Drag and Drop Easy App Builder
Posted by Greg Mills
Developing Apps for the iOS devices is very lucrative. Despite the developer support Apple provides, it still takes a knowledge of writing code to fully prepare an app for launch. Google has been working on a drag and drop app builder for primitive apps for Android but Apple's developer program is still pretty hard for non-programers to use.
A more professional easy app building solution is to be found at http://www.myappress.com/ Taking the drag and drop method into the process, the Mac style solution to building apps is now available as a web app. Below are elements from a press release App Press sent us:
APP PRESS SURPASSES 1,000 CLIENTS WORLDWIDE Indianapolis start-up successfully launches software to build iOS apps, code-free.
App Press is a content management system that allows print and web designers to rapidly build amazing iPad and iPhone apps completely code-free. After almost one year in development, App Press launched to the public on May 28, 2011...
iPhone Based Police ID Verification App
Posted by Greg Mills
The convergence of cell phones, computers and the internet have been fertile ground for all manor of good things. "There is an app for that" has been something nice to hear. Long ago, Apple figured out that killer apps are what drives device sales.
It seems like threats to privacy are increasing exponentially lately. Now when a cop wants to check your identification he calls in your driver's license number and someone on the other end of the radio looks you up on a police computer system. Soon they radio back anything he might need to know.
Soon, there will be an app for that. An add-on device that hooks up to an iPhone can bypass the radio and compare your image to a facial recognition data base and your information pops up on the iPhone screen.
The app also allows for an iris check and even runs your finger prints. All in a hand held form using an off the shelf iPhone. The device that clips on to the iPhone is similar to credit card scanners and the like...
Apple's Game Platform
Posted by Greg Mills
Apple tends to do things incrementally when tech lovers like to see dramatic moves. Apple has long been chided for not putting a game console out, like Malcrosoft did. XBox is finally in the black after Ballmer dumped enough money into it to solve the US Budget problem.
Apple has sort of backed into games by providing the iOS developer tools that have allowed developers to create games for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad instead of a console platform. The growth of mobile games has actually outstripped the console model. However, hooking up to a big TV offers a much different experience than using a mobile device.
Element 2 in the console model is orientation aware controllers. Recently it has been touted that AppleTV has a BlueTooth chip that hasn't been used yet. Couple that with the rumors that the next generation of AppleTV will be running the A5 Dual core chip Apple is putting in future iPhone and iPads.
Could the AppleTV BlueTooth Chip bridge between...
WWDC Interview: Lithium Corp
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and James Wilson of LithiumCorp at WWDC. James was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
WWDC Interview: Appigo
While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2011 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews.
If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free trial subscription offer for MacTech Magazine here.
This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine and MacNews) and Calvin Gaisford of Appigo, Inc. at WWDC. Calvin was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.
HTC, what is fair in the market place?
Posted by Greg Mills
I posted a statement this morning that was issued by HTC's lead attorney, in its complete and full form. The international press has taken that statement to be an almost emotional cry that the "bad Apple" isn't playing fair in the smartphone market. Poor HTC, pass the kleenex.
Steve Jobs warned that Apple wouldn't let competitors steal Apple's technology. Somehow, that didn't translate properly into the language of Taiwan. The Federal law suits and complaints filed with the US International Trade Commission that can be found in the in baskets of all the Android handset makers are beginning to rattle a few cages. HTC and Samsung are not alone.
HTC stock has continued to drop like a rock. The stock market is beginning to take seriously the very real possibility that Apple will prevail and stop HTC Android handsets and Tablet computers at the dock. Imagine shipping containers full of shinny new HTC handsets being returned with the shipping container seals...
Apple's New Chief Intellectual Property Counsel
Posted by Greg Mills
The dizzy array of legal spats that Apple is in require a cadre of top legal minds. Apple has a lot of attorneys in house, but has been known to hire outside lawyers in the past. The Vice President for Legal Affairs, Chip Lutton Jr. is rumored to be leaving Apple for unknown reasons. A well seasoned replacement has been named, B. J. Watrous was hired away from HP's Intellectual Property Department.
One can assume Chip Lutton needs a very long vacation in some quiet place. With a rather "high strung" CEO on your tail, constantly prodding you to get action on the pressing legal problems with competitors that Apple is facing, it must be very stressful. I can imagine standing on the red carpet before Steve Jobs explaining that pushing cases though the Federal Courts is like trying to roll large boulders up a hill.
Federal Court is sort of like a glacier, they move very slowly but grind everything in their path into fine dust. You certainly want to be on the...
HTC Stock drops 13% since Apple Filed New Suit
Posted by Greg Mills
Apple is launching Lion soon, but in US Federal Courts, Trade Commissions and patent auctions the company is acting more like a Tiger. Apple filed a Federal Lawsuit last year against every handset maker who produces Google Android handsets alleging enfringement of Patents.
The effects of any success in these pitched court battles will certainly have a marked effect on the Android Platform and the entire landscape of the mobile computing market. HTC has just been named by Apple in a filing with the US International Trade Commission, for importing handsets and slate computers that Apple claims infringe on its Patents for the iPhone and iPad.
While not a court, the US Trade Commission can stop a company that is importing goods made outside the country. This, in conjuction with court action can effectively stop imported goods from reaching our market. All mobile devices are assemble over seas due to much higher labor and government induced overhead here in the US.
HTC...
World Wide Web Consortium seeks to invalidate two Apple patents
Posted by Greg Mills
The World Wide Web Consortium, of which Apple is a major player is upset that Apple appears, so far, to be reserving the rights to certain HTML5 code related to security in loading widgets. The consortium wants Apple to grant a free license for the group to include the technology in HTML5 standards.
Apple hasn't responded to the request fast enough for the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) so they are seeking proof of "prior art" which would invalidate Apple's patents. When you get a patent there has to be novel elements to the claims or the patent can't be issued. If a patent has already been issued and anyone can provide clear evidence that the invention was known prior to the filing date, the patent is dead meat.
The W3C has taken the situation public and is asking for proof that the core technology Apple is claiming was in use prior to the filing dates of Apple's patent applications. See: http://www.w3.org/News/2011#entry-9147 for specific information....
Lion, Security Updates are Automatic
Posted by Greg Mills
Lion is due to ship any day now. The Mac computer’s integration with the internet is becoming more and more intertwined with Lion. Security updates, as we know them, are about to become a memory. Lion automatically will push security updates in the background.
Security code elements used to be packaged together, where one update might contain a number of fixes or bits of security for a number of problems. Now, with that process automatic, there won’t be any reason for Apple to wait until there were enough patches to make an update worth releasing.
Security issues are in a constant state of flux and now, just a quickly as Apple’s security team has developed a patch for a certain exploit or fixed a bug in a program, they can push it to us behind the scenes. Clever and helpful features are common in the Mac world. This is just one more reason to buy Lion.
Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac Enterprise announced
One of the strong features of Intel Macs is the ability to run Windows, for those who have good reason to do so. While common PCs can’t run the Mac OS, Macs can and do run Windows. At one time, when the PC world was reeling over the “Vista Capable PC hardware standard” or not, incredibly, the fastest hardware that would run Vista at that time was a Mac! Apple builds solid hardware!
Apple even launched “BootCamp” which creates a situation where you can choose the partitioned operating system at startup. That can be awkward as content on one platform under BootCamp isn’t available to you when using the other platform. Rather than choosing one platform or the other, why not run them both at the same time?
One of the best solutions to running Windows on a Mac is the Parallels Desktop program which does the cool thing of allowing the two platforms to co-exist. That way a user can go back and forth between the platforms seamlessly. Businesses particularly, will find this solution...
Judgment against Apple on iPod Patent suit NOT final
Posted by Greg Mills
The legal conclusions made in various tech writers blogs regarding a patent troll suit over playlists on iPod are faulty. While it is true a judgment went against Apple in the East Texas Federal Court, the likelihood of Apple actually paying 8 million dollars isn’t slam dunk, by any means.
Apple contends that not only did they not violate the 2 patents cited, both patents are invalid anyway. While three other companies who were also sued settled out of court, Apple hung in there and went to trial.
While 8 million dollars isn’t chump change to most of us, Apple can afford to appeal on numerous grounds or to file an appeal, or settle for a lot less than the full judgement. If Apple appeals and gets the patents thrown out, the other three defendants could likely bail out of the settlement agreement already made. That makes the plaintiff eager to settle out of court with Apple rather than risk everything on taking the case to appeal.
The delay alone of Apple...
Android platform loyalty falters
Posted by Greg Mills
Cannacord Genuity analyst Mike Walkley has noted that a high percentage of Android smartphone users abandon their chosen platform when they buy an iPad instead of any other tablet. Walkley anticipates that Apple will have roughly 250 million iOS users by the end of the year. He also figures that there is about an annual 40% “replacement rate” on existing iOS users buying another newer iPhone or iPad.
Used iOS devices often go to new users as a cherished hand-me-down, while rarely gathering dust in a drawer, somewhere. The used iOS device market is stronger with Apple products than any other brand. I have a collection of old junk cell phones, but my daughter quickly puts in her dibs on retired iPhones and my someday to be used iPad 1 will still make a great Christmas present for her.
Google’s Android may suffer from the “next best thing syndrome”. When Android was launched the handset industry was glad to have an alternative mobile OS to keep them in the...
HD iPad2 Rumors
Posted by Greg Mills
Apple has such a tiger by the tail trying to keep up with the demand for iPad2, adding a completely new model seems unlikely. However, Apple has a history of turning unlikely products into stelar success stories.
If iPad2 is a success, the natural development of the product line is to add smaller and larger screen sizes and alternative feature sets to create a line of iPads. The one size fits all notion has limits as customers and customer needs vary.
Rumors are floating that Apple will launch a larger, HD iPad with more ports and that it will support Final Cut or digital photo manipulation programs for professionals. A larger HD display will be great for presentations and even some existing applications that are thriving, such as the medical industry.
The stories of a cheaper low end iPhone also are making the rounds. I think the “free iPhone with a two year subscription” market is too important for Apple to pass up. Can they make a cheaper iPhone with...
HP, Palm and Pre rumors
Posted by Greg MIlls
HP bought Palm for it’s technology a while back and has funded the work on continuing to develop the Palm webOS smartphone platform. HP hopes to use the Palm webOS in its upcoming mobile devices.
The history of Palm is one of missed opportunities and squandered innovation. At one time PDA and cellphones hadn’t yet merged and Palm had a great PDA product set.
Apple played with DPAs and then abandoned the effort until they created the iPhone and the iOS, which really combined the PDA, iPod and the cellphone in ways no one but Apple could see. It should have been Palm that did it, but it wasn’t. Palm has declined in value to the point they were takeover bait for the likes of HP.
HP has a pretty broad line of products, but along with a number of other computer hardware makers, it is heavily invested in smartphones and tablets as they see that mobile devices are the future of computing.
Rumors are afloat that sprint, the lackluster runt of the US cellphone...
Google’s sour grapes over losing Patent auction
Posted by Greg Mills
The auction to sell 6000 Nortel patents is over and Google, make that Android, lost. Google offered US$900,000,000 early on, but was out bid by Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Ericsson, Sony and EMC which joined a consortium to buy the patents. Each of the members of the group contributed to the winning pot for rights to certain patents or a paid up license to use certain patent.
Apple, in particular wanted compete ownership of some G4 Patent to protect the iOS as cellular technology moves to the faster format. Apple and the others got prior permission from the US Justice Department before bidding. Despite the winners getting prior permission to obtain those patents, Google, the looser, is demanding that Android be licensed to use the patents they didn't buy?
Uncompetitive and monopolistic Google cries. Google could have bid higher but declined to do so. Android is under attack both directly by Microsoft and indirectly by Apple. Google needed those patents to stay...
iSuppli Doubts iPhone 5 4G(LTE)
Speculation about the features of unreleased Apple products sometimes comes from odd sources. A teardown of the HTC ThunderBolt, which has a first generation 4G chipset, was torn down by the guys at iSuppli (You build it, we tear it down).
The 4G chip set physical size and cost had Wayne Lam speculating that it would be impossible for Apple to keep iPhone small and thin enough to maintain its slim form factor and still maintain Apple’s profit margin with that chip set. The battery in iPhone hogs a lot of room.
Chip development generally takes a few generations to work down from the initial combination of chips required to do new tricks. When newer chips are developed they begin to combine a number of separate chips into one. The physical footprint and cost both go down with each generation of new chips. G4 chipset generation 2 is already in production with 4G chipset generation 3 under development at Qualcomm.
The HTC G4 phone had a 4G Baseband chip and 4G Radio Frequency...
Beware of MobileMe Phishing Spam
Posted by Greg Mills
Yesterday I got a fraudulent email warning me that my MobileMe account was expiring soon, to check my account phone number and credit card information. The email uses actual Apple MobileMe art so it looks very official, while it is as fraudulent as a 3 dollar bill. I remembered current MobileMe accounts were grandfathered in until next summer so the email alarmed me, as I seemed to remember renewal in December.

Welcome,
Just a reminder to renew your MobileMe subscription by July 10, 2011 PDT to avoid interruption of service.
Did you resently change you credit card or phone number?To renew your service, log in to MobileMe, And click Account Options.Then click the Login box for your subscription. When you're done, click Billing Info and make sure your credit card information is up to date. It takes only a few minutes, and your credit card won't be charged until the day before your renewal date.
Thanks for being a MobileMe subscriber. We're looking forward to...
Inductive Charging Pads for future iPhone and iPad?
Posted by Greg Mills
Sometimes electronic devices seem almost magic. Charging pads that are sort of like a small place mat have a wire that leads off to an electrical outlet. Rechargeable electronic devices like a cellphone or iPod are simply placed on the mat, face up and the device comes to life with the battery charging screen coming on.
The science behind that magic is called electrical induction. There is a coil of wire or such in both the mat, hidden under a thin layer of plastic or glass and also a coil hidden in the back of the electronic device that is hooked up to a battery charging circuit. When the coil in the mat is energized with electrical energy the loop in the device is also energized enough to charge the battery when they are close.
While it may seem wasteful for the mat to be running all the time waiting for an iPhone to be placed upon it, the transformer bricks use for all electronic devices have a similar coil to coil placement in them where one coil is always...
Apple's iOS Platform New Security Hole Found
Posted by Greg Mills
Security for internet connected computing devices is an ongoing thing. The recent “jailbreak” software for breaking iOS devices also breaks iOS security for all of us as the vulnerability of un-jail-broken devices is exposed in the jail break code that is now posted on line.
The fear is that remote control of iPhone, iPad and iPod touches could occur using that code. This sort of problem is much more common in the Android platform but computers are computers and the systems are only as good as the state of the art when they are released.
Apple has publicly stated that they are aware of the threat and that they “are developing a fix that will be available to customers in an upcoming software update”. Jail breaking voids Apple’s warranty because it creates the environment in the platform where exploits like the current one are a problem.
The current way around Apple's iOS security that is being exploited is via the PDF software used to open documents. The...
Apple has NOT lost App Store copyright case
Posted by Greg Mills
Apple has not lost the “App Store” copyright dispute with Amazon. Losing a single motion in court is an every day occurrence for attorneys. I am not an attorney, but I did ace a course in “Civil Procedure” some years ago as part of a paralegal program.
Motions are commonly made with little or no chance of winning for tactical reasons. Hey, if you don’t ask you never know, maybe the judge will grant your motion.
I read stories in the tech press where writers unfamiliar with court proceedings thought not getting an early injunction was losing the entire case. PCWorld posted a story “Apple Loses “App Store” Legal Action Against Amazon”.
In a football game, fumbling the ball won’t doom the team to lose. It is just part of the game. So it is with court proceedings. Each side will make motions that are granted or denied. Apple hoped its early filings were strong enough on their face to cause the court to grant Apple’s motion to stop Amazon from using the...
LG Cuts its cellphone sale targets by 25%
Posted by Greg Mills
As the tech press is full of stories of Apple ramping up its future iPhone production to a level that assemblers might even have trouble meeting, one of the Android / Windows handset makers is hedging its bet. LG released information as to its sales targets for the next few quarters.
The process of manufacturing electronic devices takes a while to get new products from the drawing board to the hands of consumers. The job Apple’s logistic arm, under the watchful eye of Timothy Cook, does is to anticipate the sales numbers well in advance for each new product they launch. Be too conservative and you run out of stock and lose sales, get too aggressive and have an over supply of something you can’t sell.
LG is making similar decisions now, as to how many cellphones to make of each flavor. The current market information indicates to them that they might be over building Android handset by about 20%. Competition from Apple iPhone is only part of the situation for LG...
Games most popular mobile app category in the US
Games continue to be the most popular app category, and according to Nielsen research (http://www.nielsen.com), 93% of app downloaders -- those who have downloaded an app within the past 30 days -- are willing to pay for the games they play. In contrast, only 76% of downloaders are willing to pay for news apps.
Among smartphone consumers who have played mobile games in the past 30 days, those with iPhones, Windows 7 phones or Android phones are the most likely to have downloaded the games they played, while those with Blackberry phones or feature phones tend to play pre-loaded games. The average mobile gamer plays an average of 7.8 hours a month. Those with iPhones tend to play around 14.7 hours each month while those with Android smartphones play around 9.3 hours per month.
D-Link introduces Boxee Remote Control for Mac, PC
D-Link (http://www.dlink.com) has announced the US$49.99 Boxee Remote Control by D-Link, giving Boxee users on Macs and PCs the remote previously only found with the Boxee Box by D-Link.
The Boxee Remote Control features a two-sided design with a full QWERTY keypad that works with Boxee software so Mac and PC users can bring TV shows, movies, music, and photos from the Internet to their TV. Featuring double-sided controls with a built-in QWERTY keyboard and browsing interface, it enables access to the search and social capabilities of the Boxee software on your computer.
Allowing users to enjoy and share their favorite video-on-demand service through their social networks, it lets you input URLs and account information for your favorite websites, according to Daniel Kelley, D-Link’s associate vice president of Consumer Marketing, North America. In addition, unlike infrared TV remotes, the Boxee Remote Control uses RF signals via an included nano-sized USB adapter so consumers never...
Amazon Cloud Player vs Apple iCloud
Posted by Greg Mills
Sever farm vs server farm, Apple vs Amazon, iCloud vs “Amazon Cloud Player”. The big internet service companies are competing for what is expected to be an enormous amount of money. On line services where you can buy and download digital content is expected to be worth $US13 Billion to Apple alone by next year according to Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowhry.
Amazon has recently sweetened its offering to keep customers from migrating to Apple’s iCloud. No mystery remains as to what Apple intends to do with the giant server farms it is building in Maiden, NC. Apple is also putting another half million square foot server farm together in Santa Clara, CA.
All of this underlines the obvious, Apple intends to own the digital download business of all kinds, just as they do music through the iTunes store already.
One interesting note, Trip Chowhry says that publishers prefer the ePub book format more than the Amazon Kindle format. The most recent version...
My Book Studio now available with 3TB capacity
Western Digital (http://www.wdc.com/en/) says its newest generation of the My Book Studio external hard drives for use with Macs and Apple's Time Machine, are now available with a 3TB storage capacity.
What's more, the new design features a brushed aluminum casing to match the appearance of a Mac and serves to keep the drive cool while in use. The aluminum exterior, combined with its WD Caviar Green drives, eliminates the need for an internal fan to reduce drive noise and extend the life of the drive. Although formatted for Mac computers, the My Book Studio external hard drives can also be reformatted for PCs.
The My Book Studio external hard drive includes Firewire 800/400 and USB 2.0 interfaces, user-controlled automatic backup software and drive management, password protection and hardware encryption. Shipping in capacities of 1TB, 2TB and 3TB, the My Book Studio drive includes the WD Caviar Green series of internal hard drives with WD GreenPower technology.
WD’s My Book Studio is...
AKVIS NatureArt adds a new Ice effect, more
AKVIS has updated AKVIS NatureArt (http://akvis.com/en/natureart/index.php), a tool for "imitating the magnificence of natural phenomena on your digital photos," to version 3.0.
In addition to the seven nature effects previously offered by NatureArt -- Rain, Sun, Water, Lightning, Clouds, Frost, and Fire -- the upgrade offers a new nature effect, Ice. The Ice effect allows you to cover any surface with, well, ice. Seven new presets have also been added to the Clouds effect in the new version, as well as RAW file support, an OS File Dialog, and other improvements.
AKVIS NatureArt is available in two editions: as an independent program (standalone) and as a plug-in to a photo editor. The plug-in edition is compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Paint Shop Pro, and more.
AKVIS NatureArt runs on Mac OS X 10.4 and higher and Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/Win7. Users who own previous versions of AKVIS NatureArt can upgrade to version 3.0 for free.
For new users the cost is US...
G-Form releases Extreme Sleeve for iPad 2
G-Form has announced the latest model of its innovative sleeve, the Extreme Sleeve 2 for iPad. This flexible, water-resistant sleeve has all of the qualities of the company’s original iPad Extreme Sleeve, but now has added an additional RPT™ (Reactive Protection Technology) edge layer that also runs under the zipper for even more impact absorption.
In the Extreme Sleeve 2, the company has also expanded the interior room to better accommodate the iPad 2 with Smart Cover, says Thom Cafaro, innovations manager at G-Form. The new Extreme Sleeve 2 not only adds a significant additional layer of RPT™ impact absorbing protection under the zipper and other edge areas, but also has expanded the interior space in order to more comfortably fit the iPad 2 outfitted with the smart cover, he adds.
Both the Extreme Sleeve 1 and Extreme Sleeve= 2 are constructed entirely out of G-Form's RPT composite material. It purportedly absorbs over 90% of the energy of an impact and stiffens to act like armor...
New tuneband for iPod touch glows in the dark
Grantwood Technology (http://www.grantwoodtechnology.com/) has announced their Glow in the Dark Skin for tuneband for the fourth generation iPod touch. It's an US$19 armband product designed to secure the iPod touch in place during exercise, with the ability to access the screen and buttons.
The tuneband armband is made with the same material as Grantwood's tuneband for iPod touch. Each tuneband consists of a flexible armband strap that can accommodate both large and small arms. Extra large armbands are available upon request.
The rest of the package includes a silicone skin that allows access to all ports on the iPod touch 4G, including volume, screen, camera and home button. Grantwood also supplies a low-tack, cut-and-peel screen protector that helps guard against smudges, moisture, and daily wear-and-tear.
Judge: “App Store” not “prominent and renowned”?
Posted by Greg Mills
Apple has so many lawsuits in the works at any one time it take a lot of effort to keep up on them all. Despite Amazon being an Apple dealer, the rough and tumble of the two internet giants is bound to rub a raw spot now and again. Apple sued Amazon over its use of the term “AppStore”.
Apple innovated the notion of selling small programs, now also larger programs and operating systems, on line. Amazon and others saw Apple’s success and put their own stores on line. The rub in this case is that Apple can’t stop the basic business model, though they will certainly try, but they did copyright the name “App Store”.
The law on copyrights is a bit murky as a registered copyright can be defeated by proving the term or copyrighted words are in common use and are descriptive and generic rather than being a brand name that ought to be protected for the exclusive right of one company.
A classic example of the success of a company in naming a product and also using that...
AirFoil now receives audio from iOS, iTunes
Rogue Amoeba has updated AirFoil for Mac OS X to version 4.5. It can now receive audio directly from any iOS device and iTunes. It also offers support for new AirPlay receivers from companies such as JBL, Denon and iHome.
Airfoil lets users send any audio to the AirPort Express from media players like RealPlayer and QuickTime to audio web sites like Pandora and Last.fm. You can use it to transmit any audio to multiple AirPort Express units, providing synchronization between units. Audio can now be played through local computer speakers as well, in sync with remote playback. What's more, any Mac can be turned into a virtual AirPort Express, with the complimentary Airfoil Speakers application.
Run Airfoil Speakers on any local Mac, and it will appear in Airfoil as a standard output. With one click, audio can be transmitted to Macs around the house, all in sync and with no AirPort Express required. This audio can also be synced this with local playback and playback to AirPort Express...
HoudahGeo ready for Lion
Houdah Software (http://www.houdah.com/) has updated HoudahGeo, a geocoding solution for the Mac, to version 2.9. The new version adds support for iPhoto libraries that reference images located on external drives. HoudahGeo 2.9 also improves compatibility with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
HoudahGeo costs US$30 for a single-user license for new users. Version 2.9 is a free update for registered users. HoudahGeo requires Mac OS X 10.5.2 or higher.
FoneSync for HTC released for Mac OS X
Nova media has released FoneSync for HTC (http://macte.ch/N4gCB), an utility to synchronize Address Book contacts, iCal calendars, iTunes playlists and iPhoto albums between Android smartphones, Android tablets and Mac OS X.
"FoneSync features an iTunes like interface and is thus easy to use and nice to look at. Apart from that, it runs stable and fast even if large data volumes have to be synchronized with the device," says Jan Fuelleman of nova media. "FoneSync HTC for Mac OS X can synchronize address book contacts and groups, iCal calendars, iTunes playlists including videos, as well as iPhoto albums and events."
To avoid double download hassle, FoneSync is available in the Android Market and the download from the Android Market already includes the Mac application. The Mac application is installed onto the Mac from the Android device. To use FoneSync for HTC, select the data to be synchronized in the Mac application and click the Sync button. No further action is required on the...
SmartBackup gets Lion support
Freeridecoding has updated SmartBackup (http://freeridecoding.com/smartbackup), a Mac OS X app for lightweight backups, to version 3.2. The upgrade is ready for Lion.
SmartBackup performs backups to hard drives, network sharepoints, webDAV, USB sticks and iPods. It supports configuration via Spotlight "saved searches," archiving of deleted or changed items, file exclusion, handling of multiple backup sets, one-click restore and automation using iCal, Automator or shellscripts.
SmartBackup costs US$25 for a single-user license; site licenses are also available. Version 3.2 is a free update for all users that have purchased a license since Jan. 1, 2009, or an upgrade to version 2.5. For all other users upgrade licenses are available starting at $10.
Business licenses start from $42. A demo is available for download. SmartBackup is available via the Mac App Store as well.
TimePreserver for Mac OS X gets customized archiving
Dalamser has updated TimePreserver (http://www.dalamser.com/TimePreserver/index.html) for Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher. It's available for new users at a price of US$24.99 at the Mac App Store. The new version (1.4) supports customized archving.
TimePreserver lets you make archives of your Time Machine backups stored on a Time Capsule. To use you attach an external disk to your Mac, run TimePreserver, and then store the disk away from your Mac and Time Capsule. Re-attach the disk and run TimePreserver to update the archive. You can use multiple external discs in rotation to provide extra protection. A minimum of two is good, always keeping one in a different location.
According to the folks at Dalamser, the advantages of using TimePreserver are:
° Complete archive of the Time Capsule without it being unusable for hours;
° Integrity of the Time Machine backups is protected;
° TimePreserver understands Time Machine backups unlike generic backup applications.
TimePreserver 1.4 is a free...
Analyst ups his EPS estimates for Apple
In a note to clients -- as reported by "Forbes" (http://macte.ch/v9zbU) -- Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu this morning raised his EPS (earnings per share) estimates for Apple for the fiscal third quarter that ended June 30, citing expectations for higher-than-expected gross margins due to favorable component pricing.
Wu still sees June quarter unit shipments of 6.8 million iPads, 17 million iPhones, 3.9 million Macs and 8.3 million iPods. He also forecasts gross margin for the quarter of 39.8%, up from 39%, and for all of Fiscal Year 2011 of 39.5%, up from 39.2%.
Apple files ITC complaint against Samsung
Somebody wake me up when this is over. Apple has filed a complaint against Samsung with the International Trade Commission seeking to block import of Samsung devices into the U.S., reports "Business Insider" (http://macte.ch/ODtZm).
On June 29, Samsung filed an ITC complaint against Apple, asking for an import ban against the iPhone, iPad and iPod. In April Samsung filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the U.S. firm's iPhone and iPad after Apple claimed Samsung's smartphones and tablets "slavishly" copied its products. This followed an Apple lawsuit filed on April 15 in the U.S. that claimed Samsung's mobile phones and Galaxy Tab "slavishly" copied the iPhone and iPad.
The lawsuit, filed April 15 in US District Court in Northern California, alleges Samsung copied the look, product design and product user interface of Apple's products. Samsung violated Apple's patents and trademarks, the suit alleges.
-- Dennis Sellers
More Apple IP news
Posted by Greg Mills
The main Apple vs. Samsung dispute is heating up, as Apple goes for the jugular. Attorneys who think they are winning seek injunctions and file motions for summary judgment, before a trial has even been scheduled. Last year Apple filed patent infringement lawsuits against every Android handset maker alleging violation of iPhone patents.
While the Samsung case is further along than the others for some reason, the outcome of that case is critical for Apple. Heading the Android platform off at the vulnerable issue of basic touch screen user interface and other foundational issues based upon issued patents may do what Apple marketing has failed to do. Slow down the Android based erosion of the smartphone market Apple founded with iPhone.
Looking on as Apple tears into Samsung are the other Android handset manufacturers who also have been sued. If Apple can take Samsung down, the rest of the Android handset makers will know how their suits are likely to turn out...
Judge: Apple's request for Aug. 5 injunction against...
Apple's motion for a preliminary injunction against four Samsung products in the U.S. market proposed a hearing on Aug. 5 at 1:30 PM (Pacific)e "or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard." However, Judge Lucy Koh has told Apple that the date is too early, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://macte.ch/Xg22C), a web site that covers software patent news and issues.
Last month Samsung filed an International Trade Commission complaint against Apple, asking for an import ban against the iPhone, iPad and iPod. It was the latest volley in the Apple-Samsung legal battle. On June 17 Apple amended and expanded its complaint against Samsung, asserting more patents and other intellectual property rights than before against an extended list of allegedly infringing products.
In April Samsung filed patent lawsuits against Apple over the U.S. firm's iPhone and iPad after Apple claimed Samsung's smartphones and tablets "slavishly" copied its products. This followed an Apple lawsuit filed on April 15...
Exec pleads guilty to leaking Apple secrets
Walter Shimoon, a former technology executive at Apple supplier Flextronics has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and security fraud after allegedly leaking details regarding Apple's plans for an unreleased iPhone and the then-unannounced iPad, reports "The New York Times" (http://macte.ch/Hbihy)
He pled guilty at a court in Manhattan, making him the 12th person who has submitted guilty pleas in a federal sting cracking down on alleged insider trading stemming from expert network firms, the article adds. Shimoon pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of security fraud. Among the secrets he was accused of leaking were actual and forecast sales figures for iPhones and iPods in the third and fourth quarters of 2009.
WaterField Designs unveils Apple TV Case
WaterField Designs has unveiled its US$45 Apple TV Case (http://macte.ch/koJFU). The nylon case textured exterior includes soft, lightly-padded, custom-fitted, interior pockets for the Apple TV, the HDMI cable, the power cord and the remote.
The case has a self-locking zipper that secures the contents. The Apple TV Case is available in two colors: tangerine or flash (silver).
Meet the beetles! now in the Mac App Store
First-time Mac developers, Oh My Game!, have introduces Meet the beetles! 1.0 (http://omg.st/), a casual game for Mac OS X. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher and is available in the Mac App Store.
Here's how the game is described: "Six families of adorable beetles are lost and must find their way home. Turn them in the right direction, toward launch pads of a similar color. Try to beat the clock, but don't let those silly Beetles run into each other. Easy to pick up, but difficult to put down, Meet the beetles! features five beetle types, colorful animation and graphics, and more."
Monotype Imaging introduces Vesta, Big Vesta typefaces
Monotype Imaging Holdings has added the Vesta and Big Vesta typeface families to the company’s Linotype collection.
Created by award-winning typeface designer, Gerard Unger, and inspired by lettering from the republican period of ancient Rome, the 28 Vesta typefaces are available from Fonts.com for use in a wide range of 21st-century applications, from print to website design.
Available as OpenType Pro fonts which also support most Central European and many Eastern European languages, Vesta and Big Vesta both consist of seven weights, ranging from light to black, each with a complementary, cursive italic. The Vesta family also includes small caps and old style figures.
IOGEAR adapter brings DTS surround sound to stereo headphones
IOGEAR (http://www.iogear.com), has announced the USB Theater Sound Xperience (GUADT51), an USB audio adapter with DTS Surround Sensation | Headphone technology.
Connecting directly to a computer's USB 2.0 port, the IOGEAR USB Theater Sound Xperience simulates a surround sound experience on stereo headphones or speakers.Utilizing a transparent vacuum tube-style design, it takes two-channel (stereo) audio and processes it with DTS Surround Sensation/Headphone technology to give the effect of sounds occurring outside the boundaries of two channels, according to Bill Nguyen, senior marketing manager for IOGEAR. Audio cues such as special frequencies, volume intensity and time delay help create the USB Theater Sound Xperience, he adds.
Audio that is already encoded in 5.1-channels gains more life with the LFE (low frequency effect) mixing, which enables low frequencies to be mixed with front channels for superior performance. The result is a three-dimensional wall of DTS virtual surround...
HP announces its most compact multifunction laser printer
Hewlett Packard (http://www.hp.com) has announced the US$349 HP LaserJetPro100 color MFP M175nw, its most compact, multifunction laser printer. It's designed for small to mid-size businesses.
Features include HP Auto-Off, Instant-on Technology and both Ethernet and wireless connectivity. Users gain the ability to print from virtually anywhere with HP ePrint, a mobile print solution that allows customers to print emails, photos, business materials and more directly to any ePrint-enabled HP printer using a smartphone, notebook or other mobile device.
iTaskX ready for Lion
Techno-Grafik and Zisser Software have announced iTaskX 2.9
(http://www.itaskx.com), an update of the software that provides Mac OS X users with a MS Project compatible project management solution. The new version is ready for Mac OS X Lion.
This update, free for all customers with iTaskX 2.x, also includes 64-bit support, Quick Look integration and bug fixes for the most commonly reported problems since iTaskX 2.8.1. Also, with iTaskX 2.9.0 it's possible to open the native MS Project file format,.mpp.
iTaskX 2.9.0 is a Universal Binary and works with both PowerPC and Intel-based Macs. Mac OS X 10.5 or higher is required. Pricing for new customers starts at approximately US$116 for a single user license.
Currency Assistant ready for Lion
MaBaSoft (http://www.mabasoft.net/) has released version 3.1.5 of Currency Assistant for Mac OS X. In the new version of the conversion calculator. It's ready for Mac OS X Lion. Also, the automatic update of the Bank of Canada rates has been restored after the Bank of Canada changed the location and contents of the Daily Noon Rates CSV file.
Currency Assistant lets you convert between 174 world currencies (all major circulating currencies plus the 16 Eurozone legacy currencies) and automatically updates exchange rates over the Internet using the rates published by the European Central Bank, the Bank of Canada, the International Monetary Fund, and the Bank of Italy.
With Currency Assistant you can create multiple converters and manage currencies, import and convert series of amounts, calculate and convert the result of expressions, and quickly log, save, export, and print your conversions.
Currency Assistant is Universal Binary and runs in English, German,French, Dutch, and Italian. It...
NoteList for Mac OS X now stores data in a free format
Tension Software (http://pomola.com/) has announced NoteList 2.12, an update of the Mac OS X application for storing data in a free format using text and images with full word processing capabilities.
The application is document based and can manage an unlimited number of documents. Any document can store an unlimited number of notes where any single note can be a full text in TXT format or a RTF text with images embedded.
NoteList requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. Tension Software is offering it at a special price of US$10 for a limited time.
FoldersSynchronizer updated to version 4.0.9
SoftoBe (http://www.softobe.com) has updated FoldersSynchronizer, its Mac OS X tool for backing up and synchronizing files, folders and disks, to version 4.0.9.
Together with the FoldersSynchronizer application, Softobe now offers a new application called H.FoldersSynchronizer (free for all the registeredusers). H.FoldersSynchronizer stands for "Hidden FoldersSynchronizer" (or H.FS). It's an application entirely equal to FoldersSynchronizer, but running in background as an hidden application (usually defined as a log-in item on the "System Preferences/Accounts/Login Items" list).
FoldersSynchronizer 4.0.9 has also been successfully tested on Mac OS X Lion. The upgrade adds the the filter by Kind "Alias" to the "Set Filters" panel, so you can
now skip (or copy only) all the alias files.
It also adds the "Show/Hide Toolbar" menu item to the Windows menu. On Lion, in fact, the toolbar button on the right-top corner of the window has been dismissed. The Preview panel now reports the kind...
Big Mean Folder Machine update
Publicspace.net has updated The Big Mean Folder Machine (http://macte.ch/GUzzl), a file/folder management utility for Mac OS X, to version 2.1.8. The new version introduces a completely new ID3 tag reading engine for extracting meta information from music files that's purportedly up to 10 times faster than the previous solution.
BMFM is a a tool for those who work with large file collections, including digital photographers, content creation, post-production, system administrators, and other creative professionals. Featuring an copying engine, The Big Mean Folder Machine walks you through each decision. BMFM also resolves name conflicts automatically. You can unify entire file collections from various locations into a single folder. Or, alternatively, you can split files into several folders based on a range of criteria.
BMFM is Universal Binary so runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel Macs. It requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. A single user license is US$14.95. Small business,...
