The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

TUAW Tip: Multitasking in iTunes

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Tips and tricks, iTunes, TUAW Tips

Have you ever been playing one of your finely-tuned playlists, blissfully grooving to the music, only to connect your iPod or iPhone and lose your place? In other words, iTunes (if you've set it to automatically sync) will move your view from whatever playlist you're in to the sync window. That's handy, of course, but if you forgot which playlist you were in, it can be a pain. I have several playlists set to random, and when I try to go back, it re-shuffles the order. There are other multi-tasking issues with iTunes that largely stem from its one-window interface. If you want to browse the store and manage a playlist, for example, you're stuck doing a lot of scrolling. But iTunes isn't really one window!

If you double-click the title of a playlist, it allows you to edit the name of the playlist, right? But if you double-click the icon of a playlist (for a standard list it'll be a little blue note to the left of the title), iTunes will open an entirely new window, as seen above. You can open a bunch of these if you like and it works with TV, Movies, pretty much everything on the left side. It's much easier to drag and drop songs this way if you have a bunch of playlists. Plus, the window menu will give you quick access to whatever you opened, or you can switch through them with Exposé.

Note: yes, this has been in iTunes for a long time.

TUAW TUAW Tip: Multitasking in iTunes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Complete Yale courses now on iTunes U

Mel Martin — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Filed under: iTS, Education, Odds and ends, iTunes, Podcasts

What a great opportunity to brush up on controversies in Astrophysics, Game Theory, or France since 1871. Apple and Yale University have partnered to bring complete Yale courses to iTunes U and they are free for the clicking.

Apple was already offering significant quantities of lectures and interviews from Yale, but now complete courses are being offered for free. For now, there are 13 complete courses online, one subject area is composed of about 40-50 separate podcasts. That's a lot of information and precious knowledge.

If learning about the American Novel since 1945, or Biomedical Engineering is your thing, click right on over. There is probably something on the list you'll find interesting, to say nothing of the many great lectures.

The twists and turns of the digital revolution have been breathtaking to watch. From my home, an office, sitting at an airport, or riding along in a car, bus, plane or train I can take my favorite music, movies, or listen to experts relate the latest discoveries about Black Holes of the history of Psychology. What a world.

TUAW Complete Yale courses now on iTunes U originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two ways to sync iTunes to your Pre, but not for free

Steven Sande — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Peripherals, Software, Odds and ends

On Wednesday, our very own Christina "C-Mac" Warren told you about how the iTunes 8.2.1 update prevents the Palm Pre from syncing with your favorite music library. Never fear! There are a couple of ways that you can bring back that lovin' feeling between your Pre and iTunes, but they may cost you a few bucks.

The first is from venerable Mac software vendor Mark/Space. The company made an announcement almost immediately after iTunes 8.2.1 hit Software Update, mentioning that The Missing Sync for Palm Pre still allows syncing between Palm's new touchscreen smartphone and iTunes. The US$39.95 application (announced last week on TUAW) is currently Mac-only, but a Windows version is in the works.

Our sister site Download Squad reported Thursday that another Mac software stalwart, Salling Software, announced an update to their Salling Media Sync for Mac application. Salling Media Sync, which is available for free in a slower-syncing edition or for US$22 for a version with "intelligent syncing" to speed up the process. Salling not only syncs iTunes and iPhoto with the Palm Pre, but a gaggle of Nokia,Sony, HTC, and BlackBerry devices as well.

The pre-emptive strike by Apple to exclude the Pre from the good graces of iTunes seems to have been extremely short-lived. Windows users of iTunes, however, are still out in the cold for a little while longer unless they stick with 8.2.

TUAW Two ways to sync iTunes to your Pre, but not for free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Use iCal to tweet automatically

Aron Trimble — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, Features, How-tos, Tips and tricks, Internet Tools, AppleScript

Recently, the question came up of how to automatically "tweet" a birthday message to a friend or loved one on their special day. After thinking on this question for some time I finally came to a solution. As it turns out, intrepid TUAW blogger Dave Caolo wrote a Mac 101 article all about attaching AppleScripts to iCal events. Additionally, Brad Linder over at Download Squad put together a nice little tutorial for posting to Twitter via the command line.

It wasn't obvious at first, but these two articles together formed a dynamic duo of birthday tweeting proportions. If, dear reader, you are interested in setting up a system for sending out some birthday tweets then follow along as we travel the mysterious world of iCal events and command line tweeting. Read on for a somewhat technical tutorial on how to set up some pre-scheduled tweeting goodness. (If you're looking for a service to take care of all this for you, here you go.)

Continue reading Use iCal to tweet automatically

TUAW Use iCal to tweet automatically originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3D animations coming to Safari

Joshua Brickner — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Internet, Developer, Snow Leopard

Charles Ying over at satine.org has put together an impressive demo using Safari's forthcoming CSS 3D transform features. There is a YouTube video of the demo (you can watch it in the 2nd half of this post), as a nightly build of WebKit or the Snow Leopard version of Safari is required to render it.

The demo, titled Snow Stack, displays a wall of photos in three dimensions and allows you to navigate across the wall using your arrow keys. The wall of photos seems to go on into infinity while it dynamically loads the photos from Flickr as you travel across it.

The animation style is similar to the browser plug-in Cooliris (formerly known as PicLens), but it was written entirely in HTML and CSS, with some JavaScript to pull in the photos from Flickr. The animations are so amazingly smooth animations it's hard to believe that only CSS was used to create them. Surprisingly, Safari on iPhone has supported CSS 3D transforms for sometime now, but the animations have yet to make an official debut on the desktop.

If you are running Leopard and want to see the demo running on your Mac you will need to download the nightly build of WebKit to render it in all of its 3D splendor. If you have a pre-release copy of Snow Leopard installed you can simply use the built-in version of Safari to view it. Until Apple releases a public build of Safari with these features those are your only options.

A post today on the Surfin' Safari blog over at WebKit features another demo of CSS 3D transforms called Poster Circle. I've posted a video to YouTube of this demo in action.

Some of the options developers will be able to use with the new CSS 3D tranforms include: scaling, perspective, rotation, and standard 3D positioning. Apple has submitted a specification detailing these features to the W3C. Hopefully as time progresses other browser vendors will implement the spec as well. In the meantime Safari users will have these beauties all to themselves.

Continue reading 3D animations coming to Safari

TUAW 3D animations coming to Safari originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Triazzle 3.0 comes to life on the iPhone

David Winograd — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 07:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Gaming, Reviews, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Triazzle 3.0 is one of the most uniquely beautifully and ultimately playable games I have yet to see on the iPhone. Truthfully, I am nothing more than a casual gamer and find most games too complex or time consuming, but I was sucked in immediately. it's a bit like chess in that it's very easy to learn, but mastering it? Well, that's something else again.

Triazzle, in one form or another, has been around since 1991 (when it appeared as a paper cut-out game). Later it was developed as software and sold by Berkeley Systems and then Activision. Like a fine wine, the game has aged well and the iPhone 3.0 version proves to be the best version yet

The game presents you with a large triangle board and either 9 or 16 smaller triangular pieces with repeating graphical images that fit onto the larger triangle. Each piece can be rotated and moved onto the board. When all the small triangles are in the right places, you win. Sounds easy, right? Well it isn't.

There is only one possible solution and since many of the pieces look amazingly similar, you are bound to come up with what looks like a perfect solution, but isn't quite right. It takes strategy and a good sense of spatial relationships to get things just so. You are also helped a bit by little insects that become animated when you get a piece in the right position.

Continue reading Triazzle 3.0 comes to life on the iPhone

TUAW Triazzle 3.0 comes to life on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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App Store Lessons: No promo codes for apps rated 17+

Michael Jones — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:15:00 PDT

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, iPhone, App Store

Developers whose apps meet the criteria for a 17+ rating in the App Store are now running into yet another roadblock, but this time it's not about getting their apps approved, it's about distributing them. Or, more specifically, distributing promo codes for them.

Typically, when a developer uploads a new version of an application to the App Store, they have the ability to create up to 50 promo codes, which they can then provide to media outlets for reviewing the application, give away to users in a contest, etc. Aside from some reasonable restrictions on their usage (you can't sell them, they expire after 28 days and are one-time use only), promo codes provide quite a bit of flexibility to developers of paid apps who wish to freely distribute their app to select individuals without having to worry about the hassles of exchanging device information and doing special ad-hoc builds.

So where is the problem? It's in the new app rating system that was released a few weeks ago. As it stands, neither the 3.0 software nor iTunes display parental warnings when using a promo code to purchase apps with a mature (17+) rating, so Apple has made the promo code functionality unavailable for apps that fall into that category. We were informed of this condition by a developer who prefers to remain anonymous.

This obviously puts developers of these apps in a bit of a bind, as well as eliminates the potential amount of sales that could come from being able to distribute promo copies. Developers in this position may be stuck doing ad-hoc builds or going back to the questionable practice of sending iTunes gift cards to reviewers.

And if you're thinking this just applies to the massive number of adult-oriented apps that have recently poured into the App Store, you're wrong. Apple specifies that any application that may contain high levels of offensive language, violence, sexual content, or references to drugs or alcohol receive a rating of 17+. But, according to Apple, apps that feature an embedded web browser or provide access to 3rd party content also automatically require the 17+ rating, regardless of the application's content or intended audience.

Here's hoping that Apple is already working on a solution to this, as the lost potential sales caused by this not only affect the developers of the individual apps, but the overall success of the App Store as well.

TUAW App Store Lessons: No promo codes for apps rated 17+ originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple posts iMovie 8.0.4 update

Joachim Bean — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:25:00 PDT

Filed under: iLife, Software Update

Apple has just released an update for iMovie '09. The new version, 8.0.4, improves overall stability and fixes a number of other minor issues.

According to Apple, these issues include:
o. Fixing a problem with incorrect rotation when working with video created by iPhone 3GS.
o. Resolving instability when adding multiple beat markers in some languages.
o. Correcting an issue where iMovie could become unresponsive after using fine-tuning controls beyond the stabilized portions of a clip.

To download this update, open Software Update (Apple Menu > Software Update) or visit the download page on the Apple support website.

TUAW Apple posts iMovie 8.0.4 update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ringtones for iPhone dead easy with this Mac app

Mel Martin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:30:00 PDT

Filed under: iPhone, App Review

There are a lot of ways to get ringtones on an iPhone. Some are easy. Some not so easy. Some are free. Some cost money.

A new release of PocketMac Ringtone Studio is about the easiest way to get ringtones on your phone, but it is not the cheapest. I think many users will be glad to buy the app, though, in exchange for the extreme ease of use.

Essentially, you drag and drop any MP3, AAC, M4A or a Quicktime movie file onto the app, highlight the part of the waveform you want, decide if you want to fade in and/or out, and Ringtone Studio will open iTunes if it isn't already open and put the file in the ringtones bin. That's it.

You can boost or lower the volume of any clip, and you can zoom in or out of the waveform for precise editing. Note: There is no onscreen button letting you know you can zoom. It's in the built in help files. You use Command-+ or Command-minus.

The only other thing I would like to see is the ability to rename your ringtone before sending it to iTunes. You can certainly rename it there, but doing it in the Ringtone Studio app would be perfect.

As I said, there are a lot of ways to do ringtones. You can buy them from the Apple, or use GarageBand, but I find the process has far too many steps. One favorite of mine is the Audiko website, which allows you to upload your clips, edit them online, and then download them and drag them into iTunes. It's free, and does the job.

Version 2 of Ringtone Studio is US$29.95 and has a 90 day money back guarantee. You can see some videos of how it works on the PocketMac website.

I think the app is a bit pricey for what it does, doubling in price since we first reviewed it, but it is very powerful and very easy to use. I think a lot of people will find it a perfect solution. Early buyers can get a free iPhone case. Ringtone Studio works with all iPhones, including phones running iPhone OS 3.0 and the new iPhone 3GS. The software requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or above.

TUAW Ringtones for iPhone dead easy with this Mac app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Reality doesn't get more real: 2 iPhone views of the NYC subway

Michael Rose — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:30:00 PDT

Filed under: iPhone, App Store

There are two bits of knowledge that all native New Yorkers are gifted with: where to get "the best" pizza (Grimaldi's on the Brooklyn waterfront, in case you were wondering), and where to stand on the subway platform so as to arrive at the destination station in exactly the right spot to exit ahead of the rush. While this sometimes leads to bunching and crowding in the desirable cars, it ends up saving a lot of time and aggravation on the far side.

If you aren't a veteran straphanger, you can simulate the expertise of the locals with Exit Strategy NYC, a $1.99 iPhone app that tells you where to stand based on your destination station. The app is straightforward: select your train line and your direction of travel, then pick your arrival choice from the list. You'll get a clear diagram of the exit locations, along with the conductor's position in the train (great for late-night trips) and notes on any special circumstances, transfer options or wheelchair access.

In my tests, Exit Strategy matched my instincts pretty well with only a few hiccups (one exit that was closed for construction wasn't yet reflected in the app, but chances are us NYC residents wouldn't know that either). There is one drawback for outer-borough residents: while Manhattan and most near-to-downtown stations are included, some of the further-out stops, like my station along the R line in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, are not yet built in to the app. Still, Exit Strategy should definitely be part of your iPhone arsenal for a visit to the Big Apple. The demo video for the app is in the 2nd half of the post.

Despite their much-admired situational awareness, even NYC subway veterans sometimes get confused about where to find the nearest station -- and if you're a first time visitor, fuggedaboudit. For iPhone 3GS-enabled residents and tourists, it's about to get a lot easier: acrossair is offering an NYC version of the Nearest Tube augmented reality app, New York Nearest Subway.

Hold your iPhone flat and see a 2D map of the entire system... then lift it perpendicular to the ground, and the heads-up display mode shows you floating icons representing nearby stations, complete with line legends and walking distances. For anyone who's ever walked to a faraway subway stop only to realize that there was a much closer option, this is incredibly compelling. No word on price yet, and the app is awaiting approval; as noted, this app will only work on the 3GS, as the magnetometer is used to determine the direction the phone is facing.

If you've got preferred apps for navigating public transit in your city, pipe up in the comments.

[via Gadget Lab]

Continue reading Reality doesn't get more real: 2 iPhone views of the NYC subway

TUAW Reality doesn't get more real: 2 iPhone views of the NYC subway originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VoiceCentral integrates Google Voice with the iPhone

TJ Luoma — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Internet Tools, iPhone, App Review

If you're one of the lucky ones to have scored an invite to Google Voice, check out VoiceCentral. It's a very slick application which integrates well with the iPhone, making it possible to make calls through your Google Voice (or GrandCentral) account.

Why would you want this? My primary reason for wanting an application for GV is so that I can make calls and have my Google Voice number appear on the Caller-ID.

VoiceCentral makes this a simple process. When you first install the app, it asks you to select your iPhone number on the Settings page. When you make a call through the app, it happens in two steps: 1) your iPhone rings (this is Google Voice's servers calling your iPhone), 2) your call is connected.

Why is this important? If you end up leaving a message for whoever you are calling, their voicemail system may give them the option to call you back at the number you called from. Our landline phones also make it easy to return calls from the caller-ID list. As a Google Voice user, I want those calls to go to my Google Voice number, not my iPhone.

If you're a fan of Google Voice, you know that having a central place for all of your voicemails is great. Google Voice will transcribe those voicemails (my favorite feature, although sometimes having a computer try to decipher my friend's "late weekend night" messages does lead to some interesting "translation issues").

VoiceCentral will let you access not only those voicemails (in a style very similar to iPhone's own Visual Voicemail) but if you tap on the arrow, it will also show you the transcription. You can even read the message without listening to it, which is especially handy for checking messages when you are in a meeting, a movie theater (oh, like you've never!), or anywhere loud enough that you might not be able to hear it. The transcripts can also be copied (on iPhones running OS 3.0 or later, of course) and pasted into notes or emails if needed.

As you'd expect, VoiceCentral also integrates with your existing iPhone contact list, and there's also a keypad which allows you to make calls or send SMS.

The "Send SMS" feature has had some issues, but Riverturn has a newer version which fixes the problem. As you are no doubt used to hearing by now, they are waiting on Apple to approve the newer version. It's also important to note that there is no way to designate any application except the built-in Phone app as the default, so any phone numbers which you tap from email messages or web pages will open in the built-in app, rather than in Skype or other telephony apps.

Google appears to be readying its own GV iPhone app for release, although it hasn't made it into the App Store yet. Anyone familiar with the approval process knows that could mean it is hours, days, or weeks away from being released. The Blackberry and Android apps are already available.

Is $2.99 [iTunes Link] too much to spend on an app when there may be a free alternative right around the corner? Not for me. In fact, the only thing which keeps this app from replacing the native Phone app on my dock is the lack of a "Favorites" tab, which I use for nearly all of the outgoing calls I make on my iPhone.

TUAW VoiceCentral integrates Google Voice with the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SweetFM now an open source project

Joachim Bean — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:15:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, iTunes, Open Source

SweetFM, a totally awesome Mac client for the Last.fm streaming music & recommendations service, is now an open source project. This means that anyone can download it for free and you no longer have to pay $29.00 for a license key to use the application. Our own Christina Warren reviewed SweetFM last month, and she was pleased with its slick design and many great features, including Apple Remote and Apple Keyboard media key compatibility, extensive integration with iTunes, and deep support for your Last.fm stations.

Since her review, SweetFM has also been updated, adding an equalizer for Last.fm streams and bug fixes.

If you're interested in SweetFM, check out the Chocomoko website, visit the project page on Google Code, or read Christina's earlier review. SweetFM is a Universal Binary (compatible with Intel and PowerPC Macs) and requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later.

TUAW SweetFM now an open source project originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW Review: The Soulmen send Ulysses 2.0 on a writing journey

Steven Sande — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, Reviews

As a technical writer, blogger, and wannabe novelist, the tool that I use to capture my thoughts is almost as important as the words that I choose to describe those thoughts. I love to try out new writing tools, particularly those that say that they're going to let me write creatively without getting in the way. Unfortunately, many of them end up becoming the proverbial albatross because of steep learning curves, impossible-to-remember keyboard shortcuts, or complex user interfaces. In my thinking, any writing application that keeps me from writing deserves to go into the Trash Can quickly.

When I heard about the recent release of Ulysses 2.0 from The Soulmen (formerly the Blue Technologies Group), my first thought was to dismiss it as Yet Another Writing Tool. After having a chance to work with Ulysses 2.0 for awhile, I'm now beginning to think that I may have finally found the perfect Mac writing tool for my purposes. Of course, every writer has his or her different idea of the ultimate word-crafting application, so your mileage may vary drastically.

Follow along on a short tour of what makes Ulysses 2.0 so special.

Continue reading TUAW Review: The Soulmen send Ulysses 2.0 on a writing journey

TUAW TUAW Review: The Soulmen send Ulysses 2.0 on a writing journey originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Warcraft armory app for iPhone now in the store

Michael Rose — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Gaming, App Store

Our resident WoW expert is on vacation, but he sent a quick note to let us know about the new World of Warcraft Mobile Armory application for the iPhone; the free app gives you access to character details, equipment lists, in-game calendars and more. Getting to this data previously required using the official armory website or the game client itself, according to our colleagues over at WoW.com. You can see their post and gallery over here.

We know that dedicated WoW players have been waiting for this app for quite a while. The advantage of a mobile, handheld view into the ongoing activities inside the massively multiplayer world is that you can more easily keep up with matters that otherwise might have kept you trapped in front of your computer for hours.

As soon as Mike S. is back in the office, we'll have a full-fledged review of the Armory app. You can download it from the App Store at will. Battle-axes at the ready!

TUAW World of Warcraft armory app for iPhone now in the store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why I'm not buying an iPhone 3GS in New Zealand (spoiler: it's not Apple's fault)

Chris Rawson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Wireless, iPhone

When Apple announced the 3GS with all its whiz-bang new features, honestly the only thing I cared about was the increase in capacity. Everything else was just a bonus. I had my bank account all primed and ready to buy the thing as soon as it came out down here in New Zealand, but I was also keeping a wary eye on the NZ telcos to see what sort of blech they'd bring to the situation. Well, the blech they've brought is bad enough that I'm not buying a 3GS any time soon.

I looked forward to the release of the iPhone 3GS in New Zealand with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Excitement, because it would be nice to finally own an iPhone that can hold all of the music I actually listen to (16 GB just doesn't cut it). Trepidation, because as I made clear in an earlier post, the NZ telcos don't make buying an iPhone a cheap proposition.

The more time passed without any major announcements from either of the main NZ telcos, the more I knew their plans would suck. Vodafone already sold the 3G down here, so they were in a position to do pretty much whatever they wanted to the prices. Telecom was supposedly in "deep negotiations" with Apple to sell the iPhone in New Zealand, but the days stretched into weeks without any official word.

Traditionally, Apple has kept the prices of new products either the same or slightly lower when refreshing product lines like the iPod or iPhone. Many worldwide telcos have followed suit; in fact, across the Tasman Sea, Vodafone Australia offers a free iPhone when you sign up to a two-year plan.

Pretty much the most I was hoping for from the NZ telcos was that they'd keep their plan prices the same. I got my wish, sort of.

Continue reading Why I'm not buying an iPhone 3GS in New Zealand (spoiler: it's not Apple's fault)

TUAW Why I'm not buying an iPhone 3GS in New Zealand (spoiler: it's not Apple's fault) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cyclops bar code scanner for iPhone 3GS

Mel Martin — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:30:00 PDT

Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review

One of the problems with some previous bar code scanners for the iPhone has been a lack of good close focus (helped somewhat for owners of the iClarifi case), but the new and better camera in the iPhone has greatly improved the situation. It is, therefore, no surprise that new software is rolling out to aid in your shopping by scanning bar codes and connecting you to Amazon to allow you to comparison shop.

Cyclops [App Store link] requires the new 3GS camera, and in my tests it worked pretty well. It correctly identified 9 of 10 products on the first try, although I was doing the test at home under pretty good lighting. I tried some poorer lighting and mixed tungsten and sunlight, and it did 6 of 10 scans correct. The challenge is still to hold the camera steady and try to make sure you get a sharp image, but the software did pretty well even with imperfect focus.

The software is free, so it is not a very risky proposition. I can't guarantee you'll be popular at a retailer while you price check, but I think it most cases the software will work for you. Be careful to get the distance right so the bar code pretty much fills your screen. It gives the software the best chance of interpreting the scan.

One weakness is you can't get the info out of the program easily. It would be good to be able to email the Amazon data to yourself or others.

If you need this sort of information, and don't mind nasty looks from store clerks, I'd suggest you give it a try.

Here are some screen shots as I put the program to work today:

Gallery: Cyclops Barcode scanner

TUAW Cyclops bar code scanner for iPhone 3GS originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bluetooth: Another Wi-Fi killer for the iPhone?

David Winograd — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Bluetooth, iPhone, iPod touch

More coverage of the ongoing Wi-Fi struggles of iPhone 3.0 users: In a discussion comment, Liam noted that he got full bars but no Internet using his iPhone 3GS until he turned off Bluetooth. After reading that, I wondered if Bluetooth is another suspect in the widening catalog of speed and signal problems reported with the iPhone 3GS and the iPhone 3G / iPod touch combination.

I ran the DSLReport speed test on my iPhone 3GS and found that with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth both enabled, latency increased a bit, and download speed decreased by over a third when compared to running the test with Bluetooth disabled. Upload speed didn't seem to be affected.

A possible reason was proposed by Doug Hogg of Toy Kite Software, creators of the Bluetooth-enabled two person game iSamurai: Real Life Sword Fight. Doug discovered problems in playing the game after updating to iPhone 3.0 software, but found that turning off either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi solved everything. It seems that both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi share the same antenna, so when Bluetooth was made active in the 3.0 software, conflicts arose.

On the Toy Kite Software site, Doug was a bit more specific. The iPhone 3.0 software brought with it a service discovery process that switches between looking for another device on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth using the single antenna. While searching, problems can occur with already established connections that can cause lags and loss of data packets sent between devices. Apple is working with Toy Kite Software to correct all this, but I wonder how much speed and even signal strength loss can be regained by turning off Bluetooth when it's not being used. In my case the difference was substantial.

It's also interesting to note that the iPhone 3GS uses a combination Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Broadcom chip that handles 802.11a/b/g as well as Bluetooth 2.1. Previously separate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips were used.

If you are having any speed or signal problems, try turning off Bluetooth and see what happens. I don't think that this will solve everything, but until Apple gets its act together on fixing all of this, what we're left with is a rag-tag assortment of tricks that may or may not help.

Let us know if this one works for you.

TUAW Bluetooth: Another Wi-Fi killer for the iPhone? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW First Look: Comcast Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch

Steven Sande — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, Internet, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look

Cable, broadband, and phone giant Comcast has joined the ranks of companies jumping on the iPhone bandwagon with a helpful and free new app: Comcast Mobile [App Store].

Let's get one thing out of the way right now; this app will not let you stream video from your Comcast set-top box to your iPhone. So what does it do?

Provides a unified inbox for Comcast email and voicemail
Lets you sync your SmartZone contacts with your iPhone or iPod touch
Shows call logs for Comcast Digital Voice, and allows call forwarding and control of voicemail.
Gives you detailed TV listings in The Guide, complete with reminders and favorites
Allows viewing of On Demand movie trailers

How does this compare with the AT&T U-verse and DirecTV apps? The AT&T app doesn't provide any email or voicemail features, nor does it provide a way to sync with an online address book. Both apps do provide the capability to remotely schedule a DVR, a feature missing in Comcast Mobile that the company says will be available in the next release. DirecTV doesn't provide phone service, although they do provide HD television for some traditional telecom firms like Qwest.

I had a chance to work with a pre-release version of the app loaded on an iPod touch, and I was impressed with the stability, speed, and functionality of Comcast Mobile. Read on for more details about the app.

Continue reading TUAW First Look: Comcast Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch

TUAW TUAW First Look: Comcast Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zipcar announces upcoming iPhone app

Michael Rose — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone

If you're a car-free urbanite you've probably seen mention of Zipcar, or noticed one of their branded vehicles out and about. The company offers hourly rental automobiles with a rapid-deployment twist: there's no check-in or checkout process beyond reserving the time online and then swiping your membership card to unlock the car. The vehicles even include gas cards so you can fill up for free while you're on the road. Members are mostly enthusiastic about the convenience and ease of the service; soon, of course, there'll be an app for that.

Zipcar's newsletter and website have announced that the company's iPhone app will be coming soon, and the landing page offers an email signup to be notified when it ships. The promised feature set is a bit lean at the moment, but intriguing: find and reserve cars from the phone, plus the ability to unlock or lock the car from the app. Since the current Zipcar membership cards use RFID chips for the lock sensor, it's not quite clear how the app will accomplish the same trick -- GPS geolocation combined with a secure server connection? Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the car's sensor? Can't wait to find out.

TUAW Zipcar announces upcoming iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iTunes 8.2.1 released: Update cripples Palm Pre sync

Christina Warren — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:15:00 PDT

Filed under: iTunes, Software Update

Update: PreCentral is reporting that the 8.2.1 update DOES bork Palm Pre syncing. They say that iTunes comes into focus as if it wants to sync, but that the Pre doesn't appear in the sidebar. Dow Jones & other sites now reporting confirmation from Apple spokespeople that the Pre is deliberately blocked from iTunes sync.

Apple has just released iTunes 8.2.1 and it includes a very interesting release note. The first half of the note is the same was what was included with iTunes 8.2 (iPhone 3.0 software support), but the second half says:

"iTunes 8.2.1 provides a number of important bug fixes and addresses and issue with verification of Apple devices." (emphasis added)

Could this be Apple's belated response to the Palm Pre's native iTunes compatibility? Although Apple has thus far ignored the Pre's USB-device masking feature, it wouldn't be out of character for the company to try to thwart Palm's attempts.

This is just speculation right now -- I don't have a Palm Pre, so I can't test this one way or another. So Palm Pre owners, if you're willing to play guinea pig for TUAW, please update to iTunes 8.2.1 and let us know if your Pre still syncs!

TUAW iTunes 8.2.1 released: Update cripples Palm Pre sync originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWDC Demo: Server Admin Remote, a remote server admin tool for iPhone

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:30:00 PDT

Filed under: WWDC, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac OS X Server

Seems a little redundant, doesn't it? What else would an app named Server Admin Remote do? Well anyway, if you're in the market for something to remotely administer your servers (to a point), particularly Mac OS X servers, this is one handy and powerful tool. View logs, enable services, even reboot the server all from your iPhone (or iPod touch). Plus, there's support for multiple server instances, which you switch between just like in Tweetdeck -- a quick swipe left or right does the trick.

Server Admin Remote (iTunes link) is currently $7.99. We're planning to have a more in-depth look later, so stay tuned.

This concludes our WWDC video series. Thanks to all the developers kind enough to stop by and show what they are doing. Your efforts make Apple's desktop and mobile platforms truly amazing.

TUAW WWDC Demo: Server Admin Remote, a remote server admin tool for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OpenFeint drops dev fees as Chillingo announces social gaming network Crystal SDK

Mike Schramm — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Freeware, iPhone, SDK, iPod touch

The social gaming market on the iPhone has taken two sharp turns recently. First up, right after announcing that their system hit a full million users, OpenFeint announced that their social gaming platform has gone completely free for developers. Originally, the SDK was free to download, and then there was a small cost-per-user fee for developers, but with this new change, that cost is gone, and OpenFeint will now make all of their money, as we were told by Peter Relan, from referring users to other games and in-app purchases, and then taking that cut from Apple.

The popular publisher Chillingo has also announced a newcomer to the social gaming scene: they're planning to introduce another system called Crystal SDK, that will presumably both be free to all developers, and automatically included in most of Chillingo's games. Their release specifically tells us that "Crystal is iPhone's answer to Microsoft's Xbox Live," so they're officially throwing their hat in an already crowded ring.

With a million users, OpenFeint is still the biggest network going, but obviously Chillingo believes there's still many more to pick up. Should be interesting to see, as always, what users decide to do.

TUAW OpenFeint drops dev fees as Chillingo announces social gaming network Crystal SDK originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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International iPhone users: bringing your iPhone to the States? Your options are limited.

Chris Rawson — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Wireless, iPhone

The iPhone seems like it should be the perfect companion for the international traveler. Not only can it make phone calls in pretty much any country, it can also help keep you entertained on long flights. You can even use it to hold your flight itinerary and other important info like hotel and car reservations. But if you're an international iPhone owner and you were planning on using the device to its fullest potential during your trip to the United States, such as keeping track of e-mail, surfing the Internet, checking weather, getting driving directions, or even making cheap phone calls, then I have some very shocking news for you, delivered courtesy of everyone's favorite telecommunications conglomerate, AT&T.

Before a recent vacation to visit with family in the US, I decided that instead of paying for international roaming rates that are tantamount to armed robbery (US$2.42 a minute for phone calls and up to US$19 per megabyte of data -- totally not kidding), I'd instead perform a trick that savvy international travelers have pulled for years: upon arriving in the States, I'd visit an AT&T store, purchase a SIM and pre-paid plan from them, and reap the benefits of far lower charges for voice calls. Though I'd still suffer exorbitant data rates, I was aware beforehand that the lovely folks at AT&T had already discontinued pre-paid data plans for the iPhone. Still, at least I'd be able to make cheaper calls to my family if necessary; or so I thought.

Continue reading International iPhone users: bringing your iPhone to the States? Your options are limited.

TUAW International iPhone users: bringing your iPhone to the States? Your options are limited. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ask TUAW: Case-sensitive file system, writing apps, universal remotes, and more

Mat Lu — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 07:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW

Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly Mac troubleshooting Q&A column! This time we've got questions on using a case sensitive file system in OS X, applications focused on writing, controlling a Mac with a universal remote control, push email, using a MacBook with an external display, and more.

As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions.

Continue reading Ask TUAW: Case-sensitive file system, writing apps, universal remotes, and more

TUAW Ask TUAW: Case-sensitive file system, writing apps, universal remotes, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple will design its own tablet Mac chips

Casey Johnston — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:45:00 PDT

Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Apple

Rumors have been crisscrossing the Internet about actions by Apple that point tellingly to the advent of an Apple tablet, or some kind of outsize iPod touch. VentureBeat is speculating that Apple may use chips they have developed themselves in the imminent $800 tablet computer.

Following some of the back story to the rumor helps it make a little more sense: in 2008, Apple acquired P.A. Semi for $278 million and for seemingly no reason, other than extremely valuable and talented staff (P.A. Semi's founder was a lead designer of the StrongARM processor). Nonetheless, Apple quickly put the team to work developing processors for iPods and iPhones. What no one knew at the time, VentureBeat says, is that Apple actually broke the team in half, with the other half working towards a chip for their upcoming tablet.

The tablet is speculated to have only a touch screen with no physical keyboard, and Apple is said to be aiming the tablet at high-end users to avoid the endless need to undercut competitors like Asus and Dell on the lower end. Likewise, more in-house chips could mean lower manufacturing costs for Apple.

The impending in-house Apple chips also may imply doom for Apple's chip partner of a few years, NVIDIA, with whom Apple was reported to have a tiff a few weeks ago. Because of disagreements over the way NVIDIA handled issues with faulty chips in MacBook Pros, there was speculation that Apple may drop NVIDIA from future models and return to AMD. Now Apple has added itself to the list of contenders that will vie for processor production.

Both the China Times and MacRumors have said that Apple plans to release the tablet for the holiday season, and that it has placed orders with a few companies for components of the tablet. If this web of gossip and hearsay that we're hearing through the grapevine is to be believed, there are more than a few breakthroughs to be had on Apple's end, and the longing for a tablet by some may finally (finally) be put to rest.

TUAW Apple will design its own tablet Mac chips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choosy helps those with Browser Commitment Phobia

TJ Luoma — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, Internet Tools

Are you the type of person who just can't settle down? Do you find your needs just can't be met by any one of the multiple options available to you? Can you even remember how many different browsers you've been with? If that sounds like you, you should be glad to hear that Choosy has left beta.

We've mentioned Choosy before but in case you missed it during the beta cycle, here's what Choosy does for you: Choosy is a preference pane which lets you keep your browser options open.

Do you love Safari, but sometimes find that you need to use Firefox for a particular website? Are you a fan of Fluid (which lets you create site-specific browsers), or you want all your RSS links to open in your personalized Google Reader browser?

When you select a link, instead of your default browser, a Choosy window will appear; you can configure it to show all of your available browsers, or just the ones which are currently running. Or you can set a default to use except if you hold down the shift key, for example.

That latter functionality is what led me to give Choosy another look. I tried it during the beta period and found that most of the time I wanted links to open in Safari, but there were some I wanted to open in Firefox or Fluid. While having to choose a browser for every link proved to be too distracting, the 1.0 version allows you to create very precise rules.

For example, I can setup Safari to be my default browser, but if I click a link while holding down the shift/command/alt key, then that link will automatically be opened in Firefox.

My favorite rule? If Web address contains constantcontact.com then use Firefox. Constant Contact is a great service, but they are very aggressive about which web browsers they support. Now I can stop thinking about this, and if I come across a Constant Contact link, it will automatically open it in Firefox.

Do you have a Fluid SSB for Facebook or Twitter? If so, you can make sure that all of those links open in your site-specific browser.

Choosy is shareware. You can try it free and without any limitation for 45 days. In my experience that will be plenty of time to decide if Choosy is the right choice for you. If it is, you can register it for $12 and continue to enjoy surfing the web with multiple partners... err, browsers.

TUAW Choosy helps those with Browser Commitment Phobia originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IPCC tethering trick no longer works in iPhone OS 3.1 beta 2

Sang Tang — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:00:00 PDT

Filed under: iPhone

Torqued over the lack of tethering support from AT&T? Taken matters into your own hands? TUAW has learned that, with the release of iPhone OS 3.1 beta 2, tethering via the IPCC hack no longer works for AT&T customers.

While iPhone OS 3.0 provides support for tethering, AT&T has yet to officially support it. As a workaround to obtain tethering (as well as MMS for some), some users have modified their carrier files (IPCC). As of 3.1 beta 2, this no longer works.

It's not that surprising that Apple would want close this loophole... but it is a little surprising that AT&T has yet to announce a firm date or rate plan for US customers to tether their iPhones.

[It should go without saying, but if you enable tethering on your 3.0 iPhone, you do so at your own risk; AT&T may slam you with a data overage bill or worse.]

TUAW IPCC tethering trick no longer works in iPhone OS 3.1 beta 2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple posts beta 2 for iPhone OS 3.1

Erica Sadun — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:17:00 PDT

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, SDK

Are you an iPhone dev? If so, head on over to Apple's iPhone Developer Center and download the latest 3.1 beta. Although 3.0 is just a few weeks old, Apple is already busy at work creating the next release and causing those of us who do technical writing to try our hardest to keep up.

3.1 remains under an ongoing NDA and I cannot post details about any changes. So far the servers do not appear to be swamped so head on over and start your downloads. Separate SDK releases are available for Leopard and Snow Leopard, a policy Apple began with its 3.0 gold master SDK.

Thanks, everyone who is e-mailing us about this!

TUAW Apple posts beta 2 for iPhone OS 3.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hands on with TuneWiki for iPhone

Erica Sadun — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:00:00 PDT

Filed under: iPod Family, Software, Reviews, iPhone, iPod touch

Yesterday I downloaded a copy of TuneWiki, the new free iPhone application that lets you listen to streaming radio and your personal media collection while displaying lyrics. I tried out Lyrics+ last week and was looking forward to seeing what TuneWiki would bring to the table. What I found was a mix of promising capabilities mixed with a few preliminary growing pains.

What's great about TuneWiki (iTunes link) is its ready access to so many media sources. When I started it already listening to music, it immediately loaded the proper album, cued up the lyrics to the proper point, and started showing me a live feed of the synced words. That's pretty awesome.

It should be noted that TuneWiki has a direct licensing deal with Universal EMI, Sony, and about 16,000 publishers in 1800 groups including Warner (via the Harry Fox Agency) as well as deals in Greece, Israel, Spain, Germany, Turkey, and so forth. Every attempt has been made to license this lyric use world wide. Amnon Sarig, TuneWiki founder, told TUAW that he's worked hard on securing these world wide licensing agreements to ensure that TuneWiki has rights to display lyrics wherever it is used. "No one else has worldwide exploitation rights," he told us. "I've been in the licensing business for 11 years and as far as I know, the only other application on App store that exploits lyrics legally has their licenses limited to the United States."

Continue reading Hands on with TuneWiki for iPhone

TUAW Hands on with TuneWiki for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infectious sponsors "Cut to the Core" design contest for new laptop skins

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Accessories, Cult of Mac, Macbook Pro, MacBook, Graphic Design

If you'd like to see your design on a laptop and earn a little extra money to boot, head over to Infectious and check out their Cut to the Core design contest. They are accepting entries for a new run of MacBook and MacBook Pro laptop skins from now until August 4. Each skin is designed around a cut out that'll expose the glowing Apple logo on laptops. Be sure to read the rules carefully (you can't, for example, use the Apple logo in your design) and remember that the contest is voted on by the Infectious community.

First place winner gets $1000 cash prize, $100 of Infectious product and 5% net sales. All winners get $100 Infectious product and 5% net sales. Yep, net sales. Winning designs will be announced exclusively on TUAW around August 20, 2009. Stay tuned and good luck to those who enter!

TUAW Infectious sponsors "Cut to the Core" design contest for new laptop skins originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visua Mobile's old Apples collection

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Cult of Mac, Odds and ends

A couple of months ago I wound up in Paris and received a surprising direct message via Twitter from a young employee at Visua Mobile. Having nothing better to do in the City of Light, I wound up at their offices. I'm often suspect when a "mobile" development company rings me about their iPhone stable. Just like my tea, I prefer my developers steeped in Apple. Well, Visua Mobile is certainly made up of Apple fans. Just check out the gallery of their offices to see what I mean.

Visua's raison d'etre would be iPhone apps. To my astonishment, none have been runaway hits. They are beautifully designed and generally work well (some 3.0 bugs crept up). Visua gained some noteriety around their app, Fracture, that would make the iPhone screen appear broken when pressed. But they make a host of already-approved apps, including Celebrity, which features a special magazine cover just for TUAW fans.

Gallery: VIsua Mobile

TUAW Visua Mobile's old Apples collection originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A funny Microsoft ad? Yes

Mel Martin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor, Odds and ends

I'm not a big fan of Microsoft marketing and promotion. The Seinfield/Gates ads left my scratching my head, and the Laptop Hunter ads really irritated me.

Now Microsoft has released a really clever marketing video, but apparently had to leave their regular (Mac loving) agency behind.

The video, called Microsoft Office 2010-The Movie (YouTube link) was made by Dennis Liu of Traffik Filmworks (we interviewed him last year). He had a free hand and a big checkbook, and the video that resulted is hip, clever, and fun to watch. We even get a quick glance of Clippy's grave.

I was beginning to think that Microsoft was suffering from a complete humor bypass, but this shot at building expectations and mindshare for Office 2010 is a sure winner.

And remember that Microsoft will offer a free, web based stripped down version sometime next year that supports the Mac on Safari or on FireFox.

Now what happened to Microsoft Bob?

TUAW A funny Microsoft ad? Yes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mac 101: iCal calendar subscriptions

Lauren Hirsch — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Productivity, Tips and tricks, Mac 101

iCal has always been an elegant program. Though it has a "subscribe" function for public calendars, it hasn't always played nicely with other devices and other calendars. This limitation forced many a user to seek greener pastures elsewhere, like Google Calendar. Calendars created in Google's web app permitted a better cross-platform solution for home and mobile use, but made iCal clunky and hard to use, even when you only subscribed to your own Google calendars.

Recently, Apple enabled CalDAV subscriptions on the iPhone (which also play well with Google Calendar); that made me dust off my copy of iCal and take a second look. If you're not using iCal at all, you may want to take a moment to learn about what you can do with it.

The idea of calendar subscriptions is simple: store a calendar event database somewhere online, and then provide a link in a common format for calendar programs such as iCal to access. The calendar program then imports the calendar data and puts it in your calendar, updating itself at a frequency of your choosing.

Online databases of public calendar links abound, and you can add calendars from your local little league schedule to stargazing guides to the galaxy in your area. The format that Apple uses is the "ics" format, and you'll see calendars with that extension all over the web.

Continue reading Mac 101: iCal calendar subscriptions

TUAW Mac 101: iCal calendar subscriptions originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two song Digital 45s now available in iTunes

Joachim Bean — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:45:00 PDT

Filed under: iTunes

Apple today added new "D45s" to the Music section in the iTunes Store [iTunes link]. This package includes two songs, just like many of the old 45 RPM records back in the day. Their prices range from $1.49 - $1.99, with over 20 different artists to choose from. There are some old favorites, along with recently released content. Many of the D45s include some uncommon songs not previously released on the iTunes Store. This follows in the tradition of some B-side music, where tracks were thrown on the back of the 45 for "added value." Check it out, there should be something for everyone to enjoy.

[Via iLounge]

TUAW Two song Digital 45s now available in iTunes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple distributes 1.5B apps in App Store's first year

Robert Palmer — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:45:00 PDT

Filed under: Apple Corporate, App Store

Apple announced today in a short press release that it had ~~sold~~ distributed 1.5 billion iPhone and iPod touch applications during the App Store's first year of existence.

Despite the slow economy, App Store ~~sales~~ downloads appear to have accelerated since last year, showing a fairly positive polynomial trend. Apple is ~~selling~~ offering (via a packet-switched network) apps roughly five times faster than it did when the store opened.

The App Store now features 65,000 apps available to users in 77 countries. The iPhone Developer Program includes 100,000 members, too.

(Chart sources: 1, 2, 3, 4.)

TUAW Apple distributes 1.5B apps in App Store's first year originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWDC Demo (and sneak peek): SciFly 2, a dogfight app for your iPhone or iPod touch

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Gaming, WWDC, iPhone, iPod touch

I was shocked to discover the young author of SciFly (iTunes link) hadn't even graduated high school when he first started coding, and wrote the original game while in high school. Based on his success with the first version, he dropped out of high school and has dedicated himself to iPhone development. From what I saw of SciFly 2, it may pay off. The sequel is a massive expansion on the original, with every bit of it written by a young man who seemed to have a versatile skill set and a passion for mobile development. We'll post on Twitter and Facebook when the sequel is available on the store. You can also try a a Lite version of the original here (iTunes link).

TUAW WWDC Demo (and sneak peek): SciFly 2, a dogfight app for your iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lyric fetchin' lovin': how to batch fetch lyrics with GimmeSomeTune and Needle Drop

Sang Tang — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:00 PDT

Filed under: How-tos, iTunes, AppleScript

One neat little thing about the iPod and iPhone family of devices is their ability to display lyrics -- supported by all iPod nanos as well as the iPhone/iPod touch, and iPod Classic 5th generation and higher. On the iPhone and iPod touch, lyrics show up when a song is loaded (and can be re-displayed by tapping on the screen while a song is playing); while on the iPod nano, pressing the center button several times while a song is playing will cycle you through to display lyrics.

But the real issue isn't so much about displaying lyrics as much as it is obtaining them. PearLyrics was once my tried and true favorite way of getting lyrics, but it passed away some time ago.

Continue reading Lyric fetchin' lovin': how to batch fetch lyrics with GimmeSomeTune and Needle Drop

TUAW Lyric fetchin' lovin': how to batch fetch lyrics with GimmeSomeTune and Needle Drop originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Easy visualization with Daisy Disk

Megan Lavey — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 06:00:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, Leopard

Daisy Disk is the perfect example of one of those tools that should be built right into OS X.

It's the latest in disk visualization utilities -- software that scans your hard drive and lets you know which files are being hard drive hogs (in my case, World of Warcraft - no big surprise there). But, it's the added features that turn this from basic to "wow, why didn't Apple develop something like this?"

Once you initiate the software, you'll see a list of mounted drives on your network that you can scan. I scanned my main drive. It took less than four minutes for it to go through the 120GB drive and display everything in a circular graphic that does remind you of a daisy wheel.

Each section of your drive is color-coded for its specific purpose. The closest parts to the center of the graphic are the root levels. Going further out will net you very specific details on file sizes. Clicking on one section move it to the forefront and let you see everything on that level. When you get down to the files themselves, tap the space bar to preview the file. Then, right click to expose those files in the Finder, then do what you wish with them. Then, click on the inner circle to go back out to the level above. For smaller files and folders, it's better to use the list on the side rather than try to pick things out of the wheel.

Doing this enabled me to find large files that I hadn't seen in years, including a folder of old backups from 2006 that got carried over from my iBook. Deleting those netted me 7GB of space. The only feature really not working properly is the preview portion. When I tried playing .M4V video sources, I was rewarded with a grey screen. Regular .AVIs were fine.

DaisyDisk costs $19.95USD and requires OS X 10.5 or higher. You can do a full-featured download for free, which gives you a great taste of what it has to offer. For those wanting the same sort of tools, but for free, give OmniDiskSweeper or GrandPerspective a try.

TUAW Easy visualization with Daisy Disk originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WWDC Demo: Slick Shopper

Victor Agreda, Jr. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:30:00 PDT

Filed under: WWDC, iPhone, iPod touch

Slick Shopper is a slick little list app. It does one very specific thing: make shopping lists. In fact, the developer thought through little details such as a location-specific context for your lists. If you're needing things only in your bedroom (perhaps a trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond is in your future?), Slick Shopper will winnow the list down to just those items with a couple of clicks.

While list apps are plentiful on the store, yet again we see a plethora of choices covering niche angles. Now the only problem is not littering your iPhone with list apps -- not to be confused with "to do" apps. Slick Shopper (iTunes link) is currently $.99 on the App Store.

TUAW WWDC Demo: Slick Shopper originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Finding an app in a haystack

David Winograd — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:30:00 PDT

Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

As of July 11th, the iPhone/iPod touch App Store housed 56,081 different apps according to Jeff Scott of 148apps.com.

Taking a quick look, I found over 400 different fart apps. This alone is pretty scary and would lead me to believe that any app that might be either useful or funny, or even totally pointless, has so many variations that without knowing an app name, searching for something that interests me would soon become a Herculean task.

Apple hasn't made this easy since using the iTunes store search is pretty rough and usually brings up many choices that don't seem to contain what you want. i really hope that Apple addresses this in the future since the current method just isn't nearly good enough.

As is often the case, intrepid app aficionados have jumped into the fray and given us some help in finding just the right app:

Freeappalert.com prints a listing, updated daily, of apps that have just gone from paid to free. This is a great place to start a search because more than once have I run into the situation where I bought an app and later found that a free one did just as good if not better. To give you an example, the site has listed fifteen apps that just went free today, July 13th. They also provide a listing of apps that became free over the last few days.
Appshopper.com lets you search by topics such as: what's new, what's free, what has been updated, and what has changed in price. The site mentions that it's still in testing and more features will be forthcoming. Recent additions to the site include buttons for "Want it" and "Have it."
148apps.com, along with listing what's new and free, relates their favorite 148 apps along with tracking 148 games, both free and paid, as well as 148 general apps, again both free and paid.
Iviewer.com is in the midst of collecting apps from readers. They are looking for apps that haven't appeared in any top 10 lists. This doesn't seem as if would provide as broad a field of information as the other sites.
Macworld's App Guide is the best-organized and most functional site I've found. Apps are categorized by type, which alone saves a lot of time. Price reductions are noted as well as groups of popular apps featured. The nicest part of the site is a really functional search box that puts the one found in the iTunes store to shame. Type in a phrase and you will get nicely sorted, useful results. I've found this to be less than complete, but as someone once said: 'in the land of the blind, the one eyed man is King.'

Try some of these out and see if it helps you successfully navigate through the quickly increasing mountain of apps.

I know that I haven't scratched the surface of sites that can help with app searching, so please tell us what you have found and what makes your site discovery unique and especially helpful in marketing iPhone/iTouch apps.

TUAW Finding an app in a haystack originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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