TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog

Flyz Screensaver 1.1.2

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST

I don't know how I managed to avoid earlier versions of the Flyz Screensaver, but I just came across version 1.1.2 on VersionTracker and I am pleased to see they've "fixed a bug that was causing the flies and maggots to accumulate at the bottom-left corner of Intel Mac screens" and "increased the maximum number of flies to 40." W00t!

If you like being grossed out, or like grossing out others, the Flyz Screensaver might be an appropriate download for you. Flyz is "an infestation of ewwey, gooey, flies and maggots, making a mess of your Mac's screen." And if that's not appealing enough, perhaps the price tag (free, although there's an enhanced version for $5) will lure you in.

Of course some people already have a similar effect without having to download anything at all!

Oh, how I long for the days when Flying Toasters was enough to keep us entertained when our screens were idle...

Flyz Screensaver 1.1.2 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad TV's take on the iPhone

Laurie A. Duncan — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:00:00 EST

I've never been a big fan of Mad TV (and I didn't really care for their iPad spoof - not because it was offensive, just because it wasn't funny), but a friend just sent me this clip from YouTube and I'll admit to being amused by it. The impression of Steve Jobs, as portrayed by Michael McDonald (not of Doobie Brothers fame), is not really very good, but I think the overall sentiment behind the skit is on the mark.

Is Steve Jobs an iWitch? You be the judge.

Thanks, DD!

Mad TV's take on the iPhone originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhony launcher for Palm OS

Laurie A. Duncan — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:15:00 EST

Well that didn't take long! If you're currently toting around a Treo, but really jonesing for an iPhone, you can install the Mo's iPhony launcher and get all the great icons without waiting for all of the great features!

The current version, 0.2, is optimized for 320x320 screens, but a 320x480 will be released soon, which will make Palm TX users very happy.

Sure, when you click the Mail button, it's still SnapperMail you'll be greeted with, but your home screen will look so much cooler. Mo is quick to point out that iPhony is more about a fun UI for Apple freaks and less about becoming a full-fledged launcher, of which there are already many he'd have to compete with. Still, we admire his efforts.

Now, be sure to let me know when someone makes an iPhone theme for my Blackberry 8700!

Thanks, Sammual!

iPhony launcher for Palm OS originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 13 Jan 2007 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW tours the Apple Company Store

Laurie A. Duncan — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:30:00 EST

David Chartier and I made the obligatory pilgrimage to Cupertino this week to snag some Apple swag for ourselves, friends, family and potentially even for you - to win in a future contest. We've posted some Company Store and generic campus pics in the gallery for your enjoyment. So... enjoy!

TUAW tours the Apple Company Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Start planning now for Macworld Expo 2008

Laurie A. Duncan — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST

The Stevenote was barely over on Tuesday and already the sign for next year's Macworld was up in the lobby of Moscone South.

For the first time in years, Macworld Expo in San Francisco will not overlap with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas. Macworld 2008 will take place January 14-18 2008, while CES is the prior week, January 7-10, 2008. I'm sure this has more to do with the fact that Apple is firmly a consumer electronics company itself now and will probably have a significant presence at both shows, and less to do with making Tech bloggers lives easier, but we'll take it however we can get it!

So who is going to make the first Countdown to Macworld 2008 widget?

Start planning now for Macworld Expo 2008 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prosoft Engineering gives sneak peek of Jax for iPod

Laurie A. Duncan — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST

Prosoft Engineering, makers of some popular Mac utilities like Data Rescue and Drive Genius, are getting ready to introduce something a little different than their flagship products. It's called Jax for iPod and it's expected to ship next month. I stopped by their Macworld booth for a preview and, unfortunately, left almost as confused about the product as I was before I got there. Not to mention, struck by how similar the Jax icon is to a certain iPhone carrier's logo.

Jax for iPod is difficult to describe. Not just for me - the press release and the people at the booth also failed the "elevator pitch." But I'll try to sum it up. It's an iPod/iTunes utility with a myriad of modules (er... Jaks, as they call them) that do a little bit of everything. Jax includes some new iTunes visualizers, a song lyric downloader, and an album art importer. It also allows you to sync up various bit of information with your iPod, such as directions, weather forecasts, stock quotes, movie listings, even local gas prices! It can sync RSS feeds, the contents of your email and your text documents in iPod notes format and play them back to you as spoken word tracks if you want. In addition, Jax allows you to download directly from YouTube and Google Video to your iPod, without going through another converter first. Jax features are upgradeable and many more plug-ins will be available for free as time goes on.

What I saw at the booth was an unfinished product, so it's hard to really judge until I get a full copy for review, but all of the Jaks are controlled through a menu in iTunes and the whole interface and concept reminds me a lot of Sherlock or Watson with all the different channels. That's what makes it so hard for me to grasp why I'd want it - it's doing too much. It seems to be trying to give my iPod a lot of PDA functionality, and make it a more versatile video viewer and feed me quickly-outdated information on stocks, weather and gas prices. Oh yeah, and give my iTunes some new visualizers. So far, I can't say I find the premise of Jax very appealing, and I can't help but wonder why they'd create this single app that serves so many different purposes, but I'll reserve further judgment until I see the finished product in February.

Prosoft Engineering gives sneak peek of Jax for iPod originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Graham Nash is not just a stoned California hippie

Laurie A. Duncan — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:00:00 EST

What the heck is one of my favorite guitar-playing, harmony-singing, songwriting hippies, Graham Nash, doing at Macworld?

Most of you probably associate Graham with the folk-rock band, Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Young). But Graham wasn't at the Peachpit booth this week talking about music... he was talking about photography (his own, which is excellent, and others), as well as fine art digital imaging and printmaking.

Graham, along with R. Mac Holbert (CSN's former road manager), conceived and founded Nash Editions in 1990 in order to develop methods of outputting Nash's digitally manipulated black and white photographs. Starting in the late eighties with a $125,000 IRIS 3047 Graphics Printer, which they heavily modified (warranty be damned!) in order to accommodate a wider range of papers, through their work today with Epson 9800, 7800 and 4800 printers, Nash Editions is now recognized as the premier fine art digital print studio in the country, if not the world. Both Graham and Holbert were on hand after they spoke to sign copies of their new book, Nash Editions: Photography and the Art of Digital Printing.

As a bit of a reformed hippie myself, I was just happy not to have to wade through clouds of pot smoke to get close to Nash here, as I have had to in some other venues.

Graham Nash is not just a stoned California hippie originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacMod booth tour

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:00:00 EST

The mad modders at MacMod have their very own booth at Macworld this year with a myriad of mods on hand for your enjoyment. Go check them out and say hello at booth N4320 in the oft-neglected North Hall of the Moscone Center. While you're there, grab a Sharpie and autograph the PowerMac to be a part of the community mod project!

Check out the Gallery for pictures we took of some of the mods currently on display at the booth.

MacMod booth tour originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Where does Apple go from here?

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:00:00 EST

Thirty years ago was just the beginning, you say? So now what? What's the next act? Where does Apple Inc, née Apple Computer, go from here?

Steve Jobs and Apple have reinvented or revolutionized so many things over the years, it's hard to imagine what their next big move will be. I don't mean new operating systems and general hardware upgrades. I mean new ground.

First the personal computer, then the way we listen to music and view photos and video - at home and on the go - and now they've made the phone and PIM their own, with the iPhone. So what's next?

Apple has already invaded our offices and our living rooms, our cars, our bedrooms, our nursery, our closets, our gym, and even our bathroom! Will they invade our kitchen next? Our lawns? Is an Apple iFridge far off? iMower anyone? Seriously... on what area of our lives can Apple possibly still leave its mark?

Where does Apple go from here? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone video and Greg Joswiak interview from WSJ

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:15:00 EST

Rex Crumb from MarketWatch and the Wall Street Journal snagged an interview with Apple's Vice President of iPod marketing, Greg Joswiak. Greg talked about the iPhone and its awesomeness, of course, and Rex gets some rare hands-on video, too!

Although some of the footage is stock from the Keynote, there's also some real-live, hot hand-on-iPhone action. It's hard not to notice that while they are talking, Greg never lets the iPhone out of his own hands, whereas you'd normally expect to see the interviewer at least get to hold the thing. Clearly there are some pretty strict rules in place about who gets to touch one of the few demo units. Even Uncle Walt only got to handle it for a few minutes - but there's no video proof of that, so we'll have to take his word for it.

Thanks, Steve!

iPhone video and Greg Joswiak interview from WSJ originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft releases Office 2004 11.3.3 and Office v. X for Mac 10.1.9 updates

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST

Office 2008 for Mac (or Office 12, if you prefer) may still be months away, but the Microsoft Mac BU team is still working to improve Office 2004 and Office v.X while we wait.

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.3 Update and Microsoft Office v. X for Mac 10.1.9 Update include a variety of security and stability fixes, including a fix for the annoying DST bug in Entourage 2004 that caused calendar events scheduled on or after March 11, 2007 to be an hour off, thanks to the decision to change the start and end of Daylight Time (aka Standard Time) in the US.

The specific fixes in these updates are:

Improvements for all Office 2004 & Office v. X applications - fixes vulnerabilities in that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code.

Improvements for Word 2004 - improves compatibility with recent changes to the way Rich Text Format (RTF) documents are created by Microsoft Office Word 2003 for Windows.

Improvements for Excel 2004 - fixes an issue that causes standard deviation calculations to produce inaccurate results when the calculations are used in PivotTable reports.

Improvements for Entourage 2004 - fixes an issue for users of Mac OS X 10.4.5 or later that causes any calendar event scheduled on or after March 11, 2007 to display on a time slot that is one hour ahead of its original start time. This issue affects all meetings that occur on or after March 11, 2007, including recurring meetings. The Japanese postal code dictionary has also been updated with the latest information as of June 2006.

Grab them from Microsoft AutoUpdate or from the downloads page. I just installed the 2004 update and nothing is broken yet, so hopefully you'll be just as lucky.

Microsoft releases Office 2004 11.3.3 and Office v. X for Mac 10.1.9 updates originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now Software announces "NightHawk" cross-platform group calendar and contact manager

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST

Now Software has announced a successor to the venerable Now Up-to-Date & Contact (NUDC). Their next gen cross platform group cal and contact manager is codenamed "NightHawk" and they are previewing it at booth 2634 here at Macworld.

Aimed at enterprise and small business users, NightHawk supports Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and Windows Vista, but will also still support Mac OS 10.3.9-10.4 and Windows XP and NT/2000. Migration from NUDC will be a breeze, and you'll be able to import from most other common formats, like vCard and iCal and sync with a variety of PDAs, cell phones and, of course, an iPod.

Taking a cue from Apple's iTV-AppleTV launch, the official name has yet to be determined and will, according to a Now rep, be announced at a later date - presumably before the retail boxes are printed. It's expected to ship in the spring of 2007. As I've come to expect from Now, the Mac GUI of NightHawk is a few years behind the times, but it is an improvement over NUDC and it has tabs - so how bad can it be? That icon, however, has got to go.

The NightHawk calendar & contact module will cost $149.95 per seat and owners of NUDC v5.x and later can upgrade for $69.95 per seat. For a limited time, current NUDC v5.X owners may also purchase a one-year maintenance agreement (that's usually a codename for "pay-for-tech-support") for $39.95 per license, which will give you free upgrades to new versions of Now and NightHawk for one year from the start of the maintenance agreement.

I use NUDC personally, and have always been a fan, despite the GUI flaws. It's one of the few holdovers from my days of using Claris Emailer for mail. I wonder how many of you long-time Mac users are also still using NUDC at home or work?

Now Software announces "NightHawk" cross-platform group calendar and contact manager originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EWOO Remote controls iPod and iTunes

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:45:00 EST

Zicplay, a Swiss consumer electronics manufacturer just unveiled the EWOO, a remote control device that controls not just your iPod - but also your iTunes music and video library that resides on your computer.

The EWOO system has a lightweight remote control, a dock, which holds and charges both your iPod and the remote itself, as well as a USB adapter that allows the remote to control your iTunes on your computer. The remote has a color TFT display, allowing for easy, intuitive use and navigation of iPod and iTunes. It operates at 2.4GHz frequency and boasts a 100ft range and 10-days of charge on the remote, thanks to its lithium polymer battery.

The EWOO is expected to ship next month and retail for $129 USD. They have a pretty slick website, too, with more info and pics.

EWOO Remote controls iPod and iTunes originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is "One More Thing" yet to come?

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:30:00 EST

We have nothing but an anonymous tip to go on but this one comes from a slightly more reliable source than our usual tips. Then again, maybe we are giving it more clout than normal because, as thrilled as we are with today's Applegasms, we still want more. We're greedy like that.

Anyway, we've been advised to keep our eyes open for an announcement of new or updated software, perhaps before dawn. Since David is already a pro at sleeping on sidewalks outside of convention centers, we're trying to talk him into camping out in front of the Moscone again to see if he catches anyone swapping out the ad kiosk signage.

I'm still thinking iWork '07 and possibly iLife '07, although with today's hardware intros, the iLife update seems more likely for spring and/or summer to coincide with the Apple TV and iPhone ship dates. I'm still surprised that Leopard wasn't mentioned at all during the Keynote, which makes me wonder when they are letting the cat out of the bag?

Stay tuned to see if we called this one right or if we wake up with egg on our face - although the open bar tonight might cause that anyway!

Is "One More Thing" yet to come? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How much have you spent today?

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:30:00 EST

With Apple TV and the new AirportExtreme Base Station available today for pre-order from apple.com, I'm wondering how many of you have already whipped out your credit cards and bought one (or two, or three...)?

If you placed your order(s), tell us what you bought in the comments.

How much have you spent today? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple TV up close

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:43:00 EST

The Apple TV isn't under lock and key, as the iPhone is. It's about half the height of a Mac mini, with the same footprint, and quite unassuming. It sports a remote we're already familiar with. Here are some of the first pics of the Apple TV, taken during and immediately after the Keynote.

Update: For those that asked in the comments, those are Sony television sets, although I didn't note the exact model.

Apple TV up close originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iPhone up close

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:42:00 EST

Although we haven't held one in our hands yet, we did get a few pics of the iPhone up close. There are several on display in the Apple "booth", but they are all in glass spheres, sitting on pedestals. Here are a few of the first pics, taken before the doors opened to the public...

Apple iPhone up close originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My MacBook cuts like a knife

Laurie A. Duncan — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST

I have a long history of being immune to most of the widespread problems that people tend to have with Apple hardware, but today my luck has run out. I have started using a new MacBook (black, thanks for asking) as a replacement for my aging 12-inch Powerbook. Although I hate the extra weight it adds to my backpack, the speed and functionality the MacBook offers when I am on-the-go made it appealing enough for me to finally give in.

Until yesterday I'd been mostly using an external keyboard and mouse with the MacBook since I haven't had to lug it around with me much lately. But since I am a mobile blogging machine here at Macworld, I am using the built-in keyboard and trackpad all week and realizing that all those reports I read about the edges on some MacBooks being sharp as a Ginsu are true: my own MacBook is afflicted.

Continue reading My MacBook cuts like a knife

My MacBook cuts like a knife originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Keep tabs on TUAW with a TUAW RSS Widget

Laurie A. Duncan — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:30:00 EST

TUAW fanboy Konstantino whipped up a new Dashboard widget for our RSS feed, just in time for Macworld.

It's slick and simple - just the way we like it. Now it's even easier to keep up with all our MWSF '07 coverage! To install, just download the zip archive, unzip and double-click. Once installed, check early and often!

Grab your copy here: Konstantino's TUAW RSS Widget.

Thanks, Konstantino!

Keep tabs on TUAW with a TUAW RSS Widget originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 08 Jan 2007 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pictures of the ModBook Mac Tablet in the wild

Laurie A. Duncan — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:15:00 EST

We got a tip that some pics of the ModBook, the Macbook-based tablet product from OWC and Axiotron, have surfaced on the MacResource Forums. How convenient for us!

Just one pic that I can find and it's a rendering, not an actual product shot. From the looks of it, it's a "clamshell" mod that essentially flips the display over on the MacBook/MacBook Pro. I'm thinking it won't come cheap, but I bet many people will probably still salivate over it.

Now pardon me while I go wipe the drool off my chin...

Pictures of the ModBook Mac Tablet in the wild originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brian Ball responds to xPad developer's claims

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:15:00 EST

[UPDATE: Moments before I posted this, Brian's post on macZOT mysteriously vanished and he's not responded to my IMs regarding where the post went. So the links to Brian's post below are broken until Brian decides whether he wants his side told in his own words or not.]

[UPDATE 2: Brian has put a post back up at the links I reference, but he's replaced his original post with a new one indicating he's "over it" now.]

Brian Ball has a few things to say about Garrett Murray's "Maniacal Rage," which I posted about earlier this evening.

Brian's response appears on macZOT and it's worth reading, word for word, as it is factually accurate to the best of my knowledge and it's always good to hear both sides of a story from the involved parties themselves. And Brian spells my name right, which I always appreciate.

The key points in Brian's post are not in dispute. The fact is that the contract between Garrett and Brian was not violated in the strictest sense. Garrett himself admits that and I didn't hide that fact in my post either. It was a dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb thing to have in the contract and Garrett has, I'm sure, learned his lesson.

But - and there's always a but - sometimes it's about more than what's technically correct. Sometimes it's about what's "right" in the broader sense. Brian says "There is no wrong action to defend. You simply have to read what was stated and just determine if what happened is really unfair, or if somebody had unmet expectations and went into a Maniacal Rage about it." It's worth noting if you are just tuning in that Garrett's blog is called "Maniacal Rage," lest you think that Brian is overreacting. He continues... "We had every good intention of bringing lots of xPad to the market because we really like the application. But once we decided that really wasn't part of the core strategy we held up our end of the agreement we made. The fact that Garrett is making xPad free confirms the fact that he himself realizes that xPad is not worth further development but is still a very useful application."

My take, and this is just my opinion as an uninvolved bystander, is that Brian lost sight of the bigger picture here and he could have handled it a lot better, while still accomplishing the same thing. He'd have come off less like a spoiled kid and more like a professional. I don't know Brian so I can't say he had ill intentions all along, but it comes off that way, whether he meant it to or not and whether he did or not. I would not go as far as many of you did in the comments on the last post, but I still think Brian blew it and his "I stuck to the exact terms of the contract and that's that" attitude really hurts him more than the act itself. Right or not, it's often about perception and not about facts. That's a lesson I have learned and forgotten and relearned many times, so it's close to my heart. Being right is great. Being perceived as being right is better.

Brian Ball responds to xPad developer's claims originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech announces X-240 computer speakers with iPod cradle

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST

Looks like Logitech has another set of computer speakers in the works. No surprise there, right? But the X-240 speaker system is more than just speakers. This time they've added a "control center" that includes audio controls and a headphone jack as well as a charge/sync/play cradle for your iPod, PDA, mobile phone or other DAP. The X-240 also includes specialized adapters for both the iPod and the Zune to provide a custom fit as well as to help manage cable clutter.

Of course you can still use the speakers without connecting an iPod or anything else to them, but why would you want to? Look for them to ship this spring for under $50.

Logitech announces X-240 computer speakers with iPod cradle originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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xPad developer says macZOT and Brian Ball ripped him off.

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:00:00 EST

Since MacHeist is over, we need a new punching bag in the indie Mac developer arena, right? Last week Mac App a Day crashed and burned in a predictable fiery death. Now macZOT - or at least one of the key players behind macZOT - faces some scrutiny over a licensing deal he made with the original developer of xPad.

The gist of it is that - according to Garrett Murray, the aforementioned xPad developer - Brian Ball screwed him out of over $4,000 in a rather unprofessional and weasily way. There's a slight catch, however, in that the way Brian got out of honoring a gentleman's agreement was by using the loophole that Garrett himself put in the contract! Oops.

Read Garrett's side of the story in detail on his blog (ahem... before you comment, please?) and decide for yourself whether he got played or not. Despite the very stupid mistake Garrett made by having a loophole in his contract that clearly had so much potential for misuse and disaster, I'm still taking his side on this one. I think Brian played dirty pool and that kind of behavior really shouldn't be rewarded, whether it's technically playing by the rules or not.

The end result - no matter whose side you take on this one - is the xPad is now free for all and anyone who paid Garrett for it, since November '06 when it defaulted back to him, is getting a refund.

Something tells me Brian also just got added to MacSanta's "naughty" list.

UPDATE: My follow-up and comments from Brian can be found in "Ball responds to xPad developer's claims."

Thanks Chris and Ryan!

xPad developer says macZOT and Brian Ball ripped him off. originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Software Update: iChat Update 1.0 for Tiger

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:45:00 EST

Apple just rolled out iChat Update 1.0 for Tiger on both Intel and PPC platforms.

Apple says: "This update renews the .Mac certificate required by iChat for encrypting text, audio and video conferences. For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304899."

Obvious enough, but I like to be thorough so I visited that website, as Apple suggested, to see if there was more to learn. Nope, nothing there yet. That page says "This update renews the .Mac certificate required by iChat for encrypting text, audio, and video conferences. This document will be updated as more information becomes available." Hmmm... Ok then. I can take a hint.

UPDATE: I was remiss in not warning you all that a restart is required after this update. Why? I have no idea. I generally just force-quit Software Update and continue on with my business until it's convenient for me to restart...

Thanks, nevrozel and everyone else who sent this in!

Software Update: iChat Update 1.0 for Tiger originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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i'Coo baby stroller Made for iPod

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes an iPod in the baby carriage! We've blogged about iPod-enabled strollers (or prams, if you prefer) before, but it's been a while, so let's revisit the concept, shall we? The point of an iPod combined with a stroller is not to tune out your screaming kid - got that? The point is to entertain the kid. I think. I hope!

The Pico-iPod from i'Coo appears to be more than just a stylin' stroller. It's a whole line of iPod-enabled baby paraphernalia including a car seat, diaper bag and something called a cosycoon, which I can't quite figure out... is it intended to hold your baby or just your baby's stuff? Regardless, it all looks pretty cool and if I had a baby I would totally wheel him or her around town in that stroller, iPod and all.

The hood (or canopy, if you prefer) has a built-in iPod dock, volume controls and speakers so you and your baby can rock out while you run your errands. Other details are scarce, but it will be available in both black and white and it looks like the same thing that RockStarBaby was showing off a few months ago. Based on the prices I found for other i'Coo strollers, I'd say these will probably go for about $300 USD. Ouch.

Thanks, zxspectrum!

i'Coo baby stroller Made for iPod originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leopard makes an Amazon appearance

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:30:00 EST

Apple's next-gen OS, Mac OS X 10.5, aka Leopard, is expected to ship in Spring '07. This is not a secret. But somehow we feel better when Amazon confirms it for us. As Nelson pointed out in the iWork '07 on Amazon comments, they are already listing Leopard with a note that says "Scheduled to ship in spring 2007."

Amazon is conveniently offering to email you when it's available for purchase. I guess Mac lovers who plan to be in hibernation for the next 3 months might need that.

Thanks Sean and Nelson!

Leopard makes an Amazon appearance originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OWC and Axiotron announce the ModBook, a Mac-based tablet computer

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST

A Mac Tablet? Seriously? Seriously!

OWC is well known for their iPod solutions, Mac CPU upgrades and Firewire hard drives, but they will now be known as the folks who brought us a real Mac tablet solution. On Jan 9th they, along with their manufacturing partner Axiotron, will unveil the ModBook, a "high-end slate-style notebook computer solution" featuring WACOM Penenabled hardware that is fully compatible with Apple's Inkwell handwriting and gesture recognition technology, allowing you to write and draw directly on the screen. There's even a built-in GPS option available!

Full details won't be available until their press conference at Macworld Expo on Jan 9th, but here's the official teaser to hold you over: "Engineered in the U.S. by a renowned team of German and American designers, the ModBook's condensed form factor and integrated pen-based user experience makes it the ultimate solution for applications and situations where a keyboard only gets in the way. Ideal for: Mobile Users, Business Professionals, Artists, Students, and Technology Leaders!"

We will be at the unveiling, of course and promise to have lots of pics and details as they unfold! And if you're attending Macworld yourself, you can stop by Booth: S2218 for a hands-on trial!

UPDATE: We hear from OWC that the ModBook will initially be offered as a turnkey solution., but it will be offered fas an after-market mod solution at a later date (TBA). The turnkey ModBook will come standard with a 1 Year Warranty similar to Apple's and with a similar Applecare like extension program offered as well.

[obDisclaimer: I have close ties to OWC, but my excitement about this product is quite sincere!]

OWC and Axiotron announce the ModBook, a Mac-based tablet computer originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How many iPods is too many?

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 11:30:00 EST

You may think it's strange that I own eight iPods, but this MSNBC story tells me I'm not alone in thinking that there's no such thing as "too many iPods."

As the story points out, different iPods are better suited for different purposes - much like shoes.

My iPod (video) is more useful to me as a portable, digital photo album and video device, as well as for backup of my whole iTunes library, but less useful for every day music listening since it's bulkier than my iPod nano. While my iPod shuffle is better suited for the gym and my iPod photo is best for road trips since most of my car accessories work with it. What do I do with the rest of my iPods? I received my Crystalmini as a gift, and it only leaves the house for special occasions. My original 5GB iPod has a 20hr battery in it, but the scrollwheel is a bit wonky so it doesn't get much use. My 20GB 3rd Gen iPod never brought me much joy and it now used mostly as a portable hard drive. My other iPod shuffle is now on permanent loan to hubby. And honestly, other iPods come and go all the time. When a new iPod comes out, I buy it and try it out and yes - even take it apart. I have to. It's my job to know what's inside so I can better support them when my clients buy them.

But enough about my own iPod menagerie... as iPods become more and more ubiquitous, I bet many of you have more than one and probably have even more of them in your future. So tell me, how many iPods do you currently have, and what are you using them for?

How many iPods is too many? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screen Sieve

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:00:00 EST

Yellow Lemon Software recently introduced Screen Sieve, a new screen-searching utility for Mac OS X. Screen Sieve is one of those apps you don't really "get" until you start using it. It allows you to perform a search within any window in any application that supports Accessibility in Mac OS X - and most apps do. When invoked (the default hotkey is Command-Option-Return [??Return] ), you start typing what you are looking for and Screen Sieve will fade your display and highlight all instances of what you're typing. Not just text, either. It'll look at images, buttons and other objects, too. It's kind of like what happens when you type into the little search box up top while you're in System Preferences - except it works everywhere else and it's customizable. Check out the short demo movie if you're having trouble visualizing it.

You'll need Mac OS X 10.4.x to use it and you'll also need to check the box that says "Enable Access for Assistive Devices" in the Universal Access system preference pane. As an added bonus it's Universal Binary and donationware, which is similar to free, depending on what kind of mood you're in.

Warning - if you use SoHo Notes, the default shortcut for Show QuickNote is ??Return as well so you'll need to change the hotkeys in one (or both) of these apps so they don't conflict.

Screen Sieve originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mozilla unleashes Firefox 2.0.0.1

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:00:00 EST

Firefox, the web browser that needs no further introduction, has been updated to version 2.0.0.1. This update includes a few security patches and also adds general support for Windows Vista, which I have to keep reminding myself is somewhat relevant to a Mac-themed blog now!

Grab a copy for your favorite OS (if your favorite is a not-too-ancient flavor of Mac OS X, Windows or Linux), in your native tongue (ok, not every language is there, but it's a broad sweep), on the Mozilla's downloads page.

Mozilla unleashes Firefox 2.0.0.1 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Software Update: Apple Security Update 2006-008

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:00:00 EST

For your downloading pleasure, Apple presents Security Update 2006-008 (PPC and UB). Both weigh in at under 2MB and require Mac OS X 10.4.8 (client or server). You can grab this patch from Apple's downloads page or from Software Update.

According to Apple, this patch "improves the security of Quartz Composer and QuickTime for Java." Specifically, it patches a vulnerability that may lead to "information disclosure" when visiting a malicious website (aka phishing site). Complete details on the flaw can be found in Apple's Kbase.

Mike and I were curious about why there's both a PPC and a UB version. Seems redundant since UB means it works on both PPC and Intel. Turns out it's not truly "universal." As Mike noticed first, the System Requirements state that it's Universal for 10.4.8 Server, but 10.48 Client is Intel-only. Hence the standalone PPC-only download (which can be used on client or server.) Would still be nice to streamline this a bit more.

Faithful guinea pigs, please report your experience with this update below!

Software Update: Apple Security Update 2006-008 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Office v. X for Mac Update (2006-12-19)

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:45:00 EST

Unlike Office 2004, Office v. X updates don't always get named with version numbers. Office v.X updates often just get named with dates. I'm not sure which I prefer - I only wish it was consistent.
No matter what you call it, the Microsoft Office v. X for Mac Update (2006-12-19) is what Microsoft calls it and it is available now. The updates only affects PowerPoint. Specifically, "this update fixes an issue that causes PowerPoint to quit unexpectedly when you open a presentation."

I thank a higher power every single day that I don't have to use PowerPoint to do my job. I'm sorry if you do.

You'll need to have the make sure that the Microsoft Office v. X for Mac 10.1.8 Update already installed before you can install this patch and when you're done, your PowerPoint will now show up as Microsoft PowerPoint 10.1.9 (build 061018). Why they couldn't just name the updater "Office v. X 10.1.9 Update" is beyond me.

Microsoft Office v. X for Mac Update (2006-12-19) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.2 Update

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:30:00 EST

After being punked on the Office 2004 11.3.1 update, I'm guessing there won't be a mad dash to grab the Office 2004 11.3.2 update, but just in case you have a change of heart -- the Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.2 Update claims to offer "several improvements for PowerPoint and Entourage" and is recommended for all Office 2004 users. But it doesn't appear to address any of the security issues that 11.3.1 was supposed to address before 11.3.1 was disappeared.

Specific Improvements from the Read Me:

PowerPoint 2004
Stability is improved -- This update fixes an issue that causes PowerPoint to quit unexpectedly when you open a presentation.

Entourage 2004
Contact names that contain special characters are handled correctly -- This update fixes an issue that causes meeting requests to display incorrectly when sent to contacts with names that contain single quotation marks ('), double quotation marks ("), and parentheses.

Public folder messages are not duplicated -- This update fixes an issue that causes duplicate messages to appear in public folders.

Compatibility with Mirapoint Message Server is improved -- This update fixes an issue that causes Entourage to quit unexpectedly when accessing mail folders on a Mirapoint Message Server.

If you decide to proceed, make sure you're at Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.0 Update already, because 11.3.2 is not a "combo" updater. And since Office Updates change the version number on some Office apps, but not all Office apps, the best way confirm what version you actually have is to check the version number of the Microsoft Component Plugin file in the Microsoft Office 2004 folder, which is always updated even if other apps aren't.

Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.2 Update originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera 9.1 adds phishing protection

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST

Opera Software's "alternative" web browser, aptly named Opera, hit version 9.10 yesterday. The only new feature of note is the anti-phishing filter they've added, but this release also includes bug fixes aplenty. Opera is still free (although @29 USD will buy you "premium support" via email), it's Universal Binary and you'll need OS X 10.3.9 or later to check it out.

Opera has never "felt" right to me on the Mac, so I rarely turn to it, although I do keep a copy handy in my Apps folder for special occasions. That shouldn't and won't stop you from using it, though. For what it's worth, I do like the Opera Mini browser on my Blackberry.

Opera 9.1 adds phishing protection originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Gizmodo says iPhone coming Monday

Laurie A. Duncan — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:30:00 EST

Do the kids at Gizmodo know something our brothers and sisters at Engadget don't?

Brian Lam says:

"Gizmodo Knows: iPhone Will Be Announced On Monday. I guarantee it. It isn't what I expected at all. And I've already said too much."

Read into that what you will. First thing I notice is the lack of the word "Apple," other than in the tags. Sure, an iPhone could be coming Monday - but is it the iPhone. The only true iPhone is one from Apple. You must forsake all others.

Or maybe they've actually got the goods this time? Tune in Monday to find out and discuss amongst yourselves in the interim.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Rumor: Gizmodo says iPhone coming Monday originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 14 Dec 2006 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft Security Response Center says yesterday's Office Updates were a "mistake"

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:00:00 EST

The following post appears now on the Microsoft Security Response Center blog, in response to the disppearing Office security updates.

Information on accidental posting of pre-release security updates for Office for Mac

We've seen some questions from customers about some security updates that posted for a while today for Office for Mac that they didn't see any security bulletins for.

I wanted to let you know that these weren't security updates related to this month's release or the two Word issues we've written about in Security Advisory 929433 and on our weblog: those investigations are still underway and we'll release updates for those issues once we've met the appropriate quality bar. The updates posted in error were pre-release binaries that had been staged internally as part of our testing for an upcoming release. Due to human error, they were accidentally published to the public websites before our full testing release process was complete. As soon as we discovered the error, we moved quickly to address it and remove the pre-release binaries from our public sites. Once our investigation into this issue is complete and we have security updates that meet our quality bar for release, we'll release those final security updates for all products affected along with a security bulletin. We're also taking steps to ensure a mistake like this doesn't happen again. We recommend that anyone who may have installed these pre-release updates to uninstall them. I'm sorry for any confusion this might have caused.

Thanks.
Mike

*This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. *
Published Wednesday, December 13, 2006 2:09 AM by MSRCTEAM

Well isn't that lovely? By the way - there is no way to "uninstall" an Office update. If you did install the update that briefly appeared yesterday, the only way to revert is to restore your Microsoft Office application folder from a recent backup or just drag a fresh copy from your original Office install CD, and then apply the most recent available updates (recent as of the day before yesterday, that is). If you did install the update before it was pulled yesterday, and you don't notice any problems, you could just wait it out until the next valid update is released.

Thanks, Steve!

Microsoft Security Response Center says yesterday's Office Updates were a "mistake" originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Microsoft releases, then pulls, Office 2004 11.3.1 and Office v.X 10.1.9 updates

Laurie A. Duncan — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 09:00:00 EST

For a brief period of time yesterday, there were updates for Office v.X as well as Office 2004 available on Microsoft's website as well as via Microsoft AutoUpdate. Both releases contained "several updates to enhance security and stability, including fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer's memory with malicious code."

For a while, the patches were still showing up when you ran AutoUpdate, but the Download links on this page and this page produced 404 Not Found errors. The links still go 404, and now the updates aren't showing on AutoUpdate either. Both updates are still listed here, but you'll still end up in the land of 404 if you follow the breadcrumbs.

Has Microsoft pulled the updates intentionally because they found a bug in the updates or updaters themselves (release early, test late?) or has the file server simply "misplaced" them? Should the folks who already updated yesterday from AutoUpdate be worried? Should the folks still waiting for the update be worried? Somehow I doubt that whole icon thing is responsible for knocking the Mac BU this much off their game. So what's up, Mac BU?

If and when Microsoft resumes its update schedule, we'll let you know. Meanwhile, try not to associate with any known malicious hackers.

UPDATED 11:00am ET: Please see "Microsoft Security Response Center says yesterday's Office Updates were a mistake"

Microsoft releases, then pulls, Office 2004 11.3.1 and Office v.X 10.1.9 updates originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iGlove Multi iPod gloves

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:00:00 EST

We've mentioned the Tavo iPod gloves before, but if you want something a little bulkier - and warmer, from the looks of them, check out the iGlove Multi from Marmot. The iGlove Multi (we're really not sure what the "multi" is supposed to mean) is a pair of fleece gloves that are "Click Wheel compatible." They claim to be warm enough to wear by themselves, but thin enough to wear as a liner under your even warmer gloves.

So what the heck makes them "Click Wheel compatible?" Glad you asked. The iGlove Multi uses the patent pending Playpoint[TM] technology on the thumb and forefinger tips, which apparently makes for better Click Wheel contact than your wool mittens. The rest of the glove features silicon printing for enhanced grip and durability.

I like the concept of an iPod-friendly glove, in general, but I'd rather see a glove with a warm, snuggly, waterproof iPod pocket built-in and those fancy fabric iPod controls on top. Now that would be a sweet way to hit the slopes.

[via Uncrate]

iGlove Multi iPod gloves originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Widget Watch: Simpsons Movie Countdown

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:00:00 EST

This one's for you Simpsons fans. The Simpsons Movie is coming to a theater near you on July 27, 2007. What better way to pass the time between now and then, than to stare at this Simpsons Movie Countdown widget! Unfortunately, it doesn't countdown minutes, hours and seconds - only days. Handy, nonetheless. 227 days to go!

Widget Watch: Simpsons Movie Countdown originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iProjector: video projector with built-in iPod dock

Laurie A. Duncan — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST

Here's another convincing reason your boss should buy you an iPod. The iProjector is a video projector with a built-in iPod dock. And that dock isn't just for show - with your iPod inserted you can project your videos directly onto your conference room or home theater screen. The dock also charges your iPod battery and if your video source happens to be a plain old DVD player, gaming console or computer - heck, you can attach those things too.

The iProjector is scheduled to debut at CES 2007 and is brought to us by Ion Audio, makers of the ITTUSB Turntable, which I happen to love.

Here's what we know about the iProjector so far: It works with iPod with video, iPod photo and iPod nano, supports SVGA 800x600 native resolution, 24-bit color, 1000 ANSI lumens brightness and throws a projection size of 30 inches by 90 inches. Not too shabby! What we don't know yet is the price. Stay tuned till January!

[via DVGuru]

Thanks, David!

iProjector: video projector with built-in iPod dock originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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