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Filed under: Freeware, Found Footage, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Found Footage: TweetDeck for iPhone gets a major makeover

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009

The press release I received tonight said it all: "TweetDeck for iPhone -- now with added awesome." I use TweetDeck on my Macs, but had used another competing app for tweeting from my iPhone. After this update, which is the first major upgrade to this free Twitter client, I may have to reconsider!

The features in TweetDeck 1.1.1 [iTunes Link] have been given a squirt of goodness, with these new features added to the mix:

Video tweeting via integration with 12seconds (record video and send to Twitter or Facebook using 12seconds platform)
Facebook integration (updates, FB columns, wall posts, etc.)
Landscape composing (for those with stumbly thumbs)
Trending Topics to see what's happening RIGHT NOW
Save Draft for later
Bit.ly support
And some additional goodies...

As with the Mac and Windows versions, the TweetDeck for iPhone user interface makes great use of columns, each of which can show a different feed, direct messages, or mentions for multiple accounts. Be sure to watch the video above, and if you're still looking for an iPhone Twitter client, give this fun freebie a try.

Tags: freeware, iphone, ipod touch, IpodTouch, tweetdeck, twitter, update

Filed under: Mods, Macbook Pro, MacBook

Hey! Lego my Apple!!

by Michael Jones (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009

No, I'm not talking about any of these Lego Mac mods, A relatively new startup called MacSlaps brings us some personalization goodness in the form of custom vinyl stickers for your MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Using stickers (or even laser engraving) to customize your MacBook is nothing new, but what I think sets MacSlaps apart from some of the others I have seen is the designs are simple and creative. In addition to the Lego design pictured here, their site showcases a few other interesting designs, such as Mario, PacMacMan, and my favorite, Tic-Mac-Toe.

The stickers come on a square sheet of vinyl, ranging from about 4 to 8 inches, so most of them will even fit on the 13-inch MacBook. I know they say these are custom made for MacBooks, but I'm tempted to order one and try it on the back of my 24-inch aluminum iMac, since I'm guessing the effect would be about the same. They also offer custom designs, so if you've got a crazy idea in mind, they can probably help you get it onto your Mac.

Although the selection is pretty sparse, their designs are original and interesting. Plus, it looks like they've just recently started up, as their Etsy store opened in October, and some of their designs haven't shown up on the store yet, so I hope this means we will be seeing more from them in the near future.

All in all, these stickers would make a great stocking stuffer for your favorite Mac geek. Not to mention, if you're picking up a new MacBook for the Holidays, they are a great way to add a personal touch, especially with the custom design offer.

[via iPhoneSavior]

Tags: customization, hgg, macbook pro, MacbookAir, MacbookPro, personalization

Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW

Ask TUAW: Auto-tagging music, iPhone VoIP apps, replacing a hard drive and more

by Mat Lu (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009

Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we've got questions about VOIP apps on the iPhone, auto-tagging music, Boot Camp, replacing a hard drive and more.

As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions.

Tags: antivirus, ask tuaw, AskTuaw, boot camp, BootCamp, carbon copy cloner, CarbonCopyCloner, mail.app, pollux, songenie, superduper, virus, voip

Filed under: Macworld, Odds and ends, TUAW Interview

Paul Kent gives TUAW the latest news about Macworld 2010

by Steven Sande (RSS feed) on Nov 11th, 2009

As a Mac-head who has attended the Macworld Expo and Conference on and off since the late 1980s, I met the announcement last December that Apple would no longer attend the event with a big, jaw-breaking yawn. Personally, I never attended Macworld for the Apple display, which was overcrowded and staffed by Apple employees who usually knew less about the new products than I did. The keynotes were usually a highlight, but hard to get into, and without Steve Jobs as the "star," it just wouldn't be the same. My reason for going to Macworld has always been the same; to see great new software or hardware made to work with Apple products, meet with manufacturers and developers, and to enjoy the camaraderie of the large group of buddies I've made at Macworld Expo in the past.

So, when I saw that registration for Macworld 2010 had opened, I immediately jumped on the website and signed up. To me, it's a no-brainer to attend the original and only US conference that is all about Apple. Macworld Expo has been around for 25 years, and all indications are that it will continue for as long as the Macintosh and other Apple platforms exist. Yesterday, I talked with Paul Kent, General Manager, Macworld 2010 and Vice President of IDG World Expo, about Macworld 2010 and how preparations are coming along for the show.

Tags: david pogue, DavidPogue, kevin smith, KevinSmith, leo laporte, LeoLaporte, macworld, macworld expo, macworld expo 2010, macworld2010, MacworldExpo, MacworldExpo2010

Filed under: Software

Adobe layoffs strike home, 680 to lose jobs

by Megan Lavey (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

TechCrunch, among other news outlets, reports that Adobe is cutting 680 employees as part of a restructuring plan. This is roughly 9 percent of the company's workforce. The news comes on the heels of Electronic Arts' decision to layoff 1,500 workers and a reduction of 600 from Adobe back in December. Adobe had purchased Omniture in September and reduced its workforce by 9 percent at that time.

The cost of restructuring for Adobe will total between $65 and $71 million, the TechCrunch article says.

The layoffs come just after Adobe announced that Flash Professional CS5 will be able to turn Flash projects into iPhone apps. The company has also recently released a version of its Photoshop.com Mobile app for the iPhone [iTunes link].

Tags: adobe, layoffs, software

Filed under: Gaming, Apple, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

C64 emulator back on the App Store

by Mike Schramm (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

The C64 emulator that was pulled from the App Store by Apple for leaving a BASIC interpreter intact has now returned, though we presume it's minus the Apple-offending code. But while it will no longer run your own code, it will run some old-school C64 games, including eight for free with the app, and more coming with in-app purchases. It's got everything you'd expect from an emulator, including original sound and graphics, an auto-save, and the option to play in fullscreen portrait or landscape.

In fact, the only thing it doesn't have is an interpreter, but of course you know why that is by now: Apple doesn't want anyone running code on their devices that they haven't approved through the App Store. The app sells for $4.99 right now, and they expect to release the in-app purchases sometime this December, with no price announced yet.

Tags: app, app store, app-store, AppStore, basic interpreter, BasicInterpreter, c64, c64emulator, december, in-app purchases, in-app-purchases, In-appPurchases, iphone, release

Filed under: Gaming, Software

EA to lay off 1500 workers, close some facilities

by Casey Johnston (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

Large-scale layoffs have been hitting everywhere in the past year, and Electronic Arts is now no different: according to Gamasutra, the game publisher announced today that it will lay off 1,500 workers by April 2010, after posting a year-to-year decrease in revenue and a net loss of $391 million.

About 1,300 of the freshly unemployed individuals will result from the full closure of some of EA's facilities. This will cost EA money at the outset, but they estimate that by dropping the facilities they stand to save about $100 million annually. According to EA CEO John Riccitello, the cuts are happening in "targeted areas," so the company can focus up on its bigger, more lucrative games.

EA has kept up well with the iPhone platform and has released some of its most popular titles to the App Store, such as The Sims 3, Rock Band, and Spore. Consumers still pay a premium price for them, however. For example, Rock Band costs $9.99 and comes with only 20 songs, and charges 50 cents for each additional song. Still, Rock Band ended up selling well, so maybe we'll be seeing more of EA in the App Store in the coming fiscal quarters.

EA also announced today its acquisition of Playfish, whose primary business is Facebook games, for $300 million. Hopefully out of the layoff ashes rises some brutally addictive social-based game for the iPhone.

Tags: ea, electronicarts, gaming, iphonegames, playfish

Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Review

Navigon updates again - adds live traffic

by Mel Martin (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

Navigon [iTunes link] has been very aggressive in the world of iPhone navigation. After taking the early lead in features, they continue to pour on the steam. Using in-app purchasing, any Navigon owners can now get live traffic, both crowd-sourced, and additional data from Clear Channel radio stations and other traffic providers.

According to Navigon:

Users receive immediate on-screen alerts via iconic warnings indicating accidents, construction and other incidents that can cause congestion along the current route.
Provides detailed information regarding the severity of the incident and the speed of traffic flow.
Based on the real-time traffic warnings and the excellent mapping functionality the user can determine an efficient, alternative route or stay on the course.
The software automatically adjusts estimated time of arrival.

The add-on is U.S. $19.99 as a one time charge for the next 4 weeks. Then it reverts to $24.99 for the lifetime subscription. I'll review the live traffic feature as soon as I get it loaded and try it on some traffic laden routes.

I've found the Navigon app a pleasure to use. In addition to the extra cost traffic info, this new release has added to the base software. That includes extended destination search. If you are not sure of the address you can move an icon around on a map and navigate to that point. The app also can launch in landscape mode.

Navigon has offered a car kit in Europe with a cradle, speaker and power connections. The company says it is evaluating selling the kit in the U.S., but hasn't come to a final decision.

As I've mentioned in this space before, expect a holiday round up of all the nav apps we've tested, along with some recommendations. Drive carefully.

Tags: GPS, hgg, live traffic, navigation, Navigon

Filed under: iPod Family, Bluetooth, iPhone, Jailbreak/pwnage

Found Footage: The iPhone and the WiiMote

by Erica Sadun (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

Matthias Ringwald, of iPhone Bluetooth fame, has just released BTstack 0.1 for iPhone. This video demonstrates his group's technology in action, as an iPhone syncs with a WiiMote and then uses the WiiMote for input. Although the system does not yet have OBEX, it is, as Ringwald writes, "better than Apple's nothing."

I haven't had a chance to give the software a spin yet (you can download the source from Google Code) but I'm looking forward to playing. BTstack creates device connections using the L2CAP protocol. The code is currently aimed at jailbroken devices only. It supplies a Bluetooth daemon (BTdaemon) that you access from your apps. Given that the release is still only at version 0.1, expect a certain degree of instability and a lot of further development potential.

Tags: Beta, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Stack, BluetoothStack, iphone, Open source, OpenSource, Stack, wii

Filed under: Hacks, How-tos, iPhone

Dangerously driving a car with an iPhone

by Tim Wasson (RSS feed) on Nov 10th, 2009

Here at TUAW we've seen lots of uses for the iPhone as a remote control, but if you were watching and thinking that those projects were way too safe, then the guys at Waterloo Labs have got you covered. They approached the project with a low budget and DIY attitude, building a low-cost (relatively speaking) car that is controlled by a first generation iPhone. Not content with just building the car, they also chose to car-surf on the hood and roof, Teen Wolf style, while testing their handiwork.

While we at TUAW do not condone such dangerous behavior, we can recommend that you watch this other video by Waterloo Labs as a more in-depth instructional video on how to build your own vehicle.

Tags: car, danger, how-to, iphone, remote control, RemoteControl, waterloo labs, WaterlooLabs

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