which just reached version 4 on the App Store, is a great improvement over standard iOS notifications. Boxcar enables super-fast push notifications for services ranging from the internal
Boxcar, which just reached version 4 on the App Store, is a great improvement over standard iOS notifications. Boxcar enables super-fast push notifications for services ranging from the internal
Facebook for iPhone updated with account and privacy settings access
Facebook has updated its popular iPhone app to version 3.3.2. The update includes bug fixes, but it also adds the long requested ability to access your account and privacy settings directly from the iPhone app without having to log into Facebook.com.
While you can now access account and privacy settings from within the app, the implementation of the account and privacy settings leaves something to be desired. Taping the Account button will bring up a menu that allows you to log out, go to the
While you can now access account and privacy settings from within the app, the implementation of the account and privacy settings leaves something to be desired. Taping the Account button will bring up a menu that allows you to log out, go to the
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Best of Smartphone Experts, 14 Nov 2010
Netflix finally coming to Android, on select devices
Motorola Droid Pro first impressions
Sneak peak at the HTC Mecha/HD Incredible
BlackBerry Style Review
BlackBerry Bold 9780 First Impressions
Red & White
Motorola Droid Pro first impressions
Sneak peak at the HTC Mecha/HD Incredible
BlackBerry Style Review
BlackBerry Bold 9780 First Impressions
Red & White
TUAW Talkcast tonight at 10 PM ET: Updates, updates, and updates
Does it seem like you've been running Software Update on your Mac more than any other application lately? iTunes 10.1 has hit and Mac OS X 10.6.5 is in the wild, and over in the land of Apple mobile devices iOS 4.2 is about to drop.
Tonight on the TUAW Talkcast, we'll talk all about the state of updates, what's working and what's not, what to expect from iOS 4.2 when it finally arrives, and even speculate about the future of Mac OS X.
If you haven't joined us in the past for the Talkcast,
Tonight on the TUAW Talkcast, we'll talk all about the state of updates, what's working and what's not, what to expect from iOS 4.2 when it finally arrives, and even speculate about the future of Mac OS X.
If you haven't joined us in the past for the Talkcast,
Steve Jobs email says Keynote ‘11 will have AirPlay capabilities to Apple TV
According to TUAW, Steve Jobs has replied to yet another email in which he indicates that Keynote ‘11 might have a nice new feature: AirPlay streaming to Apple TV.
The email to Jobs went as follows:
Will the new Apple TV accept Keynote presentations via iOS device or a Mac? If it will I will go buy two at an Apple store tonight.
Jobs’ purported reply:
It’s all coming soon. Stay tuned.
If you recall, the Back to the Mac event, Jobs never made mention of the iWork
The email to Jobs went as follows:
Will the new Apple TV accept Keynote presentations via iOS device or a Mac? If it will I will go buy two at an Apple store tonight.
Jobs’ purported reply:
It’s all coming soon. Stay tuned.
If you recall, the Back to the Mac event, Jobs never made mention of the iWork
Apple iPad makes Time Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2010
Apple’s revolutionary iPad tablet has made Time Magazine’s ‘50 Best Inventions of 2010′ list. From TIME:
How does Apple keep out-inventing the rest of the tech industry? Often, it’s by reinventing a product category that its competitors have given up on. In theory, the iPad is merely a follow-up to such resoundingly unpopular slate-style computers as Microsoft’s Tablet PC. But Apple is the first company that designed finger-friendly hardware and software
How does Apple keep out-inventing the rest of the tech industry? Often, it’s by reinventing a product category that its competitors have given up on. In theory, the iPad is merely a follow-up to such resoundingly unpopular slate-style computers as Microsoft’s Tablet PC. But Apple is the first company that designed finger-friendly hardware and software
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Ping now available on iPad
iPad users may have to wait a little longer than they'd like for features like multitasking and folder support, but at least one new feature is available right now: the iPad now supports Ping, Apple's stab at a social media component to the iTunes Store. Via an update to the iTunes Store's servers, Ping functionality is now available in the iTunes app on the iPad.
You'll find all the usual Ping features in a tab on the iPad's iTunes app: who you're following, who follows you, and so forth. Just
You'll find all the usual Ping features in a tab on the iPad's iTunes app: who you're following, who follows you, and so forth. Just
iOS 4.2 features: Ping for iPad
With the release of iTunes 10.1, Ping has come to the iPad… if you’re running iOS 4.2. (And if you consider Ping to be a feature! — we kid!) If you have both and you still don’t see Ping, make sure you sign into the service on iTunes on your Windows or Mac, then sync iPad (that’s what I had to do.)
Used Ping on iPhone or iPod touch? If so, no surprises here. It’s just bigger. Much bigger. There are the same three tabs: activities, people, and profiles. You
Used Ping on iPhone or iPod touch? If so, no surprises here. It’s just bigger. Much bigger. There are the same three tabs: activities, people, and profiles. You
App Review: Reiner Knizia's Ra
Reiner Knizia's classic Egyptian-themed auction and tile-collecting game Ra is not an easy one to figure out. When playing around a table, you need to collect the right tiles, look over to see what other people are collecting, keep an eye on the status of the sun/bid tiles and, in general, process a lot of changing information. If you enjoy this gameplay but don't like setting up the game or dealing with scorekeeping, the new universal Ra app is sure to please, especially at US$ 4.99 (it
Friday, November 12, 2010
Mac has Blu-ray envy in Microsoft ad
Are Macs envious of Windows 7's ability to play Blu-ray discs? Microsoft seems to think so, as seen in this stop-motion web video highlighting a Windows 7 laptop computer and a jealous MacBook. The MacBook is blown away by the PC's ability to play a Blu-ray disc of Avatar, saying "it feels like we're really in it," and thoroughly enjoying the experience of such a life-like movie. After watching the video, one might think that Apple users cannot watch high-definition movies on their computers,
NAVIGON Mobile Navigator North America on weekend sale!
NAVIGON let us know that they’re celebrating their 2010 TiPb Readers Choice Award by putting NAVIGON MobileNavigator on sale this weekend.
The community of the number one iPhone blog in the US, TiPb.com, awarded NAVIGON MobileNavigator iPhone the best navigation app in 2010. With this special price and for a limited time only we’d like to thank everybody for voting for us. We are thrilled about this!
Very cool.
[$ 49.99 - iTunes link]
NAVIGON Mobile Navigator North America
The community of the number one iPhone blog in the US, TiPb.com, awarded NAVIGON MobileNavigator iPhone the best navigation app in 2010. With this special price and for a limited time only we’d like to thank everybody for voting for us. We are thrilled about this!
Very cool.
[$ 49.99 - iTunes link]
NAVIGON Mobile Navigator North America
Apollo News reader shuts down and restarts with some RSS content missing
If you were enjoying using the Apollo News reader on your iPhone or iPad, you probably noticed that it stopped getting content for the last couple of days. In fact, the developers turned it off because they are in the middle of a conflict with some content providers.
These disputes are nothing new. The excellent newsreader Pulse had a tiff with the New York Times, but it was finally settled. The Apollo app was created by some former Bing and Google engineers, and it worked well and had an
These disputes are nothing new. The excellent newsreader Pulse had a tiff with the New York Times, but it was finally settled. The Apollo app was created by some former Bing and Google engineers, and it worked well and had an
Found Footage: iPad used as protest sign
As if you needed yet another example of how there's no limitation to the uses people will find for the iPad, here's another one for you: an iPad as a protest sign.
In a recent Lithuanian protest, observers noted and recorded a video of one industrious person who made his own app -- or, possibly, just a video or web page -- to display his own protests in animated form upon an iPad. There's just never enough room on those giant poster boards to get your message across, so why not get their
In a recent Lithuanian protest, observers noted and recorded a video of one industrious person who made his own app -- or, possibly, just a video or web page -- to display his own protests in animated form upon an iPad. There's just never enough room on those giant poster boards to get your message across, so why not get their
iPad may soon run Android via OpeniBoot
Not entirely psyched about your iPad because of its lack of Adobe Flash support, or unhappy with the iOS operating system itself? How about installing Android on it instead? OpeniBoot, an open source implementation of iBoot for Apple iOS devices, is on a mission to bring the Android OS to the iPad and iPhone 4. While previous versions of OpeniBoot have appeared for the first-gen iPhone and iPhone 3G, this is the first we've seen of the implementation for more modern iOS devices. For jailbroken
Thursday, November 11, 2010
AirPrint: how to make it work for shared printers
Mac OS X 10.6.5 was released yesterday, and one of the features it was expected to bring to the table was support for AirPrint, a new feature in iOS 4.2 that was supposed to enable wireless printing from an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Unfortunately, whether it's because of technical problems or patent trolling, Apple pulled support for this feature at the last minute. In its current incarnation, AirPrint in iOS 4.2 will now only work with specific printers that come with AirPrint
iBooks gift cards appear in Apple Stores and Target stores
iLounge reports that Apple has started to sell iBooks-branded iTunes Store gift cards in Apple Stores. I also saw the same gift cards for sale in my local Target store this morning. The gift cards come in US$ 25 and US$ 50 denominations and, like other iTunes gift cards, aren't limited to purchasing iBooks but can be used to purchase any content in the iTunes Store.
The idea behind the iBooks gift card branding is twofold: to appeal to customers buying iPads for book lovers this holiday
The idea behind the iBooks gift card branding is twofold: to appeal to customers buying iPads for book lovers this holiday
Apple-1 computer going on auction at Christie's in London
One of the original Apple-1 computers -- that's right, the wood-encased PCs that Steves Jobs and Wozniak built in the garage all those years ago -- is going up for auction at Christie's in London. There were only about 200 sold back in 1976 (for $ 666.66, of course) and only a few still left around today, but this one's going up on the auction block. And it's got all of the original materials included, apparently, including the original manual (with that old Apple Computer Co. logo) and a
2010 TiPb Award for Favorite #Fail of the Year goes to…!
The 2010 TiPb Award for Favorite #Fail of the Year goes to… White iPhone 4!
The white iPhone 4 was announced by Apple alongside the black model during WWDC 2010 but shipping delay after shipping delay — variously ascribed to manufacturing problems surrounding the color consistency, proximity sensor, light bleeding, etc. — have kept it from appearing on the market to date. While rumors swirl that it may simply never show up, for their part Apple has pegged early 2011 as the
The white iPhone 4 was announced by Apple alongside the black model during WWDC 2010 but shipping delay after shipping delay — variously ascribed to manufacturing problems surrounding the color consistency, proximity sensor, light bleeding, etc. — have kept it from appearing on the market to date. While rumors swirl that it may simply never show up, for their part Apple has pegged early 2011 as the
Kinect running on OS X
Microsoft recently released its Kinect motion sensor system for the Xbox 360 -- it's a little camera-equipped device that plugs into the game console and lets you control game titles, Wii-style, with just your body in lieu of any actual controllers. Just a few days after release, the hardware was hacked, and now hacker Theo Watson has released an OS X port of libfreenect, a library that allows you to run Kinect's output directly into OS X. You can watch video of it all working right after the
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
iOS 4.2 Jailbreak update!
iPhone Dev team posted a quick reminder for all jailbreakers and unlockers as iOS 4.2 release is imminent:
By all accounts, we’re within a few days of Apple’s official public release of Firmware 4.2. Here’s what you need to know:
Thanks to geohot’s limera1n exploit, and our original pwnage2 exploit, and @pod2g’s ipod2g-MC exploit, absolutely all devices at all iOS firmware versions are capable of being jailbroken.
The untethered jailbreak of those very latest FWs and
By all accounts, we’re within a few days of Apple’s official public release of Firmware 4.2. Here’s what you need to know:
Thanks to geohot’s limera1n exploit, and our original pwnage2 exploit, and @pod2g’s ipod2g-MC exploit, absolutely all devices at all iOS firmware versions are capable of being jailbroken.
The untethered jailbreak of those very latest FWs and
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT
You know the drill, come 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST, we’ll be live over at:
http://live.tipb.com/live/
We’ll be discussing all the week’s iPhone new and we want to hear from you. Be there!
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
http://live.tipb.com/live/
We’ll be discussing all the week’s iPhone new and we want to hear from you. Be there!
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.6.5 ahead of iOS 4.2, will it AirPrint?
As part of the steady march towards iOS 4.2, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.5. Beta versions of this OS were said by developers to be necessary to enable iOS 4.2 iPhone and iPad AirPrint support for networked printers. Now, however, there have been rumors networked AirPrint support has been postponed or cancelled.
We’ll try it out with the iOS 4.2 GM but we likely won’t know for sure until the release version of iOS 4.2 hits, hopefully soon.
If you’ve updated to 10.6.5
We’ll try it out with the iOS 4.2 GM but we likely won’t know for sure until the release version of iOS 4.2 hits, hopefully soon.
If you’ve updated to 10.6.5
Space Miner Blast and Trade Nations lead the freemium charge
Freemium isn't just for Ngmoco anymore -- the model of "free with in-app purchase" has been spreading across the App Store for a while, and because "free" opens up a developers' audience to so many more people. Here are two more titles that have taken the freemium route.
First up, Space Miner was chosen as our Daily App a while back -- it's a very cute, well-written arcade/sim title that has you flying around collecting ore from asteroids to build up your uncle's space mining business. Now,
First up, Space Miner was chosen as our Daily App a while back -- it's a very cute, well-written arcade/sim title that has you flying around collecting ore from asteroids to build up your uncle's space mining business. Now,
Synth fans rejoice: ReBirth for iPad now available
I've got to admit that I have a fascination with synthesizers. When I was in engineering school 35 years ago, I soldered together two synth kits and became familiar with the early sequencers and waveform generators. I listened to the early synth music of Larry Fast (Synergy), Yes, Kraftwerk, Tomita, ELP, and Wendy Carlos religiously. That love of synth stayed with me through the years. So when we received a tip from reader Dioxide about ReBirth for iPad (US$ 14.99), and I realized that he was
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Analyst: The Mac isn't done growing yet
Granted, I probably could have told you this news without hiring a think tank, but now we know for sure; there is still plenty of room for Apple to continue to grow. With Apple's market cap now larger than Walmart's and market research firm IDC reporting that growth continued to expand in 2009, this latest report from The Toffler Associates says that Apple is poised to grab 10% more of the computer market than they already have, which currently stands at around 10% in the U.S. and 5% worldwide.
Snagit on Mac: First look at this powerful screen capture tool
Back in December of 2009, I reported on the public beta of Snagit on Mac, a screenshot tool for Mac from TechSmith, the folks who bring you the Camtasia screen recorder. Well, the beta is over, and after 100,000+ testers gave the app a good scrubbing, it's now available for sale for US$ 49.95.
Snagit isn't a new product -- it's been around on the Windows platform since 1991 -- but Snagit on Mac is new. One purchase of the application on either platform gives you a non-concurrent use license
Snagit isn't a new product -- it's been around on the Windows platform since 1991 -- but Snagit on Mac is new. One purchase of the application on either platform gives you a non-concurrent use license
Amazon deal could affect Apple's publishing efforts
Amazon has just backed down a bit on its newspaper publishing program for the Kindle service, and it's possible that it happened as a result of pressure from Apple itself. Amazon has announced a new plan for newspapers and their content that would give them a full 70% royalty split, a deal very similar to the ones Apple is making with all kinds of content developers lately. Originally, Amazon had contracted various newspapers around the world to provide content to its Kindle service under a
Slider cases for iPhone 4 pulled from Apple Stores due to “Glassgate”?
According to Cult of Mac, Apple’s retail stores are no longer selling slider cases for the iPhone 4 because of what’s been referred to as “Glassgate” – the scratching and cracking of the iPhone 4’s glass due to trapped dirt. Even cases that are part of Apple’s “made for iPhone” program are reportedly being pulled.
Glassgate may or not be real, but it looks like Apple is trying to find out. A source in the case industry has confirmed that
Glassgate may or not be real, but it looks like Apple is trying to find out. A source in the case industry has confirmed that
WOWKeys integrates keyboard and iPhone dock
A keyboard called WOWKeys is trying to make good use of your little touchscreen-based iPhone when it's just sitting there charging itself up. The keyboard includes an actual iPhone dock, and with a switch on the device, you can go from controlling your computer wirelessly to using the keyboard on the phone. The US$ 100 USB keyboard even has a set of hotkeys that allows you to control things like song changing, volume, and even go to your iPhone's home screen straight from the keyboard
Monday, November 8, 2010
Stun Fone iPhone accessory: YouTube spoof or real product?
Thanks to TUAW reader Adam, I was pointed in the direction of YouTube a few minutes ago to watch a video of a purported stun gun accessory for iPhone 3 / 3GS / 4. While I'm 99.9 percent certain that this is a spoof, the other .1 percent is wishing that the US$ 24.99 Stun Fone was actually available for sale. It would be so handy for those situations where someone cuts in a line ahead of me...
A little research on Amazon showed that stun guns are readily available at about this price, so
A little research on Amazon showed that stun guns are readily available at about this price, so
Apple exec posts, retracts enterprise information
We're not sure if this is good news or bad news for you Xserve enthusiasts, but given the furor over Apple discontinuing the server line, any news is probably worth hearing. Apple server product marketing manager Eric Zelenka reportedly posted a message on the Xsanity message boards saying that the Xserve announcement wouldn't "impact the future of Xsan or server software on Mac OS X." Seems like good news, right? Apple may not be selling the hardware, but they'll still be working on the
MacTech 2010: Wil Shipley on Noogle Noggles, a new Delicious Library and the Mac App Store
Wil Shipley is probably the premiere Mac developer -- he co-founded The Omni Group, and now runs Delicious Monster, whose Delicious Library app pretty much embodies the best of this platform we love so much. Wil kindly sat down to talk with me at last week's MacTech 2010 conference here in Los Angeles, and we chatted about what's next for Delicious Library, what the response was like to his company's Noogle Noggles app, and what he believes is in store for Apple's upcoming Mac App
Adobe: Apple is being very mean to Flash
According to Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch, Apple is out to get Flash. Which I guess is fair since Flash has been out to melt every Apple device I’ve ever owned. Fast Company quotes:
“I just think there’s this negative campaigning going on, and, for whatever reason, Apple is really choosing to incite it, and condone it,” Lynch says. “I think that’s unfortunate. We don’t think it’s good for the web to have aspects closed off–a blockade of
“I just think there’s this negative campaigning going on, and, for whatever reason, Apple is really choosing to incite it, and condone it,” Lynch says. “I think that’s unfortunate. We don’t think it’s good for the web to have aspects closed off–a blockade of
Apple patent reveals scrollable menus, toolbars for OS X Lion
Apple has filed a patent featuring some concepts for scrollable menus and toolbars that could eventually be used in the next version of OS X, 10.7 Lion. The new patent covers all kinds of things, from extra UI elements in the OS X desktop to special iOS menus and features. But they all look like what you see above -- an almost Cover Flow-like scrollable interface that boils down a series of functions or menus into a set of icons.
I like it -- while the drawback seems to be that you'd have to
I like it -- while the drawback seems to be that you'd have to
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Best of Smartphone Experts, 7 Nov 2010
Hands-on with the T-Mobile myTouch 4G
Prices leak on upcoming Samsung smartphones: Samsung Continuum is $ 199; Droid Pro is $ 179.
Android Central app hits Version 2.0
Prices leak on upcoming Samsung smartphones: Samsung Continuum is $ 199; Droid Pro is $ 179.
Android Central app hits Version 2.0
Jailbroken iPhone 3GS gets FaceTime... sort of
Jailbreaking team iPhoneIslam has managed to enable FaceTime on a jailbroken iPhone 3GS... sort of. iPhoneIslam's app, "FaceIt-3GS," is currently available in the Cydia store, and allows users to enable FaceTime in the iPhone 3GS's Settings app.
However, the functionality is quite limited. The most obvious stumbling block is hardware-related -- without a front-facing camera, the FaceTime experience will be quite limited on the iPhone 3GS no matter how creative jailbreakers get. iPhoneIslam's
However, the functionality is quite limited. The most obvious stumbling block is hardware-related -- without a front-facing camera, the FaceTime experience will be quite limited on the iPhone 3GS no matter how creative jailbreakers get. iPhoneIslam's
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/2AM GMT
You know the drill. Come time, we’ll be talking about everything iPad.
6pm PT/9pm ET/2am GMT
So click on through, we start setting up 15 min. before show time. Chat with you soon!
http://www.tipb.com/live/
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/2AM GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
6pm PT/9pm ET/2am GMT
So click on through, we start setting up 15 min. before show time. Chat with you soon!
http://www.tipb.com/live/
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/2AM GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/1AM GMT
You know the drill. Come time, we’ll be talking about everything iPad.
6pm PT/9pm ET/1am GMT
So click on through, we start setting up 15 min. before show time. Chat with you soon!
http://www.tipb.com/live/
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/1AM GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
6pm PT/9pm ET/1am GMT
So click on through, we start setting up 15 min. before show time. Chat with you soon!
http://www.tipb.com/live/
iPad live podcast tonight 6pm PT/9pm ET/1AM GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Xserve, we hardly knew ye: a requiem tonight at 10p ET on the Talkcast
Friday's news hasn't really sunk in yet for most Mac admins and server-lovers, but it's true: the Xserve is heading to that great rackmount in the sky. Whether you're deeply bereft or couldn't care less, you're welcome to join us tonight on the TUAW Talkcast. We'll be kicking things off at 10pm Eastern Standard Time, so be sure to set a 2nd alarm.
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for
iOS 4.2 for iPhone walkthrough
Complete feature guide to Apple’s iOS 4.2 update for iPhone and iPod touch
iOS 4.2 for iPhone is small update to iOS 4 and iOS 4.1 that adds marquee new features like AirVideo and AirPlay, fixes some bugs, but most importantly brings the iOS platform into grand unification, with iPhone, iPod touch, and — finally — iPad all on the same version number.
Note: this walkthrough is based on the GM (gold master) version of iOS 4.2. We’ll continue to add to and improve it
iOS 4.2 for iPhone is small update to iOS 4 and iOS 4.1 that adds marquee new features like AirVideo and AirPlay, fixes some bugs, but most importantly brings the iOS platform into grand unification, with iPhone, iPod touch, and — finally — iPad all on the same version number.
Note: this walkthrough is based on the GM (gold master) version of iOS 4.2. We’ll continue to add to and improve it
iOS 4.2 on iPhone 3G: Is the performance any better? [video]
How does the 2008 iPhone 3G work with the soon-to-debut iOS 4.2? When iOS 4 first came out back in June it was laggy and non-responsive and generally not a good experience for many iPhone 3G users. Apple promised a fix with iOS 4.1 in September but not everyone was thrilled with the results. Now it’s November and iOS 4.2 should become available this week. So, we took a look at iPhone 3G running the iOS 4.2 GM seed, which is usually binary-identical to the final release and… the
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Track your favorite runners with the ING New York Marathon app
There are some people who regard the prospect of a 26 mile-long run across the bridges, avenues and streets of New York City's five boroughs with eager anticipation, who train diligently for months with single-minded focus to be able to say with well-deserved pride, "Yes, on November 6 2010, I completed the NYC Marathon."
Let me be perfectly clear: I am not one of these people. I do, however, live just steps away from the marathon route, so it's a family tradition for all of us to traipse down
Let me be perfectly clear: I am not one of these people. I do, however, live just steps away from the marathon route, so it's a family tradition for all of us to traipse down
Square card reader: Now anyone can accept credit cards
Remember the Square card reader and payment service from our first hands-on video in January at Macworld Expo 2010? Square makes it possible for anyone, whether an individual or small business, to take payments via credit card. Shortly after Macworld Expo, I signed up for the service; I finally received my free credit card reader yesterday.
The reader is a tiny square box that plugs into the audio port on iOS devices or other smartphones. Rather than using an expensive (usually $ 75 or more)
The reader is a tiny square box that plugs into the audio port on iOS devices or other smartphones. Rather than using an expensive (usually $ 75 or more)
Attention: Don’t trust iPhone alarm clock during Daylight Savings Time changeover
The switch from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time happens tonight at 2 am. But as we learned from Australian and and European iPhone users, the iPhone’s alarm clock will not recognize this change. In fact, your alarm is likely to go off an hour late.
This is a very strange bug. Australian users were reporting that their alarms were going off early after the time change, and European iPhones were going of late. Even stranger is that we received reports of people in the US already
This is a very strange bug. Australian users were reporting that their alarms were going off early after the time change, and European iPhones were going of late. Even stranger is that we received reports of people in the US already
Posterous for iPhone puts microblogging power at your fingers
Arguably, one of the easiest ways to publish online is with Posterous. Creating and updating a weblog with Posterous is as simple as sending an email. Now, the gang has created another tool for users to play with: Posterous for iPhone (free). I've been using the app for a couple of weeks now. I also had a chat with Posterous CEO and co-founder Sachin Agarwal. Here's our review of the app and highlights of my discussion with Sachin.
On Posterous
First, a bit about the service itself. To create
On Posterous
First, a bit about the service itself. To create
Friday, November 5, 2010
Apple launches App Store Hall of Fame
Apple has launched a new section of the iTunes App Store, a Hall of Fame, containing everything iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad from Angry Birds to Zen Bound 2. There are around 50 apps honored so far (the exact number might vary based on availability in your region) and includes news, travel, sports, entertainment, productivity, and of course, lots of great games.
It’s not a true Hall of Fame in that apps as recent as last month’s Cut the Rope game are included. It would have been
It’s not a true Hall of Fame in that apps as recent as last month’s Cut the Rope game are included. It would have been
Attention US iPhone users: use a standby alarm clock for now
If you live in the United States, you're probably already aware that the nation is set to switch to Standard Time on November 7, moving clocks one hour back. What you may not be aware of is that if you're using an iPhone or other iOS device as your primary alarm clock, it might not make the switch as planned -- and you could end up late to work on Monday as a result.
iOS 4 introduced a bug into how iOS devices handle the switch between Daylight Saving and Standard Time. The bug got some
iOS 4 introduced a bug into how iOS devices handle the switch between Daylight Saving and Standard Time. The bug got some
CSS motion magic with Sencha Animator preview
We've seen some cool tricks done with CSS3 in recent months. From iOS icons made in pure CSS to the OS X Dock animation that Sam mentioned this week, people are embracing the possibilities.
It is, however, only a certain breed of developer that has the mindset and the patience to build these kinds of showcase pieces. For most of us, the idea of recreating even basic Flash feats -- such as splash screens and banner ads -- in CSS3 is a bit daunting. The future is looking bright, though: Sencha
It is, however, only a certain breed of developer that has the mindset and the patience to build these kinds of showcase pieces. For most of us, the idea of recreating even basic Flash feats -- such as splash screens and banner ads -- in CSS3 is a bit daunting. The future is looking bright, though: Sencha
food fight! A pre-release view of the most beautiful iOS children's book yet
food fight! is the most beautiful interactive children's book I've seen to date. It's currently going through the App Store review process and isn't yet available, but when it hits the iTunes store, it will sell for US$ 3.99 and be released as a universal app playable on any iOS device. There are a number of things that make this book special, but the most obvious is the amazing 3D graphics found on every page. The book was written and rendered by Glenn Melenhorst, a visual effects artist
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Updating to iOS 4.2 early, with optional jailbreak
iOS 4.2 hasn't even been publicly released yet, but the gold master candidate has already been jailbroken using Redsn0w. In fact, using instructions posted on Covering Web, it's been possible to jailbreak iOS 4.2's gold master since the moment it was released. The jailbreaking steps are relatively straightforward, although they do require you to have retained a copy of the iOS 4.1 firmware in order for the procedure to work.
Of interest to those who don't want to jailbreak but are interested
Of interest to those who don't want to jailbreak but are interested
First RS-232 to dock connector interface approved by Apple, controls telescope
In the video on the next page you'll see a demo of the SkySafari app from Southern Skies. It's a great app for astronomy buffs, complete with gorgeous renderings of the night sky and an illustrated astronomy textbook in one neat little package. You'll also see a product called SkyFi, which is a WiFi dongle that connects to telescopes using an RS-232 port (sometimes old school is the best school, yes). Finally, you'll see a first: the very first Apple-approved 30-pin dock connector-to-RS-232
MacTech 2010: Daniel Jalkut on the Mac App Store and more
Daniel Jalkut of Red Sweater Software (creator of MarsEdit, a TUAW favorite app for blogging) gave a talk at MacTech 2010 this morning about unit testing Mac apps, and while his developer talk was mostly over our heads, he did kindly allow us to corner him afterwards to chat about the state of Mac development and what he expects out of Apple's upcoming Mac App Store.
Like most of the developers we've met up with at the conference this week, Jalkut is hesitant but optimistic about the way the
Like most of the developers we've met up with at the conference this week, Jalkut is hesitant but optimistic about the way the
Having Flash installed on your MacBook can reduce battery runtime by 33%
As if Adobe Flash didn't have enough going against it already. Now it appears that, according to tests done by Ars Technica, having Flash installed on your laptop can reduce your battery runtime by a third. Ars Technica was running battery tests on the new 11-inch MacBook Air. With the Flash player plug-in installed, the 11-inch Air got just 4 hours of battery life. Once they deleted Flash, the Air's battery life rose to a whopping 6 hours.
Ars Technica speculates that this is another reason
Ars Technica speculates that this is another reason
Final Box.net iPad campaign video
Box.net has released the final video covering their project to set up a company called D7 Consulting with 20 iPads to implement in their day-to-day business. It sounds like the whole thing has been a rousing success -- back when the project first kicked off, D7 said they wanted to use the iPad to track statements and reports directly from their construction work sites, and according to this video, that's exactly what they've done, reducing paperwork and serving as a great example of how to
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Analyst: Apple to sell 100 million iPhones, 48 million iPads in 2011
If Wedge Partners analyst Brian Blair is right, 2011 is going to be the year an avalanche of iPhones and iPads sweep the globe. Blair released a forecast on Tuesday predicting that Apple will sell 100 million iPhones in 2011. He's basing those numbers on the fact that Apple thinks it will have a 100% increase in YOY iPhone sales in 2011. Since Apple produced 48-50 million iPhones in 2010, that means a production run and supposed sell-through rate of 100 million iPhones in 2011. "While this
Apple now accepting submissions for Mac App Store
Apple has apparently notified developers that it is now accepting submissions for the upcoming Mac App Store. An email to devs from Apple has links on how to set up an iTunes Connect account and the associated certificates. Developers can send apps in right now to have them ready for the approval process for the new Mac App Store. There's no word yet on which developers are jumping on this, but I'm sure we'll find out when the store goes live soon which developers took advantage of this
MacTech 2010: Andy Ihnatko on the coming of Lion
Commentator Andy Ihnatko took the stage at this week's MacTech conference here in Los Angeles today to give the conference keynote. In his talk, Ihnatko spoke about the upcoming new version of OS X, Lion, and specifically three different features of it.
First, he talked about the Mac App Store, and what he thought would be the outcome of Apple bringing an App Store system to its desktop platform. Then, he spoke about what he called "unitasking," and how focusing on just one task at a time both
First, he talked about the Mac App Store, and what he thought would be the outcome of Apple bringing an App Store system to its desktop platform. Then, he spoke about what he called "unitasking," and how focusing on just one task at a time both
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 1am GMT
You know the drill, come 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 2am BST, we’ll be live over at:
http://live.tipb.com/live/
We’ll be discussing all the week’s iPhone new and we want to hear from you. Be there!
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 1am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
http://live.tipb.com/live/
We’ll be discussing all the week’s iPhone new and we want to hear from you. Be there!
iPhone live tonight, 6pm PT, 9pm ET, 1am GMT is a story by TiPb. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store. TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch Blog
TiPb - The #1 iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
Free Realms now available for Mac, Civ V gets a date
Sony's Free Realms MMO is now available on the Mac. It was promised that it would be earlier this year, and sure enough, you can now download and play the free-to-play online game for yourself on Apple's platform. The port is courtesy of Transgaming, but the game's not all that tasking, so you should be good to go. And while the aesthetic of the game is pretty kid-friendly, it's actually a lot of fun -- besides the usual combat and leveling, you can do things like kart racing and crafting
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
iTunes song previews will be extended to 90 seconds in US store
Music site Symphonic Distortion reports Apple has sent word that song previews in the US iTunes Store will soon be extended to 90 seconds, up from the 30-second previews the store has featured until now. The only caveat is that songs must be longer than 2 minutes, 30 seconds in order to get a 90-second preview; shorter songs will stay at a 30-second preview. Makes sense.
The extension in song preview lengths was reportedly supposed to happen earlier this year, but the complex state of licensing
The extension in song preview lengths was reportedly supposed to happen earlier this year, but the complex state of licensing
US iPhone 4 availability finally "Within 24 Hours"
For the first time since its launch, the availability of the iPhone 4 in Apple's US Online Store has dropped to "within 24 hours." This should be welcome news to investors and analysts as it shows that Apple has successfully ramped up production enough to have good stock on hand levels going into the holiday season. Maybe that production line that was working on prototype white iPhone 4s has finally been brought into the main flow.
During Apple's financial call with investors last month,
During Apple's financial call with investors last month,
Jailbreak on iOS 4.2 will be untethered. Possible delay due to Cydia compatibility.
Comex has announced on his Twitter feed that iOS 4.2 will be an untethered jailbreak. While current devices can be exploited and jailbroken for their lifespan without the possibility of a patch, the ability of the jailbreak being untethered was still at issue.
An untethered jailbreak differs from a tethered jailbreak in that a tethered jailbreak must be connected with a computer after each and every reboot of the device. Comex has developed userland exploits for Star, Limera1n, and
An untethered jailbreak differs from a tethered jailbreak in that a tethered jailbreak must be connected with a computer after each and every reboot of the device. Comex has developed userland exploits for Star, Limera1n, and
App Store algorithms down and back up, probably tweaked
Regular users may not have noticed this, but I'm sure developers have -- the App Store's charts have been in a freeze for the past few days, leaving apps in exactly the same positions as they were last Thursday.
That might not seem like too big a deal, but for many developers, the App Store charts are where they make or break a profit -- not only do the charts provide a good inkling of how popular an app is compared to others, but the top 10 on the charts provides a huge amount of exposure --
That might not seem like too big a deal, but for many developers, the App Store charts are where they make or break a profit -- not only do the charts provide a good inkling of how popular an app is compared to others, but the top 10 on the charts provides a huge amount of exposure --
Report: Apple may have paid over $1M in iAd trademark settlement
This is interesting -- a consultant for Apple on the recent "iAd" trademark settlement accidentally disclosed some information about how much the payout was, and apparently it wasn't cheap. Consor says that it helped Innovate Media (the firm which has used the iAd trademark since 2006) pick up "a 7-figure settlement from Apple Computer [sic] in a trademark infringement case." That's probably over a million dollars, which actually sounds low, considering how solid a grip Innovate Media actually
Monday, November 1, 2010
Apple advises developers to submit their iOS 4.2 apps
Right after releasing iOS 4.2 GM, Apple has begun emailing developers and advising them to submit their updates for the iTunes App Store.
iOS 4.2 SDK GM seed and iOS 4.2 GM seed are now available from the iOS Dev Center. Build, test, and compile your apps with these new releases and submit them for review so they can be ready when iOS 4.2 is available to iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users.
Learn how you can add exciting iOS 4.2 features to your apps including the capability to print
iOS 4.2 SDK GM seed and iOS 4.2 GM seed are now available from the iOS Dev Center. Build, test, and compile your apps with these new releases and submit them for review so they can be ready when iOS 4.2 is available to iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users.
Learn how you can add exciting iOS 4.2 features to your apps including the capability to print
iOS 4.2 Golden Master release seeded to developers
The day all iPad users have been waiting for is just about upon us; iOS 4.2 has finally gone Gold Master. Apple is giving developers the go-ahead to download what will likely be the final release version of its latest mobile operating system and SDK. While all but the first generation iPhones and iPod touches will be eligible for the update, the big news is that the iPad will finally move up to the fourth generation of iOS, gaining multitasking and app folders.
All the iOS 4.2 devices will be
All the iOS 4.2 devices will be
djay for Mac and iPad review, video hands-on and giveaway
We've covered djay and the djay Remote app's release, but I think the video (on the next page) shows you how awesome the two are together. I'm not a professional DJ, however. I understand many of the basic concepts and tools, as I've seen some former roommates practicing their skills -- and skills beyond merely loading up the Electric Slide, too. But djay is accessible to anyone who wants to make a mix for a party on up to real, pro DJs who are looking for an electronic alternative to lugging
iOS 4.2 GM for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad released to developers
Now we know why Apple didn’t release an updated iOS 4.2 beta for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad last week — they just released the GM (Gold Master) for developers. This is the typically the final version given to developers ahead of time so they can test it on their apps and make sure everything is working before the release goes public.
No word yet on what if any changes or new features might have snuck into this iOS 4.2 build, but if you come across any let us know in comments or
No word yet on what if any changes or new features might have snuck into this iOS 4.2 build, but if you come across any let us know in comments or
Mac Sale and MacBasket offer up Mac app bundles
The Mac App Store is set to change the way you download and use a lot of software on your Mac, but one thing I hope it doesn't change is the tradition of the Mac software bundle sale. Bundling up indie software and selling it for a relatively huge discount is something that, in my experience, tends to be Mac-specific. Despite the obvious benefits of a nice discount (as long as the software's developers are fairly compensated for their sales), it's also an excellent way to find new software that
Mark/Space introduces GoGadget media synching software
Accurately syncing content and data between portable devices and computers has long been a hassle for users, especially those who tried to venture out of closed ecosystems. Mark/Space and its Missing Sync product came to the rescue of countless users, especially those with Macs who want to sync Palm and Windows Mobile devices. Mark/Space has just introduced a product called GoGadget designed to sync media content such as photos, videos and music to a variety of phones, digital photo frames
TUAW's Daily App: Virus Strike
Virus Strike is an intriguing little puzzle game that presents a mix between Dr. Mario and line-drawing games. The idea is that you have little viruses made of various colors dropping down onto the screen, and you can draw a little path on the screen for them to fall down into. Every once in a while you'll have antibodies show up as well, and your job is to guide those antibodies into a virus of the same color. Grouped viruses will all disappear together, so the overall goal is to group up the
iOS Daylight Saving Time bug hits Europe
The iOS bug that caused recurring alarms to go off an hour early in New Zealand after its switch to Daylight Saving Time subsequently hit some territories in Australia following their switchover a week later. Apple promised a fix to the problem, and it's likely the fix will be bundled with the forthcoming iOS 4.2 update -- but that update hasn't come soon enough to stop the problem from striking Europe. With the switchover to Standard Time in Northern Hemisphere nations, European and Middle
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