MacNews

Jul 30
iPhone/iPod/iPad apps for July 30

Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps announced. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).

SeeItWithus has announced VideoPix for iPad 1.0. The US$2.99 app supports frame grabbing, screencapping, slow motion playback at configurable fps, frame by frame analysis of video clips from iPad's Photo Albums and also from videos imported from computer through local WiFi. Videos can be imported into iPad's Photo Albums using either iTunes or through iPad Camera Connection Kit.

The Omni Group has released OmniFocus for the iPad ($39.99). The iPad edition of the popular OmniFocus task management application syncs with OmniFocus for iPhone and OmniFocus for Mac, and offers professional features for both new and experienced users.

Scott Gruber has debuted ShapeEffects 1.0 for the iPad. The $2.99 app offers a way to create composite works of...

| Read more »
Jul 30
Dual PCalc releases for iOS and Mac OS

TLA Systems has announced the simultaneous release of new versions of their veteran scientific calculator PCalc (http://www.pcalc.com/) for both iOS and Mac OS X.

This release adds y improvements to the unit conversions, including dozens of new units and the ability to sort them. It also has a volume control for the key clicks, and various power user options and improvements on iOS 4.0.

PCalc 3.6 for Mac OS has benefitted from six months worth of improvements to the iOS version, including full currency conversion support, and many other functions and options, according to the folks at TLA Systems. Also, copy and paste is now working again in the Dashboard Widget, something that Apple has completely failed to do with their own calculator widget since Mac OS X 10.6 ("Snow Leopard").

PCalc is distributed as an US$9.99 universal app -- one purchase at the Apple App Store will work on the iPad,...

| Read more »
Jul 30
The Pragmatic Studio announces iPhone, iPod touch

The Pragmatic Studio (http://pragmaticstudio.com/) is offering their "iPhone/iPad Programming" course in Santa Clara, California, on Aug. 17-20, and in Chicago, Illinois, on Oct. 25-28.

In this four-day, hands-on training course you'll learn how to create iPhone/iPad apps with guided instruction from two renowned developers and authors: Matt Drance and Daniel Steinberg. You can reserve your seat soon and save US$300 on early registration.

| Read more »
Jul 30
One Apple lawsuit settled, another comes to light

Another day, another lawsuit. Apple has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by patent-holding company Minerva Industries that accused the iPhone maker of infringing its patent for mobile media technology, reports "Law 360" (http://macosg.me/2/mh).

In January 2008, Los Angeles-based Minerva Industries sued Apple and satellite phone company Atlantic RT for patent infringement regarding a patent covering mobile entertainment and communications devices. The company filed the patent infringement lawsuit in the Eastern District of Texas on Tuesday, just hours after having been granted United States Patent No. 7,321,783 entitled "Mobile Entertainment and Communication Device," .

The six-page formal complaint alleges that representatives from Minerva informed Apple of their pending application with United States Patent and Trademark Office covering iPhone concepts back in November, but that Apple "waited until...

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Jul 30
Apple Store Covent to open Aug. 7

Apple will open a new retail store in London on Aug. 7. It will be Apple's 28th retail store opening in the UK.

Apple Store Covent Garden (http://www.apple.com/uk/retail/coventgarden) is located at No. 1-7 The Piazza, London, WC2E 8HA. The grand opening will start at 10 am

Regular store hours will be Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 pm.

Apple Store Haywood Mall will be the company's 296th retail store. Apple plans to open another 187 or so during this fiscal year, with about half of those outside the U.S.

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Jul 30
AMD, Intel have huge share growth at Nvidia’s expense

Jon Peddie Research (http://www.jonpeddie.com) -- a research and consulting firm for graphics and multimedia, computer graphics -- has announced its estimated graphics chip shipments and supplier’s market share for the second quarter of 2010 (Q2’10).

Overall graphics chip shipments were up 4% from Q1’10, while desktop discrete GPUs fell 21.4% reflecting the tremendous growth in notebooks. For the first half of the year, 2010 shipments are 38.6% above the same period last year.

Clarksdale, continued Atom sales for netbooks, and strong notebook growth helped Intel maintain its leadership position in unit shipments for Q2’10. AMD led the market with the biggest gains for both discrete and integrated desktop products in the company’s history. On a quarter-to-quarter basis Nvidia had double-digit losses in every segment except notebook integrated where they showed a 10% gain in units shipments from...

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Jul 30
Mobile phone demand expands 14.5% as market fragments

The worldwide mobile phone market continued to show signs of improvement during the second quarter of 2010 (2Q10), driven primarily by smartphone vendors and companies outside the top five leaders worldwide.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, mobile phone vendors shipped a total of 317.5 million units during 2Q10, up 14.5% from the 277.2 million units shipped during the second quarter of 2009 (2Q09). For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 620.6 million units, up 18.5% from the 523.5 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

"That worldwide growth was driven primarily by vendors outside the top vendors is particularly noteworthy," says Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team. "Directly contributing to this is growth in the smartphone category. Companies with a strict focus on the smartphone market, like RIM, Apple, and HTC have...

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Jul 30
Speed Download for Mac OS X speeds to version 5.2.19

Yazsoft (http://www.yazsoft.com) has released Speed Download 5.2.19, the latest version of its Mac OS X download manager that combines four products: a download manager with auto-resuming downloads, a secure FTP client, a file sharing utility with full encryption, and .Mac/iDisk/WEBDAV connectivity.

The upgrade is revved for tighter compatibility with Safari 5. Speed Download requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or higher. It costs US$25 for a single-user license. Speed Download is available in US English, French and Polish localizations.

| Read more »
Jul 30
KeynoteUser releases Elemental theme set

KeynoteUser (http://www.keynoteuser.com) has released Elemental, a Keynote theme based on the four elements in nature. Keynote is the presentation component of Apple's US$79 iWorks bundle.

Elemental sports brightly colored, gradient backed themes (plus a fifth, alternate bonus color) in all the standard presentation sizes (including HD). It costs US$29.95.

However, for a limited time, you can save 20% off anything in the KeynoteUser store by using the code keynote20 at checkout. This offer expires on Aug. 6. Keynoteuser is also giving away a free Keynote theme. Elemental Earth2, an alternate brown version of the Elemental theme.

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Jul 29
Scene store released for My Living Desktop

Amuse has released a new scene store for My Living Desktop (http://www.mylivingdesktop.com) for Mac OS X, a video desktop and screen saver utility. The app replaces the standard still desktop with a video desktop that plays high-definition movies of the user's choice.

The My Living Desktop Scene Store showcases such categories as Fine Art, Art and Animation, Landmarks, Animals and Insects, and more. For a limited time, all orders over US$20 receive a 20% discount.

My Living Desktop is a cross between a video desktop (moving wallpaper) and screen saver. With its built-in video importer, users can import their own movie scenes for use as video desktops. Anyone can now have family movies, movies of friends and special events, vacation movies and more as their desktop -- or as a screen saver.

My Living Desktop boasts a variety of high-definition movie videos shot from all around...

| Read more »
Jul 29
DAZ 3D releases Bryce 7 (regular, pro, limited edition)

DAZ 3D has released Bryce 7, the latest version of its 3D solution for achieving realistic imagery. The company has also released Bryce 7 Pro and the Bryce 7 Personal Learning Edition (LE).

Artists utilizing Bryce 7 will gain the ability to easily incorporate 3D models made in Google SketchUp or Electronic Arts' Spore Creature Creator into their pipeline, says Dan Farr, founder and CEO of DAZ 3D. This direct import option, created specifically for Bryce 7 workflows, streamlines integration and eliminates cumbersome tweaking, utilizing new import and export options for both the COLLADA and FBX file formats, he adds. Bryce users can now also export their environments for use in a variety of other tools and 3D applications.

Additionally, the DAZ Studio Bridge within the Bryce pipeline has been re-designed to transfer models from DAZ Studio 3, into Bryce 7 with less overhead and greater ease. Even complex layered 3D figures and accessories now seamlessly import into Bryce...

| Read more »
Jul 29
Apple looking for engineer for a 'revolutionary'...

A new job posting by Apple (http://macosg.me/2/mb) says the company is looking for a software engineer to help build a "new and revolutionary feature for Mac OS X. " Of course, it doesn't say what that feature is.

But here's part of the job description: "Are you looking to help create something totally new? Something that has never been done before and will truly amaze everyone? Are you excited by the prospect that what you helped create would be used every day by millions of Apple customers? Then come and work on with the Mac OS X software engineering team to help build a new and revolutionary feature for Mac OS X.

"WWe are looking for a senior software engineer to help us create a revolutionary new feature in the very foundations of Mac OS X. We have something truly revolutionary and really exciting in progress and it is going to require your most creative and focused efforts ever.

"An ideal...

| Read more »
Jul 29
iPhone/iPod/iPad apps for July 29

Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps announced. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/).

SeeItWithus has announced VideoPix for iPad 1.0. The US$2.99 app supports frame grabbing, screencapping, slow motion playback at configurable fps, frame by frame analysis of video clips from iPad's Photo Albums and also from videos imported from computer through local WiFi. Videos can be imported into iPad's Photo Albums using either iTunes or through iPad Camera Connection Kit.

AMP (Advanced Mobile Protection) has released its OnCall Defender app that gives iPhone users a panic alarm and a medical alert, or a combination of the two, and connects subscribers to a 24-hour monitoring station with a direct line to law enforcement and EMS dispatch. Monitoring services are available in the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U...

| Read more »
Jul 29
Smith Micro releases Spring Cleaning Essentials for the Mac

Smith Micro Software has released Spring Cleaning Essentials for Mac, a suite of tune-up utility tools to help users keep their Macs running like new. It lets users clean up, optimize and maintain their Macs with tools that organize files, reduce clutter and completely uninstall unwanted applications.

Spring Cleaning Essentials offers search capabilities to help novice users organize their hard drives, as well as protect and archive files and data, according to Pauline Shumake, senior product manager, Productivity and Graphics Group at Smith Micro Software. The interface allows users to achieve results immediately. As a user’s needs evolve beyond basic hard drive maintenance, Spring Cleaning Essentials offers the ability to individually purchase specialized tools for managing multimedia, securely uploading files to the cloud and much more, she adds.

Spring Cleaning Essentials features include:    

° Personalization: you can mix, match and add toolsets to meet...

| Read more »
Jul 29
Apple outsells Motorola in smartphone market again

Motorola just reported lower mobile phone shipments than Apple for the second quarter in a row, reports "Silicon Alley Insider" (http://macosg.me/2/m3). Motorola shipped 2.7 million smartphones in the second quarter of the year, up from 2.3 million in the first quarter.

However, that was below recently raised expectations of 3.2 million from Morgan Stanley's Ehud Geldblum, and 3.1 million from Citi's Jim Suva. Apple shipped 8.4 million iPhones during its June quarter, verses 8.3 million for Motorola -- including just 2.7 million Android smartphones.

| Read more »
Jul 29
Psystar says copyright only governs copying, not use restrictions

In a brief reply to Apple in the ongoing legal brouhaha over Mac clones, Psystar asserts that copyright only governs copying and not restrictions on use, reports "World of Apple" (http://macosg.me/2/m2). The company also denies Apple’s position that their copyright restrictions do not stifle creativity.

In January Psystar officially filed its Notice of Appeal in the copyright suit it lost against Apple. The appeal involved a copyright infringement suit Apple brought against Psystar to stop the Florida company from selling Psystar computers with Mac OS X installed.

In December 2009 Apple won a permanent injunction against Psystar. Granted by Judge William Alsup of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, it prevents the Mac cloner from selling clones, installing Mac OS X on any hardware, and selling or copying Mac OS X.

Psystar also can't manufacture, import, offer to the...

| Read more »

MacNews Blog

Jul 30
The 'religion' of Apple

I'm one of the biggest Apple supporters around -- and have been even during its "beleaguered" years (when I actually did some freelance PR work for the local Apple education branch) -- but I certainly don't consider Apple my religion. Or a religion, at all.

I'm a Christian, and proud of it. On the other hand, I'm a fervent (well, usually) supporter of Apple products, but certainly don't worship them or the company that makes them. The same can be said of other Christians -- and Jews, Hindus, Muslims, etc. -- worldwide.

However, in a research paper published this month (http://macosg.me/2/m9) by two professors at Texas A&M University, the authors argue that the only way to understand the slavish adoration and over-the top financial success of Apple and the iPhone is to understand its minimalist, white-walled stores as the new churches of the tech generation.

"The religious-like behavior and...

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Jul 29
Apple wants you to dress up in its Virtual Closet

Pretty soon you may be able to dress yourself online in a Virtual Closet if Apple has its way. The company has filed two patents at the US Patent & Trademark Office for such a venture.


Patent number 20100191770 is for a system and methods for providing a Virtual Fashion closet. Fashion items can be added to the Virtual Closet. Outfits may then be created by combining two or more of the fashion items. In some embodiments, the Virtual Closet system can create recommended outfits based on weather, season, or the user's calendar.

The Virtual Closet system can allow a vendor to send recommended fashion items that may complete an outfit to a user for potential purchasing. In some embodiments, a social networking Virtual Closet can be provided. The social networking Virtual Closet can allow friends to see each other's Virtual Closets, recommend outfits to one another, recommend fashion items to buy, recommend fashion items to get rid of, recommend outfits to wear at a...

| Read more »
Jul 29
Apple patent is for generating 3D model using portable elect...

Apple wants you to be able to use your iPhone, iPod touch and perhaps your iPad to be able to navigate a real-world environment via 3D images A new company patent (number 20100188503) has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office for generating a three-dimensional model using a portable electronic device recording.

According to Apple, an electronic device can load and provide an initial display of a three dimensional model (e.g., of an environment or of an object). As the user moves the electronic device, motion sensing components, positioning circuitry, and other components can detect the device movement and adjust the displayed portion of the three-dimensional model to reflect the movement of the device.

By walking with the device in the user's real environment, a user can virtually navigate a representation of a three-dimensional environment. In some embodiments, a user can record an object or environment using an electronic device, and tag the recorded...

| Read more »
Jul 29
Apple patents involve accelerometer, deterministic navigatio...

Several Apple patents involving the accelerometer and other deterministic methods of navigation of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office.

Patent number 20100188331 is for methods and apparatuses for operating a portable device based on an accelerometer. According to one embodiment of the invention, a movement of a portable device is detected using an accelerometer attached to the portable device. An orientation of the portable device after the movement is determined based on movement data provided by the accelerometer. It is determined whether the portable device is held by a user after the movement based on the movement data provided by the accelerometer. Locations of the hands of the user for holding the portable device are determined based on the orientation of the portable device. At least one interface that is not within the predicted locations of the hands of the user is activated. The inventors are Paul...

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Jul 29
Apple patent aims to make it easier to retrieve items on Mac...

An Apple patent (number 7,765,213) for an ordered index has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. The company is examining ways to make the retrieval of information easier and more efficient on Mac OS X.

Systems and methods for processing an index are described. A postings list of items containing a particular term are ordered in a desired retrieval order, e.g., most recent first. The ordered items are inserted into an inverted index in the desired retrieval order, resulting in an ordered inverted index from which items may be efficiently retrieved in the desired retrieval order. During retrieval, items may first be retrieved from a live index, and the retrieved items from the live and ordered indexes may be merged. The retrieved items may also be filtered in accordance with the items' file grouping parameters. The inventors are Wayne Loofbourrow, John Martin Hoernkvist, Eric Richard Koebler and Yan Arrouye.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the...

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Jul 29
Apple looks at cooling electronic devices using airflow divi...

Apple is always looking for ways to make its Macs run cooler. Now a company patent (number 7,764,493) for systems and methods for cooling electronic devices using airflow dividers has appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office.

An electronic device can be provided with a heat-generating component and a cooling module for dissipating heat. In some embodiments, the cooling component may include a fan configured to produce an outflow of air, and a divider configured not only to direct a first portion of the outflow between a first surface of the divider and the heat-generating component, but also to direct a second portion of the outflow along a second surface of the divider. In other embodiments, the cooling component may include a divider and a pressure clip. A first portion of the pressure clip may be configured to exert a pressure on a first surface of the divider such that the pressure may hold a portion of a second surface of the divider in contact with the heat-...

| Read more »
Jul 29
I'd hate for Apple to drop iDVD, but I suspect it will

The rumor mill says that iLife will be updated next month, going to 64-bit, introducing a "mystery" application and dropping iDVD.

It won't be surprising if Apple drops iDVD, but it will be disappointing. Apple -- or at least Steve Jobs -- seem determined to phase out CD and DVD support, hoping Apple users will go completely digital. And, no doubt, turn to MobileMe, iTunes and other Apple services for buying and storing all their content.

The rumor mill also says that Apple will continue to offer iDVD as a download. I hope that's true. And I hope that the app will continue to be updated as Mac OS X is updated. But I suspect it will simply be allowed to languish a la iMovie HD --- which, I maintain, was still lots better than the version of iMovie that now ships with iLife.

But the writing has been on the wall for awhile. When Apple introduced iLife '09, iDVD was barely mentioned. It wasn't updated and received no new themes.

-- Dennis Sellers

| Read more »
Jul 28
Greg's bite: Blue Screen of death=oil spill?

By Greg Mills

It is just coming out in the inquest over the largest oil spill in US history that the accident might have to do with a PC which was monitoring and controlling the drilling rig suffering a blue screen of death freeze.   

While it has not come out yet which operating system crashed, I don't recall ever having a blue screen of death event in my 25 years of using over a dozen various Macs . Hmmm, I wonder what operating system it might have been ....

The steady increase in business adoption of things Apple has a lot to do with overhead in the long term. How much time will be lost due to OS crashes? How many IP guys will it take to keep the servers up? What is the learning curve on the OS and the company computers in general? The old refrain, "Macs are great, but there just isn't software to do what we need to do that is available on Apple computers" is not really so relevant any more.

Smart phones are going the same way. As...

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Jul 28
Apple wins design patents

Apple has won several design patents from the US Patent & Trademark Office. Several others have also appeared. Following is a summary of each.

Patent number 7,7645,236 is for a broadband antenna for handheld devices (namely, iPhone antennas). Broadband antennas and handheld electronic devices with broadband antennas are provided. A handheld electronic device has integrated circuits, a display, and a battery mounted within a housing. The housing has a planar inner surface. A broadband antenna for the handheld electronic device has a ground element and a resonating element. The ground element and resonating element may have the same shape and may have the same size. The ground element and resonating element may lie in a common plane and be separated by a gap that lies in the common plane. The plane in which the ground element and resonating element lie may be parallel to the planar inner surface of the housing. Electronic components such as the integrated...

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Jul 28
Well, maybe I won't have to upgrade to the latest iMac,...

Well, maybe I won't have to update to the newest iMac, after all. I was expecting a wham-bam, gotta-have update to the all-in-one desktop, but found the latest rev a bit underwhelming.

Sure, all new iMac models come standard with Intel Core processors built on a new architecture. Based on Intel’s 32-nanometer process technology, these processors set new benchmarks for iMac performance. And the the ATI Radeon HD 5670 with 512MB of memory is an option. But my iMac has a quad-core Core i7 running at 2.8GHz and an ATI Radeon 4850 with 512MB of VRAM. So how much of a performance boost would I honesty see?

I like the idea of the Magic Trackpad and the Apple Battery Charger. But they're US$69 and $29 options, respectively, so I can get them for my current iMac.

My present system was the top-of-the-line iMac when I bought it last October. So, unless I'm missing something, guess I'll save my moolah for an iMac update that offers some really must-have additions -- at...

| Read more »

Reviews and Kool Tools

Kool Tools: DVD to iPhone Converter (now free)
iSkysoft is now offering its DVD to iPhone Converter for free through Aug. 9. It's normally US$29. It's worth the 30 bucks -- and it's a must-have for free.   You can get more info at http://www.iskysoft.com/software-... Read more »
Category Review: interdisciplinary apps for Mac OS X, part three
This MacNews Category Review is the third of our multi-part look at interdisciplinary apps for the Mac. Products covered include Graphing Calculator, GraphPad Prism, Gridgen, Gridirion XLR8, gridMathematica, Hipparchus... Read more »
Review: SonicsPic a great iPhone app for personal, business purposes
By Harinder S. Bawa Do you return from vacation and end up showing folks the pictures on your iPhone? You end up tell the same stories, the same amusing anecdotes to each person. Well, if you don’t like repeating... Read more »
Flash Catalyst great for the audience for which it's designed
By Cyndy Cashman Flash Catalyst CS5 is a new Flash development tool (US$399) from Adobe (http://www.adobe.com) for creating interactive applications. Geared toward designers, Flash Catalyst allows designers to turn... Read more »

News Scanner

Saturday July 31

06:00
5 iPad Apps for Travelers
digg

Travelers have a variety of apps to choose from that will help them out during their travels. Here are 5 great iPad Apps that are great for travelers.

| Read more »
01:40
360 Panorama: Panoramic iPhone Photography Made easy
digg

Today, 360 Panorama was released for the iPhone, and it brings auto real time stitching into the practical realm of panoramic photography.

| Read more »

Friday July 30

19:00
First look: OmniFocus for iPad
TUAW

Filed under:
Copyright 2010 The Omni Group. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

With OmniFocus for iPad just now hitting the App Store, I haven't yet had as much time as I would like to use the application to its fullest potential. My initial interaction has, however, been positive. Costing a rather steep $39.99, OmniFocus for iPad brings another professionally priced tool for professionals into the App Store iPad arena.

OmniFocus offers a way to create to-do lists on steroids. You can brainstorm out ideas, then start organizing and classifying them into separate projects, tasks, and "contexts"; contexts allow you to make tasks relevant to where and when you are working on things. Items related to working at home will not intrude... | Read more »

18:25
Samsung's Android tablet may drop at August 11...
MacNN

Samsung gave hints on Friday that its Galaxy Tab slate could be launched within two weeks. The company confirmed in a public statement only that the seven-inch Android tablet should ship before the end of the summer, but it has also sent out an invite for a special event on August 11 that could include the Galaxy Tab. The notice to CrunchGear and other members of the press didn't give clues of its own, but it emphasized that there would be "new products and announcements" and not just existing products....

Android - Samsung Group - GalaxyTab -... | Read more »

18:00
Valve to release GL code, games on Mac see sales...
TUAW

Filed under: ,
Boy, if you had to choose one company (including Apple) that has really led the charge for Mac gaming recently, I'd have to say Valve takes the cake, and that's no lie. Not only has the company brought an unprecedented set of quality titles to the Mac with Steam, but it's now announced that it will be sharing some of its graphical code for the Mac with Steamworks developers. That graphics layer coding is apparently the "real hard work" in making a game for the Mac, and Valve is trying to make that as easy as possible for its partner developers.

Why? Because -- and get this -- games sell more when they're on the... | Read more »

17:40
Meet QingTing, the Chinese Company that Copies Apple...
Gizmodo Apple

#knockoff

What did Picasso say again? Oh right. Good artists copy, great artists steal. By that logic, QingTing must be the greatest artist ever. [QingTing via giz-china]... | Read more »

17:00
MindMeister comes to the iPad
TUAW

Filed under: Looking for even more productivity on your iPad? MindMeister has released an iPad version of their collaborative mind mapping application, allowing iPad users to mind map locally and sync with the web version to share ideas with others. We've mentioned MindMeister before, and they were part of our suggestions for mind mapping on the iPhone, but ever since the dawn of the iPad, I've been waiting for it to come to the big screen!
MindMeister on the iPad may not be the most complete mind mapping application available for the iPad, at least as far as bells and whistles. It does its job well, though, and... | Read more »

16:30
A new approach to iPhone panoramas
TUAW

Filed under: There are plenty of iPhone apps that shoot panorama photos. You take a picture. Move to the left or right, and after you have 3 or 4 images the panorama software stitches the images together.

Now, Occipital is offering 360 Panorama, a different approach to getting wide, or even 360 degree images. The app is dead simple. Click on a button to start the process, then slowly turn left or right. You appear to be taking one continuous image, and as you move you can see the image filling in on a grid. You don't do any stitching, the software does it in nearly real time. You can go wide, or even shoot vertical images. Or you can do both, panning up and down, and moving left or right. The image will fill in. It's pretty cool to watch. When you... | Read more »

16:30
Remains of the Day: Zuck's not an iPhone, he...
Macworld

It seems Apple's got something big up the sleeves of its black turtleneck; meanwhile, RIM is smuggling a new tablet in its pinstripe suit, and Apple’s also playing legal ping pong. Oh, and Mark Zuckerberg did...something.




... | Read more »

16:00
UK soldiers use iPad app to train for Afghan...
TUAW

Filed under: At the Royal School of Artillery in Wiltshire, UK, troops have been learning how to manage a fire mission (firing artillery at the enemy from several miles away) with the help of iPads. Early reports indicate that the technique has accelerated their learning.

BBC Radio's Newsbeat had an exclusive look at new training being given to these soldiers. One trainee described the app as a nice alternative to classwork. "This has been designed to let us practice," said Lance Bombardier Jason Markham, "that when we get out there into theatre we're a lot slicker. It makes it more fun instead of being sat in a classroom looking at a presentation being given information."

Training officer Major Rich Gill, who assisted with the app's deployment, sees additional benefits, calling it a way to reduce training time and... | Read more »

16:00
Caze intros 0.5mm-thick case for iPhone 4
MacNN

Caze has introduced an ultra-thin case for the iPhone 4, the Zero 5. Made of impact-resistant Grillamid resin, the clear case has a .5mm thickness and protects the sides of the iPhone 4. Raised edges are also designed to protect the facade from scratches. The back of the case has a cutout for the iPhone camera and flash, while screen protectors are included for even more protection. It offers access to all the iPhone 4 ports....

iPhone - Apple - Smartphones - ... | Read more »

16:00
Security experts release software to attack Android...
AppleInsider

A tool for attacking devices running Google's Android operating system was released by security researchers today at the Defcon hackers conference in Las Vegas.

| Read more »
15:55
Briefly: Sim City Deluxe released, 750GB MacBook...
MacNN

EA Games has launched a new game for the iPhone and iPod touch, Sim City Deluxe. Players become the mayor of their own town, which they must zone for business and residents. Players must also ensure that all citizens are equipped with utilities such as water and electricity. Building upon the original Sim City release, the Deluxe version features an improved interface with larger buttons and better item organization, as well as updated graphics to bring the game closer in visual style to Sim City 4. The game also offers 7 different scenarios, season catastrophes, a t...

iPhone - SimCity -... | Read more »

15:50
360Works intros ScriptMaster 4 update, new Advanced...
MacNN

360Works has introduced ScriptMaster 4, an update to the FileMaker plug-in. The utility is designed to handle web services and file manipulation, while providing modules for URL or network utilities and event/script triggering. The latest version of ScriptMaster now provides 81 different functions, in addition to major speed and stability improvements, enhanced documentation, and multiple bug fixes. It also adds the ability to load and share modules on the network, or send push notifications to iOS devices....

FileMaker - Web service - Uniform... | Read more »

15:47
iphonific Website showcases iPhone photography
Macworld

A new website, iphonific.com, has launched showcasing photography taken using only a mobile phone.





... | Read more »

15:45
Silent, easily made Android rootkit shown at Black...
MacNN

SpiderLabs showed a rootkit at the Black Hat conference today that could compromise an Android phone without its owner's knowledge. The exploit, handed out on DVD at the hacking and security meetup, would let the wielder get complete control and personal data from an Android phone without triggering alerts. Team lead Nicholas Percoco said the app took just two weeks to build and would affect even modern Android 2.1 devices such as the HTC Desire and Legend....

Android - Black Hat - HTC Corporation -... | Read more »

15:40
This Week's Best Apps [Apps]
Gizmodo Apple

#apps

In this week's multitouch empire-expanding app round-up: images, kaleidoscope'd on the iPad; news, given the Pulse treatment on Android; iPhone cameras, Photo Booth'd; alarm clocks, beautified; Scrabble, made hexagonal; and helicopters, steered into battle on the iPhone, and much more! More »

| Read more »
15:30
GadgetTrak 3.0 offers enhanced Mac tracking...
MacNN

ActiveTrak has launched a new version of its data protection software, GadgetTrak. The anti-theft service allows users to track their lost or stolen Mac computer, with options to approximate the device location using Wi-Fi networks. Version 3.0 offers advanced Wi-Fi positioning technology, claimed to track a stolen computer to within 10 meters of its location in certain situations, as well as a built-in notification system that e-mails a subscriber with detailed information relating to the laptop's location....

GadgetTrak - Technology - Macintosh -... | Read more »

15:26
British Airways updates iPhone app
Macworld

British Airways has launched an updated version of its iPhone app that lets Executive Club members check-in with a boarding pass displayed on their smartphone screen.





... | Read more »

15:00
Nozbe for iPad 1.1 integrates Evernote with your...
TUAW

Filed under: We've mentioned GTD app Nozbe a few times before, but not since the release of their iPad app. If you're looking for a complete, easy-to-use task management app for your iPad and haven't checked it out, here's your kick in the pants to take a look.
Nozbe was originally a web-based application (still is), and creator Michael Sliwinski (also editor of Productive! magazine) has continued to develop amazing features into the web version. One of the more recent developments was Evernote integration, where you could tag projects in Nozbe with tags used on notes in Evernote, and have your Evernote notes show up when viewing projects in Nozbe. The latest... | Read more »

14:55
KOMPLETE 7 adds five products, ABBEY ROAD 60s DRUMS...
MacNN

Native Instruments has released upgrades to its music effects packages, KOMPLETE 7 and KOMPLETE 7 ELEMENTS. Geared toward music producers, KOMPLETE 7 combines 24 instruments and effects and includes the latest versions of ABSYNTH 5, BATTERY 3.1, FM8, GUITAR RIG 4.1, KONTAKT 4.1 and MASSIVE, resulting in a package with over 10,000 sounds and 90 GB of samples....

Native Instruments - Music - Shopping - Arts -... | Read more »

14:45
Etc: US iPad users don't have the worst deal...
Ars Technica

US iPad users don't have the worst deal for 3G data pricing—in France it's especially egregious. Still, AT&T's certainly isn't the greatest compared to other areas of the world.

Read More:
Tableau Software

Read the comments on this post


... | Read more »

14:45
UK agency clears Google Street View of stealing...
MacNN

The UK's Information Commissioner Office on Friday found that Google's accidental Wi-Fi snooping didn't collect dangerous amounts of information. An investigation of some data saved by Google showed no "significant" levels of data that would compromise privacy or security. ICO still characterized the collection itself as "wrong" but said there was no immediate evidence of broken laws from the data itself....

Google - Google Street View - Information Commissioner Office -... | Read more »

Rumor Scanner

Friday July 30

13:55
Soldiers use iPad for war training.
LOOPRumors

The BBC reports that soldiers at the Royal School of Artillery in Wiltshire, England are using an iPad application to practice firing artillery at an enemy who is several miles away.

“If we can use this sort of technology, we can probably shorten the amount of training and that is pretty key nowadays when people are so committed to operations in Afghanistan,” said Major Rich Gill, an army training officer involved with introducing the application.

“...if we can use this to reduce the amount of training it’ll be fantastic.”
The BBC reports:

“Major Gill insists the move is good value for money as it saves on other costs like printing reference guides and manuals.”

| Read more »
12:22
Latest Mac Pro goes on sale August 9.
LOOPRumors

The new Mac Pro will go on sale Monday, August 9th, according to Apple.

The updated machine features up to twelve cores and was announced Tuesday.

The new Mac Pro with a stock configuration will retail for $2,499.

| Read more »
10:45
News Corp Considering Dedicated News Product for Tablets
MacRumors

CNBC reports that News Corp, the Rupert Murdoch-led media conglomerate behind such outlets as The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and The New York Post, is considering launching a new news unit dedicated to content for tablet devices such as t...

| Read more »
09:23
Apple to Open Covent Garden Retail Store in London on Augu...
MacRumors

Apple has officially announced the grand opening of its new retail store in the Covent Garden district of London, with the store set to open to the public on Saturday, August 7th at 10:00 AM. The store appears to be Apple's largest by total ...

| Read more »
07:32
Apple Moved Location Services In-House With iPad and iOS 4
MacRumors

TechCrunch reports on an overlooked detail from Apple's response to federal legislators earlier this month regarding privacy concerns, noting that the company disclosed that it moved its location services...

| Read more »

Thursday July 29

20:04
CIA, Google invest in web prediction.
LOOPRumors

In-Q-Tel, an independent non-profit that invests for the CIA and Google Ventures are both independently supporting the same budding web analysis and prediction firm.

The upstart is Recorded Future, a Cambridge, MA-based company led by former Swedish Army Ranger and doctor of computer science, Christopher Ahlberg.

Recorded Future studies the internet to identify present and future relationships between events, individuals, groups, and actions.

“The cool thing is, you can actually predict the curve, in many cases,” says CEO Christopher Ahlberg.

Google Ventures and In-Q-Tel both invested in Recorded Future in 2009, reports Wired, with undisclosed amounts under $10 million each.

Wired reports:

“Recorded Future strips from web pages the people, places and activities they mention. The company examines when and where these events happened (“spatial and temporal analysis”) and the tone of the document (“sentiment analysis”). Then it applies some...

| Read more »
19:06
Apple to Begin Taking Orders for New Mac Pro on August 9th
MacRumors

Several readers have informed us and we have confirmed that Apple Store representatives are telling potential buyers of the company's new Mac Pro announced earlier this week that the updated models are set to become available for ordering on ...

| Read more »
18:33
Ballmer: Microsoft-Powered Tablets Are 'Job One Urgen...
MacRumors

Steve Ballmer demoing Windows-based HP slate at CES in January 2010
CNET reports on comments from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today at the company's conference for financial analysts revealing that Apple's longtime rival is continuing ...

| Read more »
17:23
Job opening hints of new major Mac OS X feature.
LOOPRumors

Apple is seeking a senior software engineer to help build “a revolutionary new feature in the very foundations of Mac OS X.”

“We have something truly revolutionary and really exciting in progress and it is going to require your most creative and focused efforts ever,” reads the job description.

“An ideal candidate will have a degree in Computer Science (or equivalent), five years of professional experience developing C / C++ / Objective-C libraries or frameworks for use on end user systems, experience with developing for Internet technologies and services, and a passion for doing ‘really hard’ things that have never been done before.”

Apple’s job description reads:

An exceptional candidate will also have up close and personal experience with the HTTP protocol as well as other protocols layered atop it, have participated in or lead the architecture of large web scale systems, have shipped multiple “platforms” for use by millions of users.

...

| Read more »
16:00
Study: 14 percent of free App Store software can browse us...
LOOPRumors

A survey of 300,000 iPhone and Android applications conducted recently by mobile security research firm Lookout indicates that 33% of free App Store apps can provide information on a user’s location.

Furthermore, 14% of free, Apple-approved App Store software can access users’ contacts and 23% include code from third-party sources.

Lookout presented their findings, produced from what they call “the largest mobile application dataset ever created,” at this year’s Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas.
Lookout reports:

-29% of free applications on Android have the capability to access a user’s location, compared with 33% of free applications on iPhone

-Nearly twice as many free applications have the capability to access user’s contact data on iPhone (14%) as compared to Android (8%)

-47% of free Android apps include third party code, while that number is 23% on iPhone*

* Examples of third party code includes code that enables...

| Read more »
14:16
Apple Job Posting Suggests 'Revolutionary' New M...
MacRumors

AppleInsider points to a new Apple job listing that appeared on Monday looking for a software engineer to work on a "revolutionary" new Mac OS X feature.We are looking for a senior softwa...

| Read more »
14:04
Sprint to offer WiFi hotspot iPod touch case?
LOOPRumors

An FCC filing brought to light Wednesday reveals a device Sprint hopes will penetrate some of the Apple iPod touch market.

The Peel, a ZTE-made 3G-to-WiFi hotspot device that functions as an iPod touch case, would give the iPod and adjacent machines a constant 3G connection without the need for MiFi.

The Peel has a separate battery and would likely be charged with a mini-USB port, according to MacNN.

| Read more »
12:40
Second Round of iPhone 4 Launches Begins in Australia [Upd...
MacRumors

As announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs earlier this month and confirmed in a company press release earlier this week, Apple has begun its second round of iPhone 4 launches, bringing the device to 17 new countries. Countries in this round of launches i...

| Read more »
11:57
Future iPhone to render 3D environments?
LOOPRumors

Two patent applications reported on by AppleInsider suggest future iPhones may use photo and video data coupled with motion sensing and GPS to generate three dimensional models of an environment which a user could then navigate “in an order other than that of the recording.”

“By walking with the device in the user’s real environment, a user can virtually navigate a representation of a three-dimensional environment,” reads one application titled “Generating a Three-Dimensional Model using a Portable Electronic Device Recording.”

“In some embodiments, a user can record an object or environment using an electronic device, and tag the recorded images or video with movement information describing the movement of the device during the recording,” the application continues.

“The recorded information can then be processed with the movement information to generate a three-dimensional model of the recorded environment or object.”

The second patent application, “...

| Read more »
10:38
Sprint to Turn iPod Touch Into 3G Mobile Hotspot?
MacRumors

Phone Scoop yesterday discovered new regulatory filings posted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission showing a new Sprint-branded 3G mobile hotspot device manufactured by ZTE that appears to be in the form of a designed case to wrap a...

| Read more »
10:17
Apple finally ready to ship white iPhone 4?
LOOPRumors

MacNN reports that problems achieving the correct paint thickness on the front panel of the white iPhone 4 may have been solved, according to a source.

The new iPhone demands that the paint be applied to the front panel “in a way that doesn’t affect the proximity sensor or create light bleeds.”

Having conquered this obstacle, the source reports, Apple could be ready to start shipping the white iPhone 4 very soon.

| Read more »
07:11
Japanese Government Pressing Apple Over First-Generation i...
MacRumors

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Japanese government is continuing to pursue its long-standing concern over reports of first-generation iPod nanos overheating, following up on a warning to consume...

| Read more »
06:36
A Look Inside Apple's Magic Trackpad
MacRumors

With its ultra-thin design and single-use functionality, users might think that a teardown of Apple's new Magic Trackpad would be straightforward and uninteresting. But the experts at iFixit show us in one of their famous teardowns how Apple...

| Read more »

Documentation Scanner

Friday July 30

13:14
Remove Apps Using App Delete in iTunes Connect
iPhone Develo...

You can now remove any unwanted applications from your view in iTunes Connect using App Delete. There are important factors to consider when using App Delete --; for example, if you want to re-use your SKU or App Name --so be sure to read the App Delete section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information.

| Read more »
12:27
iMac (Late 2009) and iMac (Mid 2010): Installing or...
Apple - All P...

Learn how to install additional memory or replace the memory in your iMac (Mid 2010) or iMac (Late 2009) computer.

| Read more »
07:30
Access iPhoto images from any application
Mac OS X Hint...

iPhoto stores the photo files in bundles. This makes it difficult and time-consuming to access your saved photos manually in Finder, and makes it impossible to open your iPhotos via an Open dialog. It's also impossible to use Time Machine for individual iPhoto pictures (unless you choose File » Browse Backups from iPhoto). You can very easily give all programs easy access to your iPhotos, using aliases.
In the Finder, go to ~/Pictures/iPhoto Library. This is the one whose icon is a stack of photos, the one on top being the standard orange palm tree. Yours may be named something other than the default name iPhoto Library.

Right-click (Ctrl-click) on this file and choose Show Package Contents. You get a new window with a bunch of files and folders. You're just interested in two: Modified and Originals (as you can guess, Originals contains your original, unedited photos; and Modified contains your edited photos).

Open a Finder window... | Read more »

07:30
Fix RSS bookmarks with no count in Safari
Mac OS X Hint...

I was having a problem with the RSS feed for a bookmark in Safari. It was in a folder in my Bookmarks Bar. Whenever the feed was updated, the folder got a number, but the feed's bookmark in the pop down did not, making me wonder just which feed the update came from.

I fixed it by changing the RSS feed URL from:

feed://http://www.pimpmysafari.com/atom/ to

feed://www.pimpmysafari.com/atom/.

That is, I removed the http:// part from the URL. Now the number correctly appears next that feed just like all the other ones do.

[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one.]



... | Read more »

Thursday July 29

14:54
Safari: Unsupported third-party add-ons may cause Sa...
Apple - All P...

Unsupported third-party add-ons may cause Safari to unexpectedly quit or have performance issues.
Unsupported third-party add-ons may add features to Safari or change its appearance. If you use unsupported third-party add-ons you may encounter issues such as these:

Safari quits unexpectedly
Safari runs slowly
Safari is unable to download files
Other unexpected behavior

Note: This article does not apply to Internet Plug-Ins such as QuickTime, Java and Adobe Flash. It also does not apply to Safari Extensions.

| Read more »
13:40
iMac (Mid 2010): Memory specifications
Apple - All P...

Learn which kinds of memory to use with your iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) and iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010).

| Read more »
13:40
Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display
Apple - All P...

With Target Display mode, you can use your 27-inch iMac with Mac OS X as an external display. Connect any computer or other device with a Mini DisplayPort to your 27-inch iMac using a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable or using a converter that converts other electrical, video, and audio protocols from another source device to Mini DisplayPort compliant signals.  (Cables and converters available separately.)

| Read more »
13:39
iMac: Memory specifications and upgrades
Apple - All P...

Learn about the types of random access memory (RAM) and video memory (VRAM) used in iMac computers. For specific instructions on installing memory, refer to the linked documents.

| Read more »
13:38
Locating your iMac Serial Number
Apple - All P...

To learn where the serial number is located on your iMac, first identify which model of iMac you have. Use the information in these linked documents to find your iMac's serial number.

| Read more »
13:02
About Server Admin Tools 10.6.4
Apple - All P...

Server Admin Tools 10.6.4 contain remote administration tools, documentation, and utilities that you can install on a Mac other than your server. This version requires Mac OS X v10.6.4 and is required to administer Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 remotely. The Server Admin Tools 10.6.4 are available as an automatic Software Update for Macs running Mac OS X v10.6.4 with version 10.6 or later of the Server Admin Tools already installed, and as a manual download from Apple Support Downloads.
Important: If you have moved any of the Server Admin Tools out of their original locations (inside /Applications/Server/), the update may continue to appear in Software Update even after you have installed it. Return the Server Admin Tools to their original location before using Software Update, or remove any duplicate copies of the Server Admin Tools.

| Read more »
12:10
MobileMe, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch: Some of my e...
Apple - All P...

Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may not always update when you read, delete, reply to, or move messages in MobileMe Mail, or in an email application on your Mac or PC.

| Read more »

Documentation Scanner

Friday July 30

13:14
Remove Apps Using App Delete in iTunes Connect
iPhone Develo...

You can now remove any unwanted applications from your view in iTunes Connect using App Delete. There are important factors to consider when using App Delete --; for example, if you want to re-use your SKU or App Name --so be sure to read the App Delete section of the iTunes Connect Developer Guide for more information.

| Read more »
12:27
iMac (Late 2009) and iMac (Mid 2010): Installing or...
Apple - All P...

Learn how to install additional memory or replace the memory in your iMac (Mid 2010) or iMac (Late 2009) computer.

| Read more »
07:30
Access iPhoto images from any application
Mac OS X Hint...

iPhoto stores the photo files in bundles. This makes it difficult and time-consuming to access your saved photos manually in Finder, and makes it impossible to open your iPhotos via an Open dialog. It's also impossible to use Time Machine for individual iPhoto pictures (unless you choose File » Browse Backups from iPhoto). You can very easily give all programs easy access to your iPhotos, using aliases.
In the Finder, go to ~/Pictures/iPhoto Library. This is the one whose icon is a stack of photos, the one on top being the standard orange palm tree. Yours may be named something other than the default name iPhoto Library.

Right-click (Ctrl-click) on this file and choose Show Package Contents. You get a new window with a bunch of files and folders. You're just interested in two: Modified and Originals (as you can guess, Originals contains your original, unedited photos; and Modified contains your edited photos).

Open a Finder window... | Read more »

07:30
Fix RSS bookmarks with no count in Safari
Mac OS X Hint...

I was having a problem with the RSS feed for a bookmark in Safari. It was in a folder in my Bookmarks Bar. Whenever the feed was updated, the folder got a number, but the feed's bookmark in the pop down did not, making me wonder just which feed the update came from.

I fixed it by changing the RSS feed URL from:

feed://http://www.pimpmysafari.com/atom/ to

feed://www.pimpmysafari.com/atom/.

That is, I removed the http:// part from the URL. Now the number correctly appears next that feed just like all the other ones do.

[crarko adds: I haven't tested this one.]



... | Read more »

Thursday July 29

14:54
Safari: Unsupported third-party add-ons may cause Sa...
Apple - All P...

Unsupported third-party add-ons may cause Safari to unexpectedly quit or have performance issues.
Unsupported third-party add-ons may add features to Safari or change its appearance. If you use unsupported third-party add-ons you may encounter issues such as these:

Safari quits unexpectedly
Safari runs slowly
Safari is unable to download files
Other unexpected behavior

Note: This article does not apply to Internet Plug-Ins such as QuickTime, Java and Adobe Flash. It also does not apply to Safari Extensions.

| Read more »
13:40
iMac (Mid 2010): Memory specifications
Apple - All P...

Learn which kinds of memory to use with your iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2010) and iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010).

| Read more »
13:40
Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display
Apple - All P...

With Target Display mode, you can use your 27-inch iMac with Mac OS X as an external display. Connect any computer or other device with a Mini DisplayPort to your 27-inch iMac using a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable or using a converter that converts other electrical, video, and audio protocols from another source device to Mini DisplayPort compliant signals.  (Cables and converters available separately.)

| Read more »
13:39
iMac: Memory specifications and upgrades
Apple - All P...

Learn about the types of random access memory (RAM) and video memory (VRAM) used in iMac computers. For specific instructions on installing memory, refer to the linked documents.

| Read more »
13:38
Locating your iMac Serial Number
Apple - All P...

To learn where the serial number is located on your iMac, first identify which model of iMac you have. Use the information in these linked documents to find your iMac's serial number.

| Read more »
13:02
About Server Admin Tools 10.6.4
Apple - All P...

Server Admin Tools 10.6.4 contain remote administration tools, documentation, and utilities that you can install on a Mac other than your server. This version requires Mac OS X v10.6.4 and is required to administer Mac OS X Server v10.6.4 remotely. The Server Admin Tools 10.6.4 are available as an automatic Software Update for Macs running Mac OS X v10.6.4 with version 10.6 or later of the Server Admin Tools already installed, and as a manual download from Apple Support Downloads.
Important: If you have moved any of the Server Admin Tools out of their original locations (inside /Applications/Server/), the update may continue to appear in Software Update even after you have installed it. Return the Server Admin Tools to their original location before using Software Update, or remove any duplicate copies of the Server Admin Tools.

| Read more »
12:10
MobileMe, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch: Some of my e...
Apple - All P...

Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may not always update when you read, delete, reply to, or move messages in MobileMe Mail, or in an email application on your Mac or PC.

| Read more »

Technology Showcase

Jul 30
Ergonis posts video on using Typinator

Ergonis Software has posted a video (http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/movie.html) on Typinator (http://www.ergonis.com/products/typinator/), its tool for auto-typing text and auto-correcting typos system-wide across all Mac OS X applications.

With thousands of predefined corrections for common typos and misspelled words for US and British English, German and French, Typinator is not only just a typing assistant that speeds repetitive typing tasks, but also a system-wide auto-correction tool that automatically fixes typing errors and misspelled words. You just define an abbreviation along with its replacement text or picture. Whenever you type one of your abbreviations in any application, Typinator inserts the corresponding...

| Read more »
Jul 19
Seagate introduces GoFlex Home for centralized storage

Seagate (http://www.seagate.com) has unveiled the newest addition to its GoFlex family of hard drives -- the GoFlex Home network storage system. When it's connected to a wireless router, an entire household can centrally store, easily access and continuously back up files wirelessly from Mac and Windows systems on the home  network.

The new centralized storage system simplifies the backup process by being compatible with the Apple Time Machine, as well as including a version of the backup application for both Mac OS X and Windows operating systems, says Darcy Clarkson, Seagate vice president of Retail Sales and Marketing. With the GoFlex Home storage system, families can also wirelessly stream photos, movies and music to most network connected DLNA devices, such as game consoles or a GoFlex TV HD media player, from any room in the house.

The GoFlex Home is available in 1TB and 2TB capacities at...

| Read more »
Jul 13
Are you swimsuit ready? How about remote access ready?

Summer is just around the corner, and if you’re human, you’re not going to want to be stuck inside an office when it’s gorgeous out. But you can’t just shirk your responsibilities either. Don’t worry, there is a way you can get out, enjoy the summer and stay productive. Set up remote access from LogMeIn (https://secure.logmein.com/welcome/default.aspx?originid=7872&destinatio...) now, and you’ll be in business, wherever you are, all summer.

With LogMeIn Free (https://secure.logmein.com/welcome/default.aspx?originid=...

| Read more »
Jul 12
Video demos SonicPics for the iPhone

There's a new video demonstrating the features of SonicPcs for the iPhone. The app -- available in an US$2.99 and free, "lite" version -- is a tool for turning your images into custom slideshow movies that you can share with your friends online!.

SonicPics lets you add images from your iPhone's photo library or camera, arrange your photos, and then narrate the project to create an enhanced m4v video (complete with chapters). You can take photos of your kids, special events, weddings, vacations, the new pet, or first day at camp and narrate them with SonicPics.

When the recording is complete, you can publish your movie to your YouTube account or to your computer. You can view the video at http://www.sonicpics.com/public/index.php#4 .

| Read more »
Jun 24
Video looks at SSDs vs HDDs

Solid State Drives (SSDs) are gaining in popularity. So should you buy a SSD or a traditional hard disk drive?

Other World Computing (OWC) has compared the two types of drives. You can find the SSD vs HDD Shootout at : http://eshop.macsales.com/Customized_Pages/Framework.cfm?page=ssd-speed-... .

| Read more »
 
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Animals’ World HD – iPhone App Review
Animals’ World HD ($3.99) Version – 1.0 Review – “Explore the animal kingdom in HD!” | Read more »
Wide Angle Review
Developer: Taylan Pince Price: $3.99 Version: 1.0.0 Design Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars Features Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars Integration Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 3.17 out of 5 stars | Read more »
Gorillaz – Escape to Plastic Beach Revie...
Developer: Matmi Price: $1.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.4 out of 5 stars Game Controls Rating: 3.2 out of 5 stars Gameplay Rating: 2 out of 5 stars Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 1.95 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 2.64 out of 5 stars | Read more »
Trackdance – Good For Apple Employee Par...
iWikiPhone.com’s newest release, Trackdance, is hoping to be all the rage at your next college party. “Trackdance allows your iPhone/iPod screen to display spectacular digital light shows to the beat of your music or music around you. You can also connect as many iPhones together as you like so the effect will appear over them all — great for... | Read more »
The Portable Podcast, Episode 43
Note to new listeners: welcome to the first episode of The Portable Podcast on 148Apps! | Read more »
Hotly Anticipated OmniFocus for iPad Rel...
Ok, so maybe hotly anticipated is a little overstated for most people. But very understated for task management nerds like myself. OmniFocus for the iPad has finally made it’s way into the App Store and I couldn’t be happier! This amazingly detailed task management application has been my most anticipated iPad application since the announcement... | Read more »
Ngmoco’s We Farm Is Out Worldwide, Get R...
Ngmoco’s latest entry into the freemium app craze, We Farm, is now available worldwide in the App Store. Like their other freemium hit, We Rule, “We Farm lets you cultivate, customize and control your very own virtual farm”, but it’s set in a farm instead of a medieval land. | Read more »
Fastar! Review
Developer: Cat-In-A-Box Games Price: $1.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars Game Controls Rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars Gameplay Rating: 4.05 out of 5 stars Re-use / Replay Value Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 4.14 out of 5 stars | Read more »
FaceTag – iPhone App Review
Facetag ($0.99) Version 1.0 Do you love taking photos of your friends and adding funny captions to them? Wouldn’t you love to be able to do this on the fly and then share your funny additions with your friends and family? If so then you may enjoy FaceTag, developed by MightyExcellentPosse. | Read more »
soundTable for iPad Review
Developer: GLUAK SRL Price: 0.99 Version Reviewed: 1.0 Device Reviewed On: iPad iPad Integration Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars User Interface Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Re-use Value Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Overall Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars | Read more »
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Greetings, and welcome to the new MacTech web site! Our home page is designed to be your Industry Dashboard -- so you can have a snapshot of all that's relevant in the industry in one easy location. Many readers tell us that because the information is updated so frequently, they are now checking the site multiple times a day. Here's a quick run down of the features on the new web site, which can be subtle. We truly hope you register so that we can keep you up to date about new features as they are implemented. And, please use the BETA button in the top right to provide us any feedback, suggestions or bugs. We love to hear from you.