Mac Daily News

Filed under: OS, Software Update, Security, Leopard

Filed under: OS, Developer

Filed under: MobileMe

Filed under: OS, Odds and ends

I'm not the world's most patriotic Englishman, and I'm also not keen on allowing icons to fill up my Mac's menu bar unless strictly necessary.

That's why I don't let the Input Menu flag hog space up there; one of the first things I do on a fresh Mac system is remove it (by unchecking the "Show input menu in menu bar" box in the Input Menu tab of the International preferences pane).

That said, there are occasions when I wish I had quick access to the Character Palette - which can normally only be reached via the Input Menu. Grrr.

Which is why I dug around online to find a script that would call up the Character Palette for me, and saved it as an application, and Bob's your uncle. Now I can get to the Character Palette, via Spotlight, by typing "Command Space CHAR return". Excellent.

You can get the script from this page on Mac OS X Hints. Click the "Get this script" thingy and it will open in Script Editor. Click Compile, then Run, just to check it does what you want - then Save As... an app, or a script if you prefer.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

Filed under: Software

Filed under: iLife, Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, Internet Tools

Filed under: OS, Rumors

Filed under: Retail, Flickr Find

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, Apple Financial

"This is the second beta of the iPhone SDK targeting iPhone OS 2.1... [ Full story from MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors ]

Filed under: Palm

Filed under: Hardware, Portables, iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac G5, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air

Like virtually all mobile computer manufacturers, Apple recommends that users calibrate their laptop batteries every few months, as Scott pointed out a couple of years ago. Unlike many manufacturers, however, Apple does not include a utility to automatically perform a calibration. Given Apple's uncanny ability to make things user-friendly, this seems like a bit of a glaring oversight.

What are the benefits of calibration? Primarily the goal is to ensure that the microprocessor in your battery provides an accurate estimate of how much time you have left on the battery. Over time it can lose track of just how much juice your battery has in it, and calibration gives it a very accurate reading on the battery's health.

Older battery technologies also benefited from a process called conditioning, which was typically performed the same way as a current battery's calibration process. In a nutshell, you fully charge the battery, fully discharge it, then fully charge it again. It's unclear whether modern lithium batteries gain anything in an actual capacity perspective from this process, or if it is simply a calibration of the microprocessor for the purpose of providing accurate time estimates.

Continue reading Battery calibration recommended by Apple, why no utility?

Filed under: iPhone

Let's be honest here for a second. Cracks don't appear. Cracks don't form. They don't develop. Your iPhone 3G cracked because you dropped it. 'Fess up! It's not a manufacturing defect if your phone takes a tumble down a flight of stairs. This is why we can't have nice things.

Just kidding. Apple could have has another iPod nano or G4 Cube problem on its hands: careful users are seeing cracks and fissures on their new iPhone 3Gs. MacRumors has a thread about new, white iPhone 3Gs (which haven't been "dropped or pressed") that are beginning to show hairline cracks around the edges and near the buttons and headphone jack.

Reasonably, though, if you treat it like a phone, and use it every day, it's going to get worn. That's when cracks, scuffs, and abrasions happen. When you have a white finish on your iPhone, dirt will inevitably get in there, and even the most minute scratch will show up. Every phone I've ever owned I've dropped at some point, and it gets a scuff, or a scratch or a crack.

There are plenty of options to protect your sweetness, though: For example, there are all kinds of hard-shell cases you can buy. ZAGG's excellent invisibleSHIELD product is certainly durable, and could prevent dirt from getting into any fissures that appear on your iPhone's back cover. You can also wait a little while for the Golden Shellback, a vacuum-applied polymer that waterproofs any device, inside and out. Nifty.

Update: Commenters are literally pouring in to tell us that as careful as they've been with their iPhone 3Gs, even the most babyed devices are showing cracks. Joel Renda says, "The problem is not the plastic, but that the metal frame is too small for the plastic to lock on without causing the stress fractures." It's pretty clear Apple has a manufacturing defect on its hands.

For those with cracks, taking it back to the Apple Store (or possibly the mobile phone retailer where you made your original purchase) is your only recourse. Several people have noted here and elsewhere that they've successfully had their handset replaced after a careful inspection.

Filed under: Laptops, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Filed under: Humor, iPhone

Filed under: Cult of Mac, Apple

The New York State Board of Law Examiners says:

"We do not support Apple products in any form including Intel-based laptops running Boot Camp - no exceptions."

Today, as eager lawyers-to-be finish the New York State bar exam, those using laptops to write their essays won't be running Macs. The NY board, which has allowed candidates to write essays using laptops since 2003, has a strict no-Mac policy in place. They will not be exploring Mac-friendly options until at least February of next year.

Before you react in outrage, be aware that according to the NY Times, computer support for Windows laptops remains so buggy that many candidates prefer to stick to pencil and paper. After a series of software exams gone wacky, the legal warnings and disclaimers now read: "If you choose to continue to use your computer to write your essay answers after experiencing technical difficulties, or when you have been instructed not to do so, you do so at your own risk." The exam software is designed to lock out all other applications on the laptop, so that test-takers can't leverage reference materials or crib notes on their machines.

Amusingly, the article points out that many candidates have little or no experience writing out essays by hand as law school exams are "routinely administered on laptops." Presumably, a good percentage of those laptops are manufactured by Apple.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Retail, Macbook Pro, MacBook

AppleInsider reported today that Apple is advising resellers to stock up on the better-selling iPods and MacBooks, as factory supplies are expected to slow to a trickle in August. There's speculation that this could be due to a release of new models.

For 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros and the standard MacBooks, Apple was recommending that channel partners place orders that would give them a 3-week supply. For iPods, a 4-week supply was advised.

Apple usually notifies resellers via bulletins like this when they're getting ready to refresh a product line. This points to a product introduction for the new laptops and iPods (most likely the iPod touch and nano) in late August or September. While this is late for the school buying season, it could mark an early entry into the holiday buying season with an agressive launch of new products.

Filed under: Enterprise, Software, Internet Tools, Developer

According to Apple's MobileMe status Web page, the company has "completed restoring Mail service, including historical messages, to all of the 1 percent of affected members."

Subscribers that are still experiencing MobileMe-related e-mail issues can take advantage of Apple's new dedicated chat system for help.

Apple also revealed that it fixed a MobileMe syncing bug that was preventing calendar and contact data from properly syncing wirelessly with the iPhone and iPod touch. Affected users typically found that they were missing some or all of their Address Book and iCal data on their handheld, but the information remained available on their computers and on the MobileMe Web site.

The MobileMe service has suffered from performance and stability setbacks ever since its early July launch, but Apple is now hoping the worst is in the past.

David G., Apple's MobileMe status blogger, stated, "By completing this restoration of Mail services, we hope we have put the vast majority of MobileMe Mail problems behind us and can now focus on improving other aspects of this new ambitious service." [ Full story from CRM Daily ]

Filed under: Software, Apple, OS X

Insiders talk of Air-like MacBook

The web’s rife with rumour that Apple is readying the release of a redesigned MacBook, which could be renamed the MacBook Touch and sport more of an Air feel about it.…

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable Video

Filed under: Bad Apple, MobileMe

Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable Video

Filed under: Storage

Filed under: Software

• Libraries can span harddrives
• Customizable print templates
• Smart Collections to automatically organize photos

Filed under: iPhone, App Store

The recently launched MobileMe subscription service boasted the ability to synchronize data between Apple's iPhone, iPod touch and Macs, and even PCs. E-mail, contacts and calendars are supposed to be updated wherever users check them on any of the devices.

Problems Persist

Just last week, Apple acknowledged that at least one percent of subscribers were unable to retrieve information and files, blaming the problem on MobileMe's mail servers. As of Tuesday, the problems persisted and even strong Apple backers are getting hot under the collar.

The blogosphere is turning blue with subscribers' complaints and laments, with many of them regretting signing up for the service. One subscriber said he transferred all his e-mails over from a Hotmail account, only to have them lost in cyberspace. Moreover, the MobileMe service sets subscribers back $99 a year whereas Hotmail, Google and Yahoo are just a few of the free e-mail services that have not had such serious issues. Users are also reporting problems with time stamps on e-mails and lost calendar entries.

On Monday, an updated status report seemed to have gone unnoticed by a majority of users on Apple's MobileMe support forums. One small thread criticized Apple for hiding its MobileMe e-mail support form.

Perhaps in an effort to save face, Apple is coming clean about the problems and even posting a status page online where users can receive updates on fixes. The company apologized to customers, calling the transition from the former .Mac service "a lot rockier than we had hoped." Apple is even picking up the tab for affected subscribers for 30 days.

Reputation at Stake

Apple is also backpedaling from its original description of the service as "pushing" e-mail and other data. Push e-mail is... [ Full story from CRM Daily ]

Apple released Aperture 2.1.1 on Tuesday. The update for pro-level digital image editor and catalog application doesn't include many details, but Apple states it "supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues." Aperture 2.1.1 is a free update and is available via the Software Update application or as a download at the Apple Support Web...

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Filed under: Retail, iPhone

Filed under: Bad Apple, Apple, MobileMe

Continue reading MobileMe: the case of the vanishing iPhone contacts (Update)

Filed under: Laptops

Filed under: Bad Apple, Apple, MobileMe

Continue reading MobileMe: the case of the vanishing iPhone contacts

Filed under: Cellphones

TMO columnist Ted Landau has plenty to say about iPhone Software 2.0 Jailbreaking, and that's exactly what he does with host Chuck Joiner on MacNotables. Ted discusses the pros and cons of jailbreaking the iPhone, which unauthorized apps won't likely show up on the App Store, features Apple should add, and more. Ted's interview is available as a free MP3 download at the MacNotables Web...

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Filed under: Software, Blast From the Past

Filed under: Cellphones

Continue reading iPhone apps pirated, shared -- but not GPL'd

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]

Aperture 2.1.1 now available

7/28/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Software, Software Update

Apple has just released Aperture 2.1.1, the latest update to their photo workflow application aimed at pro photographers. The description, as usual, is terse. It would seem this update 'supports general compatibility issues, improves overall stability, and addresses a number of other minor issues.' Sounds like it fixes some bugs and adds MobileMe support.

The update is available via Software Update, though Apple hasn't posted it to their website as of yet.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

CalDAV support comes to Google Calendar

7/28/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Internet, Internet Tools

I'm a pretty big user of Google Calendar, because I like how I can automatically sync it with my BlackBerry. The problem for me has been that on my desktop, I really prefer iCal's interface. Syncing the two can be cumbersome. We've written about third-party programs that can sync iCal and gCal together in the past, and although those are great -- I have still wanted a native way to sync the two calendars together.

Well, fortunately, Google has ju st quietly introduced CalDAV support to Google Calendar. CalDAV is the protocol that iCal uses to transmit data over the web. Although some other mail and calendar programs support CalDAV, right now Google Calendar is only compatible with iCal. Finally, iCal and Google Calendar can sync without having to use third party programs!

After following Google's detailed instructions, you can add your Google calendar account to iCal. Any changes you make in iCal will be transferred over to Google and appear in Google Calendar within about 15 minutes. Likewise, any changes made in gCal will be updated immediately from iCal. If you use a BlackBerry, which also syncs directly with gCal, those changes will be updated on all sides as well.

So does this mean that third-party syncing utilities have no place? Well, just based on my initial tests this morning, they are safe for at least a little while. Although sync support works perfectly, you have to create a new calendar account for each individual calendar you want to access. Additionally, if you have a calendar called "Home" on your Mac and a different calendar called "Home" in gCal, you can't just sync those two together. You'll need to either import all your iCal data into Google first, and then sync with the new calendar, or transfer the information over from one calendar to the other within iCal. Programs like BusySync and Spanning Sync allow syncing of designated calendars with one another.

Still, this is a huge step in the right direction and I'm just happy that I can import my mobile calendar onto my desktop without having to run a background utility. CalDAV support for Google Calendar requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard's version of iCal. The Goog le Calendar service is free.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

[via Google Operating System]

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

Report: Apple CEO Jobs' Life Not in Danger

7/28/2008 03:19:00 PM

New York Times columnist reports that Jobs is not suffering from anything life-threatening, which had been a rising concern among investors.
- Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who has been dogged by investor concerns about his health, does not have recurrent cancer or a life-threatening health issue, The New York Times reported on Saturday. quot;While his health problems amounted to a good deal more than 'a common bug,' they weren't life-threatenin...
[ Full story from Ziff Davis CIO Insight Update ]

Security experts knock Apple for not patching DNS bug

7/28/2008 03:19:00 PM

Apple was told of the vulnerability before patches went public, researchers say.

[ Full story from Computerworld Macintosh News ]

Live video broadcasting for unlocked iPhones

7/28/2008 02:19:00 PM

New Macs to get custom platform?

7/28/2008 02:19:00 PM

QuickerTek expands Apple Juicz line

7/28/2008 01:19:00 PM

Apple Struggling to Fix Enterprise Mac Issues

7/28/2008 01:19:00 PM

Researchers have discovered a flaw in the UNIX BIND software that translates human readable domain names into IP addresses. Microsoft and Cisco have released patches, but so far Apple has not. In addition, Mac OS X 10.5.3 has broken the BSM auditing system critical for some government installations

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Apple's next-gen Macs to have something special under the hood

7/28/2008 01:19:00 PM

Apple Stores extend hours, implement ticket system for iPhones

7/28/2008 01:19:00 PM

Apple to Adopt Alternative Chipsets for Next Laptops?

7/28/2008 01:19:00 PM

iPodObserver - Double Encore, the Manhattan Project for iPhone Development

7/28/2008 11:19:00 AM

Dan Burcaw founded Double Encore software after leaving Apple to try a different approach to iPhone software development. iPO spoke with Mr. Burcaw to find how his company is thinking different about innovation on the iPhone

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

iPodObserver - Apple Launches MobileMe Status Blog

7/28/2008 08:19:00 AM

Apple began offering more transparency for MobileMe after launching a status blog for its online service on Friday. The MobileMe Status blog opened with an entry discussing a topic many users have been interested in: the extended email outage some subscribers have been suffering through

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Verizon: iPhone 3G has impact, but 'minimal'

7/28/2008 08:19:00 AM

Steve Jobs speaks on personal health

7/28/2008 07:19:00 AM

QuickerTek Intros Apple Juicz for MacBook Pro

7/28/2008 07:19:00 AM

QuickerTek announced the immediate availability of Apple Juicz for the MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro on Monday. The solar charger system is portable and can charge and power a laptop at the same time

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Jobs: I'm OK, Butt Out

7/28/2008 06:18:00 AM

In a rare move Apple CEO Steve Jobs commented publicly on his health over the weekend to say that he doesn't have cancer, and that his well being is a private matter despite what the media says. Mr. Jobs shared his personal health secrets with Joe Nocera of The New York Times where he confirmed that he had been dealing with something more serious than the "common bug" Apple originally reported, and that he is not suffering from a life-threatening illness

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Report: Jobs Not in Danger

7/28/2008 05:19:00 AM

Apple CEO Steve Jobs does not have recurrent cancer or a life-threatening illness, a newspaper reports. Jobs' health has been a concern among Apple investors.
- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs, who has been dogged by investor concerns about his health, does not have recurrent cancer or a life-threatening health issue, The New York Times reported on Saturday. quot;While his health problems amounted to a good deal more than 'a common bug,' ...
[ Full story from eWEEK Technology News ]

Apple CEO Jobs Life Not in Danger

7/28/2008 05:19:00 AM

The New York Times reports that Steve Jobs does not have a recurrence of cancer, but that he has been sick with something more than a common bug as Apple had previously reported.
- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs, who has been dogged by investor concerns about his health, does not have recurrent cancer or a life-threatening health issue, The New York Times reported on Saturday. quot;While his health problems amounted to a good deal more than 'a common bu...

[ Full story from Baseline Update ]

SOFTWARE NOTEBOOK / Microsoft considers Apple to be a serious competitor

7/27/2008 10:19:00 PM

Apple chief Jobs settles health worries

7/27/2008 09:18:00 AM

Apple loses email, promises better MobileMe updates

7/26/2008 06:19:00 PM

Slimy NY Times writer rehashes Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ health concerns yet again

7/26/2008 05:19:00 PM

iPodObserver - Apple Stores Launch iPhone 3G Voucher System

7/26/2008 04:19:00 PM

Apple's retail stores began using a new voucher system on Saturday to help streamline the iPhone 3G purchase process. The voucher tickets help ensure that customers in line will have the correct iPhone waiting for them when they finally get in the store and in front of an employee

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Unlucky 1 percent of MobileMe email users may get relief

7/26/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Bad Apple, .Mac, MobileMe

How big is one percent? If it's a surcharge on your restaurant check, not that much; if it's a point on your mortgage, ow. If it's a chunk of .Mac/MobileMe email account holders who are left hanging for a week without access to their email... well, let's just say that anyone in that select and sorry lot who used a mac.com email address for professional or vital communications is justifiably furious right now.

The good news, if you can say that under the circumstances, is that the outage that sta rted July 18 may be coming to a close. Apple has posted a tech note on the ongoing issues, launched a blog to cover the MobileMe introduction challenges, and provided some additional details about what happened. As of 10 pm PDT last night, the one-percenters should be able to log into MobileMe webmail and retrieve messages from the July 18-25 outage window, though none from before the problem started are available yet. Apple also warns affected users NOT to change MobileMe passwords, aliases or storage allocations until the problem is cleared up, so be alert.

As the problem was triggered by a "serious issue" on one of Apple's mail servers, some messages got dropped in the bit bucket and will never come back (unless you have them cached in a local client like Mail.app, Entourage, Thunderbird or Outlook). Apple's statement:

While the vast majority of your email messages will be fully restored, a small percentage of email messages in the affected accounts have regrettably been lost. This includes approximately 10% of messages received between 5:00 a.m. PDT on July 16 and 10:20 a.m. PDT on July 18. We sincerely apologize for any email messages you may have lost.

Apologies are well and good -- but considering the MobileMe terms of service, that's about all you can expect to see, as Apple isn't liable for lost business or damages due to the outage. If there's a lesson in this, maybe it's that mission-critical users should own their own domains and public-facing email addresses, so that they can redirect incoming mail in a crisis. Depending on a single provider for mail (even ones with a reputation for reliability) can bite you.

Written by Michael Rose. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

Get iPhone availability updates every 15 minutes

7/26/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Retail, Apple, iPhone

Can't find an iPhone 3G? Well, TopMuffin has created a site that checks Apple's store inventory every 15 minutes. According to the site, Apple updates the inventory throughout the day. TopMuffin's site parses the feed (feed link) and shows iPhone 3G availability by Apple Store.

TopMuffin doesn't just post availability info, they also do some statistics to find the percent available. When we checked the page, Apple had 45% availability for 8GB black iPhones, 53% availability for 16GB black iPhones, and 41% availability for 16GB white iPhones.

This site does not list availability for AT&T stores, and only lists stores located in the U.S. A disclaimer is posted on the page lets viewers know that the best way to check iPhone availability is to call your local store. You can view the site by clicking the read link.

[via Daring Fireball]

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

Apple admits to lost MobileMe messages, bad karma

7/26/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Apple's Push-like MobileMe launch has been such a debacle that they're now in damage control mode. As a result, some poor soul has been tasked by Steve Jobs to post status updates "every other day or so." The first update is already revealing:

• Last Friday, 1% of MobileMe subscribers were affected by a "serious problem" with one of Apple's mail servers
• Limited web access has been restored to those accounts but full access won't be sorted until next week
• Of these 1%, Apple admits to losing "approximately 10%" of the messages received between July 16 and July 18

For the rest of you MobileMe subscribers, Apple has added server capacity, tuned the software to scale better, and fixed over 70 bugs to date. So the question is, how's MobileMe working for you?

View Poll

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments [ Full story from Engadget ]

Apple CEO Jobs' life not in danger: report

7/26/2008 03:19:00 PM

Apple now posting near-daily MobileMe outage updates

7/26/2008 08:18:00 AM

MobileMe Status delivers latest news about MobileMe

7/25/2008 11:19:00 PM

Top Muffin offers iPhone 3G stock list (US)

7/25/2008 09:19:00 PM

AirPort update fixes audio issues, stability in 10.4

7/25/2008 08:19:00 PM

id Software’s John Carmack excited by Apple iPhone possibilities

7/25/2008 07:19:00 PM

Time for Apple to get rid of the iPhone NDA?

7/25/2008 07:19:00 PM

ABC News covers rumored ‘MacBook touch’ while Enderle claims Apple iPhone hasn’t made a dent in RIM

7/25/2008 07:19:00 PM

Yahoo! Music's death at age 3 warns of DRM's risk

7/25/2008 07:19:00 PM

Image Gallery: KansasFest 2008 remembers the Apple II

7/25/2008 04:19:00 PM

The only annual convention dedicated to the 30-year-old Apple II computer took place this week.

[ Full story from Computerworld Macintosh News ]

iPhone 2.1 SDK Disappointments

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, iPod Family, iPhone, App Store, SDK

Something is rotten in the state of Cupertino. Mr. Jobs, TEAR DOWN THIS NDA.

If the new iPhone 2.1 beta firmware is anything, it's a perfect excuse to say: "I told you so." It explains why the NDA failed to disappear on schedule. Apple kept its promise -- "Ve shall delivah the 2.0 iPhone und SDK on Yuly 11th" -- while working around the fact that that SDK was half baked at best. It was certainly not ready for prime time. The NDA simply expands the beta period. It offers cover to Apple, as they scramble to finish developing ready-to-ship software.

In retrospect, there really was no need for the NDA in the first place, nor this second new 2.1 NDA that just debuted. Anyone, including Apple's competitors -- even the really evil "big brother" ones -- can sign up and download the SDK for free. Apple isn't exactly keeping things hush hush on the down low.

All the NDA does right now is keep developers from talking to each other and blogs, magazines and book authors from publishing how-to articles. Said articles, etc., could actually help Apple reduce its tech support overhead. It would certainly help solidify the brand and allow third parties to make better, stronger App Store entries.

It made no sense then. It makes no sense now. But that's not where the grumbling ends. Our TUAW tipsters have been busy. They tell us that Apple is busy rejecting Applications from the App Store for grammar mistakes in onboard help files (not a joke) and for not presenting the user with the best playability options (also not a joke). Many of these frustrated developers tell us that some of their products have been waiting for review for four weeks and up and that their updates are getting caught in the gears. One wrote that his apps are getting poor reviews while fixes can't see the light of day.

And if the TUAW tipsters' tips are true (thanks TUAW tipsters), the new SDK throws a further wrench into the gears. 2.0 SDK Applications will not be immediately compatible with version 2.1 (although that could change between beta and release).

Other tremendously terrific tipsters tell us that the newest beta program isn't fully open. Apparently only a subset of iPhone SDK development members have been granted access. That once again puts some developers at a tremendous financial disadvantage.

All in all, the buzz in developer circles is not happy. While some look forward to their first August paychecks from App Store, others remain waiting and frustrated in the wings.

As always, please continue to use our tip line if you have anything you want to add anonymously to the discussion. Otherwise, feel free to opine in our comments.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

iPhone OS 2.1 and SDK 2.1

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Developer, iPhone

Attention iPhone developers: get ye to Apple's iPhone Dev Center. Apple released the image for the iPhone OS 2.1 and SDK 2.1 last night. You must be registered to get at these files, which means that you have to agree to an NDA (First rule of iPhone development: don't talk about iPhone development), though for those curious registering for Apple's dev center is free (as noted below, the free account won't get you access to these files).

According to numerous tipsters this .1 release includes the beginnings of the iPhone notification services as well as some improvements in the location awareness area. iPhone users, this is an advanced release of the software so that devs and make sure their apps work, and start whipping up new apps. This won't be available for phone in the wild until some later date (that only Steve and his hairdresser know for sure).

One thing to note: apps created using this SDK/OS combination cannot be sold on the App Store at this time, so I hope you have an extra iPhone or iPod touch laying around.

Update: I was mistaken, this new files aren't available via the free Apple Dev accounts. You have to have a paid membership to get them (though I would imagine they will trickle down to the freebie accounts at some point in the near future), and be a registered iPhone developer.

Update 2: Some folks in the comments are saying they are paid, registered developers and they can't see these files so your mileage may vary.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

Silverback now available

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Software

UK web development team Clearleft has released its web site usability testing application, Silverback.

In short, Silverback turns a Mac into a portable usability testing laboratory. What used to require a complicated and cumbersome set up involving several computers, a video camera, and lots of time, can now be done much faster and with less hassle. You only need a Mac with a built-in or attached camera, and a copy of Silverback.

The application records video footage of the user, and combines it with recorded footage of their activity on screen. Clicks, inputs, pointer movements and the user's spee ch and facial expressions are all combined into a single video file that can be quickly exported. One nice touch allows the test facilitator to add "bookmarks" during a session by clicking a button on the Mac's Apple Remote. Nothing distracting will show up in front of the user, but the bookmark is still recorded invisibly in the background.

The only thing that doesn't appear to be included - at least in this initial release - is the ability to edit the output video file before exporting. Even so, it looks like it could be an invaluable tool for anyone who makes software or web sites for a living. If you want to find out more, watch the five-minute demo video, which is a useful summary of aims and features.

Silverback is Tiger and Leopard compatible, sells for $49.95 and can be used as a fully functional demo for 30 days. As an added bonus, 10% of all profits generated will be donated to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

Montreal Apple store grand opening today

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Retail, Apple

The rumored Apple Store, Sainte Catherine in Montréal is opening today, in grand style. If you're in the area of 1321 Ste-Catherine st west besides the Ogilvy Department Store at the corner De la Montagne st (which I totally just grabbed from the store's website, I have no idea where any of that is) you should stop on by.

It looks like the store will also have a number of musical guests for the next few days to keep intere st up. Amongst the musical folks stopping by the store are:

• The Stills on July 26th
• Alex Cuba on July 27th
• Anik Jean on July 28th
• David Usher on July 29th

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

iPhone roundup: Apple seeds 2.1 with new GPS features, possible copy/paste, also completely out of phones

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Data loss from App Store updates

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Speculation About a 'MacBook Touch' Builds

7/25/2008 03:19:00 PM

Second Mac clone maker set to sell systems

7/25/2008 12:19:00 PM

Why Apple needs an heir apparent

7/25/2008 12:19:00 PM

AOL Cuts Back on Blogs to Save Cash

7/25/2008 11:19:00 AM

AOL is apparently telling some of news blogs under its wing to cut back on posts in order to trim down its budgets. The sites that are impacted by the move fall under AOL's Weblogs division and include DownloadSquad, Diylife.com, and The Unofficial Apple Weblog. All have been asked to stop posting content until July 31

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Rave for Apple's keyboard

7/25/2008 11:19:00 AM

Apple: AirPort Extreme Update 2008-002 (for Tiger)

7/25/2008 11:19:00 AM

Amazon, Apple may back MySpace Music

7/25/2008 11:19:00 AM

Apple board obligated to disclose material changes in Jobs' health

7/25/2008 09:19:00 AM

Analysts: Low iPhone stocks a good sign

7/25/2008 09:19:00 AM

Week in review: Yahoo merges with...Icahn

7/25/2008 09:19:00 AM

Analysts:: Low iPhone stocks a good sign

7/25/2008 08:19:00 AM

AirPort Extreme 2008-002 Fixes Tiger Audio Issues

7/25/2008 06:19:00 AM

Apple released AirPort Extreme Update 2008-002 for Mac OS X 10.4.11 users late on Thursday. The update improves AirPort connections and compatibility with audio applications like GarageBand, Logic and MainStage

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Apple Seeds iPhone 2.1 Firmware with GPS Features

7/24/2008 08:19:00 PM

More blood on Apple iTunes Store’s play button: Yahoo! Music Store is dead

7/24/2008 06:19:00 PM

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is jet-setting again

7/24/2008 06:19:00 PM

Neil Young criticizes Apple iPod, iTunes for dumbing down music quality to ‘Fisher-Price toy’ levels

7/24/2008 06:19:00 PM

Microsoft CEO Ballmer on why Apple is thriving

7/24/2008 06:19:00 PM

NY Times’ Pogue slams Apple over ‘MobileMess’

7/24/2008 06:19:00 PM

Virginia Tech's Mac Pro supercomputer to crack 29 teraflops

7/24/2008 05:19:00 PM

Steve Jobs' Health Becomes Investor Concern

7/24/2008 05:19:00 PM

A newspaper report finds investors concerned about Jobs' thin appearance, sparking fears of complications from or return of cancer.
- Industry and investor concerns about the health of Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs have not dimmed more than a month after he appeared dramatically thinner at the firm's annual developers' conference, The New York Post said on Monday. While blogs and industry watchers had wondered whether 53-year...
[ Full story from Ziff Davis CIO Insight Update ]

Intel may cater to Apple with system-on-a-chip, dual-core Atom

7/24/2008 04:19:00 PM

Apps for Apple TV: sign me up

7/24/2008 04:19:00 PM

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, Apple TV

Saul Hansell, over at the New York Times Bits blog, takes Microsoft's recent announcement about Xbox LIVE Community Games as a jumping off point to some speculation about Apple TV (and who doesn't like speculation?). Hansell wonders what would happen if Apple were to open up an App Store for the Apple TV, and I have to admit that I think that's a brilliant ide a.

I've always thought that the Apple TV would greatly benefit from third party plugins (official ones, I mean, not hacks), if not full blown apps. Take, for example, the YouTube functionality. Wouldn't it be cool if you could watch videos from Viddler, Vimeo, or any of the other countless video sharing sites, in addition to those on YouTube? And let's not forget Netflix. Microsoft and Netflix have teamed up to offer the 'Watch it now' library of videos to XBox Live Gold members. Being able to watch those videos from Netflix on my Apple TV would make me one happy panda.

Hansell notes that to make apps on the Apple TV viable something has to be done about that horrible onscreen keyboard. He think s that Apple might tie the iPhone into the Apple TV as a way to control it. Luckily, Apple has already done this. As John Gruber points out, when you have Apple's Remote app on your iPhone you are able to use the iPhone to enter text into your Apple TV.

Let's hope Apple stops thinking about Apple TV as a hobby and starts making an aggressive push for the living room. I like my Apple TV, but my XBox 360 offers up more functionality (and more heat!).

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

solidThinking 7.6 updates rendering engine

7/24/2008 04:19:00 PM

Pogue and Macworld chime in on MobileMe

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Uncle Walt on MobileMe: Pass on it for now

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: MobileMe

MobileMe has been off to a rough start. The mail outages aren't good and giving people free time to use a service that doesn't work is a cold comfort. Sadly, the bad news just keeps coming for MobileMe.

Walt Mossberg, Personal Technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal, is generally an Apple fan but he isn't gaga for MobileMe. Even discounting the amount of trouble Apple has been having keeping MobileMe up, Mossberg p oints out that even when fully functional the service doesn't work well.

He points out the push that isn't really push, the sluggishness of the web interface, and a host of issues with syncing data with Outlook on a PC. Walt suggests you wait before buying MobileMe.

How has MobileMe been treating you? Let us know in the comments.

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

First South Carolina Apple Store to open Saturday

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Filed under: Retail, Apple

The last time that we looked into the Charleston, South Carolina Apple Store, they were only in the construction/hiring process. Well, the time has finally come: some South Carolinians will rejoice, while others (like me) will want more. Apple has announced that the first South Carolina store will open this Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. The King Street Apple Store is located at 301 King Street in the downtown district.

What do you think about the first Apple retail store coming to South Carolina? Do you support their (belated) efforts? Will you be attending the grand opening? Do you have pictures of the store?


Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

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[ Full story from The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) ]

WordPress for iPhone source now available

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

AT&T, O2 post updates on iPhone 3G stock situation, promise they don't have a secret cache

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Flickr Find: Pinewood derby iPhone

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Microsoft looks to mimic Apple success, says Ballmer

7/24/2008 03:19:00 PM

Jobs takes off in Gulfstream jet more often

7/24/2008 02:19:00 PM

AT&T, O2 offer iPhone availability updates

7/24/2008 01:19:00 PM

Column: Apple and China are Incompatible

7/24/2008 01:19:00 PM

Apple's products and Western IP laws are currently incompatible with China's politics, according to Mike Elgan at Datamation on Wednesday. It's a messy reality

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

NYT: Apple's MobileMess

7/24/2008 01:19:00 PM

Even though Apple has apologized to subscribers for the glitches in the MobileMe launch, MobileMe's problems are nowhere near over, according to David Pogue at the New York Times on Thursday

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Mossberg pans MobileMe amid service outages

7/24/2008 01:19:00 PM

Editorial - Steve Ballmer Addresses MS Employees About Apple

7/24/2008 11:19:00 AM

Microsoft, by all accounts, has been on a rough road with the attempted Yahoo! acquisition and the Vista rollout. After a top level reorganization, splitting the single Platforms and Services Division into Windows and Online divisions, Steve Ballmer turned his attention to the competition with Apple in an e-mail to employees

[ Full story from The Mac Observer ]

Post.Office mail server compatible with Leopard

7/24/2008 11:19:00 AM

Mossberg pans MobileMe as service outages continue

7/24/2008 11:19:00 AM

Post.Office adds security, spam-fighting upgrades

7/24/2008 10:19:00 AM