The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.tuaw.com The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gif The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) http://www.tuaw.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Navigon briefly cutting price on its popular Nav app]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/navigon-briefly-cutting-price-on-its-popular-nav-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/navigon-briefly-cutting-price-on-its-popular-nav-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/navigon-briefly-cutting-price-on-its-popular-nav-app/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gee, we were just saying how competitive it is getting in the iPhone nav department, and Navigon has gone and cut prices for holiday travelers.

For 10 days only, beginning today (November 20-30) Navigon's iPhone app, Mobile Navigator [iTunes link]will be on sale for U.S. $69.99 instead of $89.99 providing a $20.00 savings. In addition, Navigon's Traffic Live feature is also on sale for $14.99 instead of $24.99. Traffic Live is a one time charge, not a continuing cost.

That's a significant saving for this very popular app, and puts it under similar featured apps from TomTom ($99.99) and Magellan ($79.99).

In my tests of the Navigon app I have found it accurate, and it has a superior user interface that is easy to use. Of course you shouldn't be looking at it while you are driving, and the text to speech does an excellent job of helping you keep your eyes on the road.

The Live Traffic feature will route you around major traffic congestion and adjust your ETA times.

It's nice to see prices heading south on some of these GPS packages. Now you'll be able to head south (or north, or any direction really) for less money and with more features. Have a safe trip.

TUAWNavigon briefly cutting price on its popular Nav app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPShgglive traffic iphoneLiveTrafficIphoneMobile NavigatornavigationNavigonsale priceFri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[TomTom delivers promised iPhone update]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/tomtom-delivers-promised-iphone-update/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/tomtom-delivers-promised-iphone-update/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/tomtom-delivers-promised-iphone-update/#commentsFiled under: , ,

TUAW told you it was coming, and it has arrived. TomTom has updated its U.S. GPS navigation app [US$99.99, iTunes link] and added text-to-speech, advanced lane guidance, and a 'help me' feature for use in emergencies.

TomTom has been a little late to the text-to-speech party, with most competitors already offering this important function. Magellan has now jumped into the game with a very nice nav app as well, and at an introductory price that undercuts the TomTom app by twenty bucks.

All of the major navigation apps for the iPhone are quickly approaching feature parity. At this point, your main decision is whether you want the data streamed to your phone (as the AT&T app does), or have maps and data built into the app (like TomTom, Navigon, Magellan and some others).

Looming over whatever decision you make is trying to figure out if Apple will ever allow the Google turn-by-turn navigation app into the app store. It's going to be free, and Google says it wants the app to be on the iPhone. Of course things haven't been going swimmingly between Google and Apple of late (Google Voice, Android competition), so it's just a guess as to how that will all turn out.

If you need a navigation app in order to get to Grandma's house for the holidays, it's probably a good time to buy one. However, If you're willing to wait for the possibility of Google's free turn-by-turn nav app making it to the iPhone, you might be rewarded for your patience.

TUAWTomTom delivers promised iPhone update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appGPSnavigationtext to speechTomTomThu, 19 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T loses first round in battle over Verizon ads]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/atandt-loses-first-round-in-battle-over-verizon-ads/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/atandt-loses-first-round-in-battle-over-verizon-ads/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/atandt-loses-first-round-in-battle-over-verizon-ads/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Associated Press is reporting that an Atlanta Federal judge has denied an AT&T request to pull the Verizon 'there's a map for that' ads.

The judge has set a December 16th hearing to give AT&T another chance to make a case.

AT&T filed suit earlier this month looking for a temporary restraining order to stop the ads, and wanted a permanent injunction to halt them. The ads say that the AT&T network is not up to the quality or range of the Verizon network, and shows two coverage maps to make the point. AT&T claims the maps are misleading, and injures the company reputation.

Verizon has said the commercials are truthful and accurate.

The case pits the two communication giants against each other as they fight for increasing shares of the mobile market. AT&T has an exclusive on the iPhone, and that has brought AT&T an increasingly growing share of mobile customers.

Verizon was reportedly offered an exclusive on the iPhone more than 2 years ago but turned it down. There have been sporadic reports that Verizon would like to get the iPhone back when the AT&T contract expires, but with some Verizon ads targeting the iPhone as well as AT&T that looks to be increasingly unlikely.


TUAWAT&T loses first round in battle over Verizon ads originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>atTiPhonenetworkVerizonWed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Magellan car kit detailed at FCC filing]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/magellan-car-kit-detailed-at-fcc-filing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/magellan-car-kit-detailed-at-fcc-filing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/magellan-car-kit-detailed-at-fcc-filing/#commentsFiled under: ,

That was fast. We just learned Magellan was going to offer a car kit for the iPhone and it has already hit the FCC. GPSTracklog.com has a detailed drawing of the new device, and it looks to be quite complete. Magellan has said the kit will be on sale before the end of the year, and even give the iPod touch full nav capabilities.

The car kit is supposed to allow any iPhone GPS app to work with it, so you're not limited to the Magellan app. It works in portrait or landscape mode, and has a speaker for hearing directions and also link to your iPhone for Bluetooth based calls.

The Magellan Roadmate app itself [iTunes link] has a boatload of good features, and we're anxious to get our hands on the app for a full test. Holiday travelers will have a lot of good choices for navigating to your destinations. Remember when we thought the plain old Google Maps app was cool?

Thanks to Rich for the tip.

[via GPSTracklog.com]

TUAWMagellan car kit detailed at FCC filing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car kitGPSiPhoneiPod touchMagellan RoadmateMagellanRoadmatenavigationWed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Verizon to AT&T- 'The Truth Hurts']]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/verizon-to-atandt-the-truth-hurts/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/verizon-to-atandt-the-truth-hurts/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/verizon-to-atandt-the-truth-hurts/#commentsFiled under: ,

Verizon isn't fazed by the AT&T legal claims that the Verizon ads attacking poor coverage are false and misleading. Our sister site Engadget broke the story of the Verizon response to the suit and you can read the it here.

Verizon isn't pulling any punches and says "AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon's "There's A Map For That" advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon's ads are true and the truth hurts."

Then to drive home the point:

"In the final analysis, AT&T seeks emergency relief because Verizon's side-by-side, apples-to-apples comparison of its own 3G coverage with AT&T's confirms what the marketplace has been saying for months: AT&T failed to invest adequately in the necessary infrastructure to expand its 3G coverage to support its growth in smartphone business, and the usefulness of its service to smartphone users has suffered accordingly."

Ouch!

This latest salvo follows AT&T sending a message to customers complaining about the Verizon ads and telling customers their coverage is great, that they sell more smartphones than Verizon and that the AT&T 3G network is faster. So there.

Well AT&T, your move. It's great for the lawyers, and actually, we admit we just love the spectacle.

TUAWVerizon to AT&T- 'The Truth Hurts' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ATTcoverageiPhonenetworksVerizonTue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Magellan enters the iPhone nav app sweepstakes]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/magellan-enters-the-iphone-nav-app-sweepstakes/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/magellan-enters-the-iphone-nav-app-sweepstakes/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/magellan-enters-the-iphone-nav-app-sweepstakes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I guess it was inevitable. Magellan has just launched an iPhone app that looks great and will offer road warriors even more choice in a very competitive landscape.

The Magellan Roadmate 2010 North America is being offered for a 'limited time' for U.S. 79.99. [iTunes link] The 1.36 GB app includes the usual features plus text-to-speech for pronouncing street names, a car finding feature for when you park, pedestrian mode, lane assist, 3D landmarks, in-app music control, address book integration and an intuitive one touch menu system.

With the Magellan offering, all the big navigation companies have a cell phone product. TomTom is on the iPhone along with Navigon, and Garmin has a cell phone/ nav app hardware solution that hasn't exactly caught on fire with consumers. Then there is the 'will it or won't it appear on the iPhone' Google app.

Also interesting is that Magellan has announced a Premium Car Kit that will allow you to keep your iPhone in your current case, charge your phone, give you a bluetooth speaker phone, allow an iPod touch to work as a GPS, and it is supposed to function with any nav app. No price or specific launch date for the car kit, but it's supposed to be available before the end of this year.

We'll get a review copy of the Magellan app ASAP and give it our usual whirl around town. The more choice the better for iPhone users, and the new features on this Magellan app are most welcome.

[Thanks to David for the tip]

TUAWMagellan enters the iPhone nav app sweepstakes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStoreGPShggiPhoneMagellan RoadmateMagellanRoadmatenavigationtext to speechMon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sonos adds a portable music player with room filling sound]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/sonos-adds-a-portable-music-player-with-room-filling-sound/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/sonos-adds-a-portable-music-player-with-room-filling-sound/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/sonos-adds-a-portable-music-player-with-room-filling-sound/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sonos, best known for wireless music systems that link to your iTunes library and internet services like Pandora, Rhapsody and Napster, is offering a one piece, 5 speaker system that can be placed in any room. It's called the Zone Player S5 and it's US $399 direct from Sonos or dealers around the country.

Sonos shipped me a review system to try for 30 days, and I thought the sound was great. I already had a mutli-room Sonos system so adding the new portable player was just a matter of plugging it into AC power and pressing two buttons on the S5.

If you don't already have a Sonos system, you have to plug your unit into a router to connect to your music library and the internet. If that doesn't work in your home layout, you can buy what Sonos calls a Zone Bridge (US $99) that plugs into your router and lets the S5 make a wireless connection. Once that basic pairing is made, you can add as many other Sonos music systems as you like, all connecting over a wireless mesh network.

The system sounds quite good, given the limits of the small desktop-friendly size (8.5 x 14.4 x 4.8 inches). There are 5 speakers, two tweeters, two 3" mid-range drivers, and one 3.5" woofer all driven by individual amplifiers. The woofer is a ducted port design and the rear port serves double duty as a carrying handle.

Continue reading Sonos adds a portable music player with room filling sound

TUAWSonos adds a portable music player with room filling sound originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hggiTunesmusicSonos S5SonosS5wireless music systemsSat, 14 Nov 2009 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Whoa! AT&T has had enough of the Verizon slams]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/whoa-atandt-has-had-enough-of-the-verizon-slams/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/whoa-atandt-has-had-enough-of-the-verizon-slams/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/whoa-atandt-has-had-enough-of-the-verizon-slams/#commentsFiled under: ,

AT&T is clearly not going to take it anymore. Today, they blasted back at Verizon for the nasty ads about AT&T coverage.

In a press release today, the communications giant pulled out all the stops:

"AT&T's wireless data coverage reaches 303 million people - or 97% of the U.S. population, where they live and work.

AT&T is the #1 network for smartphones, with twice the number of smartphone customers than Verizon, our closest competitor. Some of the reasons include:

Most popular smartphones. Unlike Verizon, AT&T offers the most popular smartphones in the industry.

More wireless apps. Unlike Verizon, AT&T customers have access to more than 100,000 applications, more than with any other wireless company.

Talk and E-mail at the same time. Unlike Verizon, AT&T's 3G network lets wireless customers simultaneously talk and surf the web or do e-mail.

Fastest 3G in the nation. Unlike Verizon, AT&T has the nation's fastest 3G network."

It's a bold move to respond to someone doing a number on you. Microsoft tried to counter Apple pricing with mixed reviews, and AT&T, unlike Apple, has a lot of unhappy customers. This will be fun to watch, but one wishes AT&T was improving service and features (tethering anyone?) instead of getting into these lawsuits and public mud baths.

TUAWWhoa! AT&T has had enough of the Verizon slams originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ATTcoverageihonelawsuitsVerizonFri, 13 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[It's about time: TomTom submits updated nav app to Apple]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/its-about-time-tomtom-submits-updated-nav-app-to-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/its-about-time-tomtom-submits-updated-nav-app-to-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/its-about-time-tomtom-submits-updated-nav-app-to-apple/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Very welcome news for owners of the TomTom iPhone nav app [iTunes link for U.S. version]; the company has announced a free update that includes many of the features that people were craving.
  • Advanced lane guidance giving drivers extra clarity when navigating difficult junctions. For the first time this is in both landscape and portrait mode.
  • Text-to-speech helping motorists to keep their eyes on the road by enabling street names and places to be read aloud as part of the spoken instructions.
  • "Help Me" providing direct access to emergency numbers and directions to the nearest emergency providers.
  • Updated map and safety camera database (Europe only)
  • Customizable audio warnings when approaching safety cameras or driving over the speed limit, increasing driver safety and saving money.
  • iPod player control ensuring drivers can conveniently control their music from within the application.
TomTom submitted the new version to Apple yesterday, and as usual, it's anybody's guess when it will emerge. It won't be fast enough for TomTom owners, who have seen their app fall behind the feature rich Navigon app and other GPS offerings.

The joker in this particular deck is still the free Google Navigation app, which is trying to get onto the iPhone and will have a gaggle of features no one else is offering.

[via Engadget]

TUAWIt's about time: TomTom submits updated nav app to Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPShggnavigationNavigontext to speechTomTomFri, 13 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[A trip around town with Traffic Live from Navigon]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/a-trip-around-town-with-traffic-live-from-navigon/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/a-trip-around-town-with-traffic-live-from-navigon/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/a-trip-around-town-with-traffic-live-from-navigon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I've already reported on the updated Navigon iPhone app, [iTunes link] and noted that live traffic info was now included as an in-app purchase. I've spent the last 2 days driving around town testing it, and it works as advertised -- but perhaps in not as many places as I would have hoped.

Here in Southern Arizona, there were very few traffic updates, so I set a destination for Phoenix and had lots of information. Clearly, Navigon is not always sourcing information from smaller U.S. cities.

As a comparison, I tried the traffic info built into my car nav system, and it displayed 9 nearby traffic incidents, some as close as 4 miles away. At the same time, the nearest traffic incident I got from Navigon was 94 miles away in the Phoenix metro area.

It was odd, because both systems source a lot of the same places (like Clear Channel Radio) for information. On the other hand, the traffic info from Navigon was more detailed, with nice close-up maps of the trouble areas.

I like everything about the Navigon app. The graphics are first rate. It automatically changes to night view, the text to speech voice is very clear in a noisy car, and the map doesn't lag from my actual position.

The traffic option is US$19.99 as a one time payment, and not overpriced in my view. My only caution is you may not get much information if you are not in the large metro areas, and it would be nice if Navigon posted where good traffic information is available.

For those in the bigger cities, it's a nice addition at a reasonable price.

TUAWA trip around town with Traffic Live from Navigon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPSiPhonenavigationNavigontrafficThu, 12 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gartner: iPhone has 17.1% of worldwide smartphone sales]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/gartner-iphone-has-17-1-of-worldwide-smartphone-sales/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/gartner-iphone-has-17-1-of-worldwide-smartphone-sales/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/12/gartner-iphone-has-17-1-of-worldwide-smartphone-sales/#commentsFiled under: , ,

iPhone sales are up more than 4% from a year ago, while the leading smartphone seller, Nokia, is down 3% from a year ago. That's the word from Gartner Research today as they survey 3rd quarter sales.

According to Gartner research:

Apple's worldwide smartphone share reached 17 per cent as iPhone sales totalled 7 million units in the third quarter of 2009 following the continued rollout of the iPhone 3GS in new countries. Its ASP (average selling price) is holding steady and sales in the fourth quarter should be even stronger as Apple starts selling in China, through one additional carrier in the UK, and in an additional 16 countries.

Sales of Windows smartphones had another quarterly decline, with Windows Mobile 6.5 appearing too late to factor into the accounting.

For a company that was dismissed two years ago for not having any experience in building phones, Apple seems to doing more than just OK. By the same token, the competition from the new Droid from Verizon should keep Apple innovating.

TUAWGartner: iPhone has 17.1% of worldwide smartphone sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GartneriPhonemarket sharenewsretail salessalesThu, 12 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Navigon updates again - adds live traffic]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/navigon-updates-again-adds-live-traffic/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/navigon-updates-again-adds-live-traffic/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/navigon-updates-again-adds-live-traffic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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.

TUAWNavigon updates again - adds live traffic originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPShgglive trafficnavigationNavigonTue, 10 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MobileMe is MobileSlow today]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/mobileme-is-mobileslow-today/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/mobileme-is-mobileslow-today/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/mobileme-is-mobileslow-today/#commentsFiled under: ,

Several of my colleagues here at TUAW and other people around the country are seeing some slowness and timeouts from MobileMe mail today.

The web interface seems to be working faster than the Apple Mail app, but even the web is slow. No communication from Apple support about what the problem is, but something clearly is wrong for some customers. Others may be doing fine.

I'm not seeing any reports from users on the Apple support board yet, but I expect they'll be flowing soon. Several MobileMe customers are seeing repeated timeouts from Apple servers.

Hopefully this will be just a short lived glitch, and not an epic failure.

Update: Service seems to have been restored for as of 3:15 EST, but still no word on the MobileMe support site.


TUAWMobileMe is MobileSlow today originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mailMobileMeMon, 09 Nov 2009 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Orb has landed for Intel Macs]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/orb-has-landed-for-intel-macs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/orb-has-landed-for-intel-macs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/orb-has-landed-for-intel-macs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you are a sometime PC user you probably know about Orb, a multimedia sharing tool that allows you to access your media from anywhere you have an internet connection and a browser. Now, Orb has come to the Mac and it's got great possibilities -- but it's a mixed bag in terms of reliability.

You can download Orb for free, and set up a no-cost account. The software will index your iPhoto libraries, as well as your iTunes library, both audio and video.

You can then log into your Orb account on any other computer, fire up a browser, and play your media files. Orb has also had an iPhone app that logs you in and gets your media as well. It's been available for a long time, but only would work with a PC-based host. Now your Mac is accessible too.

Orb still lacks a few features you can get on the PC version. One big one is it won't talk to a TV tuner, so you can't look at live video from home on another computer. I expect this will be coming in short order. You can share media with others from the Orb website. They will need a free account, but they can watch a movie or listen to music or view photos just as you do.

Continue reading Orb has landed for Intel Macs

TUAWOrb has landed for Intel Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hggiPhoneiPhotoiTunesmultimediaOrbOrbLivestreamingMon, 09 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Is the Magic Mouse a dog?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/is-the-magic-mouse-a-dog/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/is-the-magic-mouse-a-dog/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/is-the-magic-mouse-a-dog/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

For some Magic Mouse users, the streamlined human interface device is not only a dog, but a dog that pees on the carpet, smells bad, and barks continuously. Apple support boards are beginning to fill up with complaints about tracking issues and Bluetooth disconnects. There are also complaints about the lack of a third mouse button, and some all-too-early hardware failures.

I liked the Magic Mouse when I saw it at my local Apple Store, so I took one home for my Mac Pro. It seemed to work for awhile, but now it is very erratic at tracking and speed, even when MouseZoom is installed. Its Bluetooth connection has dropped several times, and it either comes back after a long wait or simply fails to connect again.

When I moved back to my wired Apple mouse, I found that I had actually preferred the form factor of the Magic Mouse, and I missed the button-less scroll wheel.

The Magic Mouse seems to be working fine for many users, but there are some hints that the little rodents are having trouble with some older hardware. My 2006 Intel-based Mac Pro may be one of the computers at issue.

Apple will hopefully issue a software update, if that is the problem. In my case, the only magic I'm going to see from the Magic Mouse is when it disappears from my desktop.

How is it going for you?

TUAWIs the Magic Mouse a dog? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothMagic MouseMagicMousetrackingSun, 08 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Gokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/gokivo-updates-navigation-app-for-iphone-lowers-the-price/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Several readers have urged me to try the Gokivo Navigator for the iPhone [iTunes link], so today is the day. The app is U.S. $4.99, but that only provides you with GPS navigation for 30 days. After that, the app costs $4.99 monthly or you can purchase a year of service for $39.99. That's quite a bit less that the AT&T nav solution [iTunes link], and makes the Gokivo app quite competitive. The app includes a Traffic Tracking Center, text to speech so street names are announced as you drive, and it has iPod controls so you don't have to leave the app to change your music.

Like the AT&T app, if you are out of range of the data network, you won't get maps. And like most of the competition, Gokivo gives you an estimated time of arrival, distance to your destination, and your current speed.

The map doesn't work in landscape view, which I consider a strong negative. It's easy to navigate to your addresses in your Contacts app, and the feature is nicely integrated.

Continue reading Gokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price

TUAWGokivo updates navigation app for iPhone, lowers the price originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GokivogpshggiPhonenavigationSat, 07 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[CoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and maps]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/copilot-live-for-iphone-updates-features-and-maps/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're seeing a lot of updates to navigation applications, and the latest is for the CoPilot Live app [iTunes link] for the iPhone. As promised, the company has updated the map data to fix mistakes or omissions that were reported by users. The latest update also adds iPod controls within the app, which many users were requesting.

The update fixes a reported address search issue, improves GPS reception and makes some improvements to the user interface.

The previous version of the U.S. $34.99 app added text to speech and a better method of text entry.

As we've mentioned before, the competition in nav apps is going to get very interesting if Apple allows the Google nav app into the app store. It will be free, and has a host of features that are not currently available in the paid apps that are shipping for the iPhone now.

With the FCC watching the relationship between Google and Apple, I'm thinking Apple will have to let the app in, but Apple has surprised me before, and not always in a positive way.

TUAWCoPilot Live for iPhone updates features and maps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CoPilot liveCopilotLivegpsiPhonenavnavigationsoftware updateFri, 06 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[G-Map East and West for iPhone updated with text to speech]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/g-map-east-and-west-for-iphone-updated-with-text-to-speech/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When the latest G-Map app covering navigation in the U.S. and Canada was updated with text to speech, it didn't make owners of the older East and West [iTunes store links for each] versions too happy. Now that has been corrected, and both iterations of the U.S. $24.99 app have text to speech, iTunes integration, and the ability to resume navigation automatically after a call.

Traffic will be added soon to both apps as an in-app paid update.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Canada version has been pulled from the app store. According to the company:

'we found a critical issue in the new update of G-Map US & Canada. In order to protect our current users, we have no choice but to temporarily pull the app from the App Store. We already corrected the problem and re-submitted the G-Map US & Canada for approval. Please allow us a few more weeks to serve you. We will do our best to minimize any inconveniences that might occur to you.'

All the G-Map apps have been reasonably priced, but a bit buggy which has not pleased buyers. I'm working on a holiday buyers guide for nav software for the iPhone, but the whole landscape will change radically if Apple approves the free Google nav app with turn by turn directions and photo realistic rendering of routes. The app is shipping in the new Android 2.0 phones, starting with the Verizon Droid, which is scheduled for release tomorrow.

TUAWG-Map East and West for iPhone updated with text to speech originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>G-MapGPSiphonenavigationtext to speechThu, 05 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass.]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/sony-offers-1-000-ringtones-for-iphone-for-20-bucks-pass/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Let's file this under 'really bad ideas done poorly.' Sony would like to sell you 1,000 ringtones, sound effects, and comedy voices on a data DVD that's just oh so ready to import into iTunes. Sony doesn't seem to offer a comparable product for other cellphones, like maybe the Sony Ericsson brand, so I can only conclude this is a plot by Sony to make iPhone owners look dumb when a call comes in.

I listened to some of the samples on the Sony website, and the DVD seems to be a collection of bad and unmemorable production music, obnoxious sound effects, and jokey voices saying things like "Dude -- everybody keep your voice down, I think it's my Dad calling."

Continue reading Sony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass.

TUAWSony offers 1,000 ringtones for iPhone for 20 bucks. Pass. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GarageBandiPhoneringtonesSony RingtonesSonyRingtonesWed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T not happy with Verizon ads: 'There's a lawsuit for that']]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/atandt-not-happy-with-verizon-ads-theres-a-lawsuit-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/atandt-not-happy-with-verizon-ads-theres-a-lawsuit-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/atandt-not-happy-with-verizon-ads-theres-a-lawsuit-for-that/#commentsFiled under:

Stung by some pretty aggressive advertising by Verizon, AT&T has had enough and is suing the communications giant for false and misleading claims.

AT&T says the ads, which show that AT&T has poor 3G coverage compared to Verizon are causing it to lose "incalculable market share."

According to the lawsuit which AT&T filed in Atlanta federal court, a recently broadcast ad campaign shows maps with white spaces that mislead consumers into thinking AT&T has no network coverage outside of areas where it offers high-speed mobile services, known as 3G.

But AT&T argued that its customers can "fully use their wireless devices outside of a '3G' coverage area and undisputedly have coverage in areas depicted by white or blank spaces on the maps used in Verizon's advertisements."

Verizon says the lawsuit has no merit, and Verizon Wireless spokeswoman Nancy Stark said the ads "clearly state" that voice and data services are available outside 3G areas. She said the ads were intended to tell consumers about coverage for smartphones, which are used for data services.

If you want to see the ad that sparked the lawsuit, click here.

[via Engadget]

TUAWAT&T not happy with Verizon ads: 'There's a lawsuit for that' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3G3G coverageATTlawsuitmisleading adsVerizonTue, 03 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac share of web browsing goes up after Windows 7 launch]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/mac-share-of-web-browsing-goes-up-after-windows-7-launch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/mac-share-of-web-browsing-goes-up-after-windows-7-launch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/mac-share-of-web-browsing-goes-up-after-windows-7-launch/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It may seem a little strange, or downright counter-intuitive, but Net Applications is reporting that Mac OS X's share of computers using the web grew from September to October this year, while Windows' share of browsers declined.

Windows (all versions of the OS) totaled 92.54% of computers browsing the web, a .25% drop, while Mac OS had a 5.27% share, up 2.73% from September. The iPhone, by the way, had a month to month increase of 5.71%.

The numbers come from tabulating visits to 160 million websites.

Windows 7 got 3% share in the daily tracking, largely at the expense of Windows XP. If Microsoft was depending on Windows 7 to quickly stop the Mac momentum, it hasn't happened yet, but at the same time, most Windows upgrades take place when new machines are bought.

Also, the general release of Windows 7 didn't happen until October 22nd, so the jump in Windows 7 on the internet wasn't available for most of October except for pre-release users.

[via Fortune Brainstorm Tech]

TUAWMac share of web browsing goes up after Windows 7 launch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>internet shareMac OS XNet ApplicationsNetApplicationsWindows 7Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Use Augmented Reality to find your car]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/use-augmented-reality-to-find-your-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/use-augmented-reality-to-find-your-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/use-augmented-reality-to-find-your-car/#commentsFiled under: ,

I have to admit, when I park in a big lot, I often forget where old Betsy is. There have been more than a few iPhone apps to help you find your car, but Car Finder [iTunes link] uses augmented reality to get you pointed in the right direction.

Here's how it works: you get out of your car and mark your position, making sure you have a good GPS fix. If you don't have one, you'll be told that and see the accuracy of your fix in plus or minus meters.

You can give your location a name, and if your parking space is numbered, you can add that in. I guess that is helpful if you are parking where there is no GPS signal, but then this app won't be of much help.

You're then free to go your merry way, until it's time to find your car again. When you bring up the app, your iPhone camera is activated, and a red arrow points to your car. Swing the camera around until an icon for your car appears and start walking. You'll get a constant read-out of your distance.

In my tests, just after sunset, the app worked very well, although when I got right next to the car the arrow was pointing elsewhere. That's not surprising given the imperfect accuracy of GPS, but by the time I got the error I could see the car less than 25 feet away.

Car Finder is U.S. $0.99, so it's not over priced, and pretty much in line with other similar apps in terms of cost. The augmented reality is a nice touch, as it floats your car icon over the real world. You do get a legal warning from the app about using due caution, I guess so you won't step into a manhole or off a cliff while following the camera scene. What a litigious society we live in!

So, Car Finder works, isn't over priced, uses augmented reality which has a high 'buzz word quotient,' and should impress your non-iPhone using friends, if you have any.

You'll need an iPhone 3GS to make this work, because the compass and GPS do the heavy lifting.

TUAWUse Augmented Reality to find your car originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>augmented realityCar FinderGPSHGGiPhoneparkingTue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Khalid Shaikh, prolific app creator and former YouSendIt CEO, busted by FBI]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/app-creator-and-former-yousendit-ceo-busted-by-feds/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/app-creator-and-former-yousendit-ceo-busted-by-feds/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/app-creator-and-former-yousendit-ceo-busted-by-feds/#commentsFiled under:

Khalid Shaikh has been indicted by a grand jury for four counts of mail fraud. The FBI says Shaikh was involved in 4 denial of service attacks against the the firm he founded, YouSendIt, which crippled the content delivery company's servers.

According to the FBI, Shaikh was one of YouSendIt's founders when the company was established in 2004. He served as the company's chief executive officer until August 2005. He then served as the company's chief technology officer until he left the company in November 2006.

In August, Mobile Crunch reported that Shaikh had been banned from the iPhone app store after creating more than 900 useless apps that were mostly links to websites. How they got through the app approval process is another story.

For his part, Shaikh claims he is innocent. The maximum penalty for each count of mail fraud is five years imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution if appropriate.

[Via The Alarm Clock]

TUAWKhalid Shaikh, prolific app creator and former YouSendIt CEO, busted by FBI originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeFBIindictmentKhalid ShaikhKhalidShaikhSun, 01 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Voice on the Go makes your cellphone safer in the car]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/voice-on-the-go-makes-your-cellphone-safer-in-the-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/voice-on-the-go-makes-your-cellphone-safer-in-the-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/voice-on-the-go-makes-your-cellphone-safer-in-the-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Voice on the Go has been out for quite a long time, and I'm surprised we never reviewed it. Imagine getting your emails and texts read to you while you drive, and creating and sending emails and texts while never touching your cellphone. Recently a friend suggested I give it a try, so I did and found there was actually a new iPhone app [iTunes link] that supported it.

Here's what Voice on the Go is all about. You sign up, choose a local number to connect to them, and assign yourself a 4 digit password. If you live in a smaller town and there isn't a number for Voice on the Go you can call any of the numbers. If you're on a national cell plan there won't be any extra cost.

You then go to the Voice on the Go website and put in your email details, and you can upload a CSV file that contains your contacts. This is much easier if you have an iPhone, so more on that later.

Once you are set up and in the car, you can call Voice on the Go, and an automated attendant will ask for your passcode. You'll then be told if you have any emails or SMS messages. You can listen to them, skip them, delete them, or the really nice feature, you can respond to them. You do it all by voice, with simple and obvious commands.

You dictate your mail, and the Voice on the Go software turns it into text and sends it off to the proper destination. As an added feature, your email gets an audio attachment so the person can listen to what you said.

How accurate is the transcription? Very. I sent about a dozen emails and every word was correct. That was calling from a noisy moving car using the Bluetooth speakerphone. A couple of times, when I was on a rough patch of road and issued a command, the attendant would ask me to repeat something, but the system always got it on the second try.

Continue reading Voice on the Go makes your cellphone safer in the car

TUAWVoice on the Go makes your cellphone safer in the car originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app reviewAppReviewBluetoothiPhonemobile phonespeech recognitionVoice on the GoVoiceOnTheGoFri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Magic Mouse lands at many local Apple stores]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/magic-mouse-lands-at-many-local-apple-stores/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/magic-mouse-lands-at-many-local-apple-stores/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/magic-mouse-lands-at-many-local-apple-stores/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I stopped by my local Apple Store (Tucson) today for a quick look around and saw many people playing with the new Magic Mouse. I tried a few 'moves' with in and it seemed a bit nicer and more responsive than I expected. My old Apple wired mouse was starting to wear out so I asked one of the Apple guys when they were coming in. He said "20 minutes ago," so I was snared.

My first 'thrill' was opening the damned box. Like most Apple designed products, the plastic container is very pretty, but was a bit of a struggle to open. I needed a sharp knife, and then had to find the hidden tape that keeps the Magic Mouse attached to a little plastic base.

Since this is a Bluetooth mouse, I paired it to my Mac. It worked out of the box, but I knew there was a software update with new drivers, so I checked and downloaded the new software.

After a reboot, all was well. I have to say that the Magic Mouse has the fanciest control panel in system preferences I've ever seen. There is a little video illustrating how it works. I left the settings to the default, and started mousing away.

There were really no surprises. I have a 30 inch monitor, and can't get all the way across it with a single swipe because I have limited desk real estate. None of the settings would make it better.

The top surface is smooth and comfortable. The mouse does sit lower than a standard rodent, but I wasn't bothered by it. Clicking on the right side of the surface gives you the second mouse button with no pain or problem. You can switch the left and right 'buttons' if you are so inclined.

Scrolling was smooth, and you can adjust the momentum of the scroll. I especially like the 2 finger swipe for going backward and forward in web pages and iPhoto.

The only thing I think was missing is that I'd like the surface of the mouse to mimic the iPhone gesture of pinching and spreading for zoom in / zoom out. You have to use the control key to enable zooming, and I'd rather not have to go to the keyboard for that.

Otherwise, everything was good. I'll get used to the different feel. The mouse comes with batteries already installed so you're ready to go -- once you get the damned package open...

Some of my colleagues here at TUAW will be sharing their thoughts shortly. So far, even though this was a bit of an impulse purchase, the Magic Mouse seems fine.

TUAWMagic Mouse lands at many local Apple stores originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothMagic MouseMagicMouseThu, 29 Oct 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Uh oh! Google releasing free turn by turn GPS app for Android]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/uh-oh-google-releasing-free-turn-by-turn-gps-app-for-android/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/uh-oh-google-releasing-free-turn-by-turn-gps-app-for-android/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/uh-oh-google-releasing-free-turn-by-turn-gps-app-for-android/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just when you thought it was safe to buy a nav app for the iPhone, Google goes and announces a free app for Android, and says it's going to be available for the iPhone if Apple will let it into the App Store.

The app, called Google Maps Navigation, will ship with phones running the Android OS 2.0 and includes search by voice, search for points of interest by voice while in route, satellite and street view, and support for a hardware dock for 'certain devices.'

This won't be great news for TomTom, Navigon, or any of the rest. Google says the app is U.S. only for now, and will be seen first on the Verizon Droid which will appear in November.

Talk about disruption! With the FCC watching it will be most interesting to see if Apple allows the app onto the iPhone and, whether yes or no, the effect on Android sales.

I can't wait for all the fur to fly. You can watch a video of the app in action in this YouTube clip. Admit it. You want this!

TUAWUh oh! Google releasing free turn by turn GPS app for Android originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androiddroidGoogle Maps NavigationgpsiPhonenavigationturn by turnvoice recognitionVoiceRecognitionWed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VMware Fusion 3.0: Take 2]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-fusion-3-0-take-2/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-fusion-3-0-take-2/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-fusion-3-0-take-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Update 5:30p: VMware's Pat Lee has acknowledged the problems on the serial-number system and has posted a universal 30-day trial license code and download link to allow users to install the new version.
---

I never was able to upgrade to a paid version of Fusion 3.0, so I downloaded a demo version and 2.5 hours later received a 30-day serial number.

Installation was trivial, but now I can't find my old version 2.06. That would be bad for people who are trying 3.0 and decide to go back to an older version. I tried a Spotlight search, and my older version is nowhere to be found. That's not good. Has anyone else making the upgrade experienced this? Update: Commenters make it clear that 2.0 will automatically be removed when you move to 3.

I'd already upgraded to Windows 7 on version 2.06, so the same OS came up fine under version 3.0. One of the advantages of 3.0 is that you can assign multiple cores to the app, and since I'm running on a 2 x 2.66 Dual Core Xeon I assigned 2 cores.

Start-up was faster than the old version. About 45 seconds to the Windows 7 desktop, and a few more seconds to bring up a couple of gadgets and settle down. Launch times of apps seem pretty fast, but I don't find the difference dramatic.

Continue reading VMware Fusion 3.0: Take 2

TUAWVMware Fusion 3.0: Take 2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>virtualizationVMware Fusion 3.0VmwareFusion3.0Windows 7Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VMware ships Fusion 3.0]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-ships-fusion-3-0/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-ships-fusion-3-0/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/vmware-ships-fusion-3-0/#commentsFiled under: ,

Today is release day for VMware Fusion 3.0. The app has more than 50 new enhancements including:
  • Support for both 32-bit and 64-bit Snow Leopard kernels.
  • Integrated Migration Assistant guides you through migrating from the PC to a virtual machine.
  • First virtualization product to support for Windows Aero, including Flip 3D and Aero Peek.
  • Support for DirectX 9.0EX with OpenGL 1.4 with new WDDM graphics driver.
  • Greatly reduced memory usage when using Windows Vista and Windows 7 virtual machines and newly created Windows XP virtual machines
  • Faster disk and graphics performance on Snow Leopard.
  • Banish the Start Menu with Always-on Applications Menu on the Mac menu bar.
  • Access to Windows taskbar tray items in Unity view in the Mac menu bar.
  • Run 3D games and play 1080p video in Unity view.
I started trying to upgrade my copy to 3.0 late last night and into the early morning hours, but the VMware servers insisted I wasn't in the database. I noticed an increasing number of similar complaints on the VMware forums, so I can't tell you about my installation experience, or how it all works with Windows 7.

Stay tuned for more info as we get that sorted out, and hopefully your upgrade experience will be better.

TUAWVMware ships Fusion 3.0 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fusionsnow leopardvirtualizationvmwarewindows 7Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New York Times: Windows Mobile sinking, Android and Apple benefit]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/new-york-times-windows-mobile-sinking-android-and-apple-benefi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/new-york-times-windows-mobile-sinking-android-and-apple-benefi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/new-york-times-windows-mobile-sinking-android-and-apple-benefi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

This morning, the New York Times had an interesting piece about the shift in cellphone momentum away from Microsoft to Android and the iPhone. The story refers to Windows Mobile as 'foundering,' which won't bring much happiness to Redmond. Of course, Microsoft already knows that they're quickly becoming a non-player in the smartphone market.

What's of interest beyond the basics is just how far the Windows based phones have slipped in terms of customer satisfaction. Quoting the story: "Indeed, a J. D. Power & Associates survey found that Windows Mobile had the lowest satisfaction rating among customers of any smartphone operating system. The iPhone has by far the most satisfying software, the study found. Android is a distant second, followed closely by BlackBerry's operating system."

"Windows Mobile scored below average on every attribute, said Kirk Parsons, director of the study, especially in ease of operation, speed and stability."

That was my experience -- I had two Motorola Q phones fail. They tended to lock up frequently, and one had to be replaced. I was on the Verizon network, which was very good, but when the iPhone came out the thought of having something designed to work well with a Mac, and something that had a certain well-thought-out elegance was just too much of a lure.

Microsoft owned the smartphone market for years, so it is a mystery to me why they fell so far behind. The entry of Android, and especially the new models, is welcome competition. Most cell phone makers are migrating to the Android platform, which doesn't require licensing fees. The iPhone design isn't for sale to anyone, and seems to be doing just fine. Apple could fall into the same somnambulant stupor that Microsoft seems to be in with smartphones, but the Android offerings should keep them scrambling. We'll all benefit from that competition.

What phone did you drop to get the iPhone? Do you think Apple will stay ahead? Leave a comment below.

TUAWNew York Times: Windows Mobile sinking, Android and Apple benefit originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>customer satisfactioniPhone. AndroidIphone.AndroidMicrosoftWindows MobileMon, 26 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kindle software coming to Mac OS X]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/24/kindle-software-coming-to-mac-os-x/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/24/kindle-software-coming-to-mac-os-x/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/24/kindle-software-coming-to-mac-os-x/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fast Company is reporting that there is a Kindle reader application coming for the Mac. At the Windows 7 launch this week, Microsoft said there is a Windows version of the e-reader on the way, prompting a promise from Amazon that a Mac version was coming as well.

Amazon hasn't released sales figures for the hardware-based Kindle reader, but under pressure from Sony and the new Barnes and Noble 'nook,' Amazon is working hard to increase the share of Kindle users. That means not restricting e-book reading to an Amazon device, but opening up the software to run on more platforms.

Kindle already has a clever e-book reader for the iPhone and iPod touch, and it allows standalone use, or synchronization with a Kindle so you can stop reading on one device and then pick up on the same page on the other.

There's no estimated shipping date for the Mac Kindle software, and we can't forget that if Apple delivers a tablet computer it could put Amazon into direct competition with Apple.

This is bound to be fun to watch.


TUAWKindle software coming to Mac OS X originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AmazonebookKindlenookSonySat, 24 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the background]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Talk about embarrassing. Steve Ballmer guest hosted on NBC's Today Show yesterday to talk about the Windows 7 launch. Sadly for Steverino, Matt Lauer talked a lot about Apple and the iPhone. Even worse, sharp eyes noticed an NBC-produced graphic in the background with a Windows 7 logo appearing on the screen of what clearly is a Mac laptop.


You can watch the video here. That's probably not the kind of quality control Microsoft would have liked.

Thanks to Bill for sending this in (no, not Bill Gates)

[via TechCrunch]

TUAWSteve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the background originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Macbook ProSteve BallmerSteveBallmerWindows 7Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ouch! Nokia suing Apple over iPhone tech]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/ouch-nokia-suing-apple-over-iphone-tech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/ouch-nokia-suing-apple-over-iphone-tech/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/22/ouch-nokia-suing-apple-over-iphone-tech/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Nokia isn't happy with the iPhone. In a suit filed today in U.S. District Court, Nokia claims that Apple has violated 10 of Nokia's wireless technology patents. The company says the patents "relate to technologies fundamental to making devices," that are compatible with the GSM, UMTS, or 3G WCDMA, and wireless LAN standards.

The claims involve cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption technologies. Nokia says Apple has been in violation of these patents since the iPhone launched in 2007.

Nokia says it has invested more than 60 million billion dollars in research and development, but says Apple has not adequately compensated the firm. Nokia is the world's largest supplier of smartphones, but most recently reported a loss of U.S. $836 million dollars, while company shipments of phones has dropped.

Apple, on the other hand, reported 4th quarter results Monday with iPhone sales up 7% from the same period a year ago.

Nokia sued Qualcomm over wireless patents and settled that dispute in July of 2008, but the terms remains confidential.

[Thanks to many of our readers for sending this in]

TUAWOuch! Nokia suing Apple over iPhone tech originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleiPhonelawsuitNokiapatentsThu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TomTom car kit appears in Apple's store, but it's not yet shipping]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/tomtom-car-kit-gps-iphone-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/tomtom-car-kit-gps-iphone-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/tomtom-car-kit-gps-iphone-store/#commentsFiled under: ,

The long-awaited TomTom car kit for the iPhone has finally arrived at the Apple store. The hardware/software combination hardware unit sells for US $119.95. [Sorry about the mixup. As noted in the comments, the app is an additional $50-$100 depending on your locale.]

The cradle is designed to enhance the TomTom GPS app [iTunes link], which has been available since July.

The kit provides secure docking and enhanced GPS performance with its own built-in GPS receiver. The car kit will charge your iPhone and give you for hands-free calling. The unit also has an audio out connector so you can play your music through your car audio system, however, the cable that enables this is not included.

The TomTom solution has been criticized by some for being too expensive because the car kit plus the cost of the Tom Tom navigation application is more than $200. One could easily buy a standalone GPS for less than that, although you have more hardware to carry.

The TomTom has also fallen a bit behind the best-selling Navigon application which includes a text-to-speech feature and has received generally better reviews from consumers.

According to the Apple Store, the car kit is not yet available, and there is no time estimate of a ship date. (Note: some of our readers are getting December 4 ship dates from the Apple Store.)

[Thanks to all our readers for tipping us to this story]

TUAWTomTom car kit appears in Apple's store, but it's not yet shipping originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPShggnavigationTomTomTomTom Car KitWed, 21 Oct 2009 13:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft: Worried about the App Store?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/microsoft-worried-about-the-app-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/microsoft-worried-about-the-app-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/21/microsoft-worried-about-the-app-store/#commentsFiled under: ,

Our friends at Microsoft have produced a video [YouTube link] making fun of the iPhone app store. Well, it's not that funny. In the video, two supposed MS employees talk about all the apps they have rejected for the new Windows Marketplace, including a Sun Dial app, a virtual handshaking app, and a mustache app.

The point is that the Windows Mobile store won't be offering frivolous apps, just the serious stuff. Of course it's true that plenty of the iPhone apps on offer are games, but there's no shortage of serious apps for business, photography, astronomy, navigation, and so on.

It's all a little strange; MS has always dinged the Mac on the issue of software choice, because there were far more programs for Windows than Mac OS. Now that the tables have turned and Windows Mobile users have a bit of a drought compared to the Apple app store, I guess that old comparison will be ignored. By the way, there are fart apps for Windows Mobile.

Anyway, take a peek at the video, and see if you can follow the logic.

[via TechCrunch]

TUAWMicrosoft: Worried about the App Store? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeiPhoneMicrosoftWindows MarketplaceWed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The hits just keep coming: now there's a new Apple Remote]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/the-hits-just-keep-coming-now-theres-a-new-apple-remote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/the-hits-just-keep-coming-now-theres-a-new-apple-remote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/the-hits-just-keep-coming-now-theres-a-new-apple-remote/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In the universal scheme of things, it's not a big thing, but it's a welcome update. Apple has announced a new Apple Remote that has aluminum niceness and works with the iPhone, iPods with the Universal Dock, and iMacs introduced since 2005 that have a built-in infrared receiver.

According to Apple, the remote "gives you total command of your music, photos, videos, and DVDs from anywhere in the room. It works with Front Row to make accessing the digital content on your Mac as simple as navigating your iPod."

On an iPod or iPhone connected to a dock with IR you can "experience your songs, slideshows, and more from across the room. Plug your iPod into the Universal Dock and choose a playlist, slideshow, or video. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy. Ready to move on to the next song? No need to get up. Just press the Next button on the Apple Remote. Getting a call on your iPhone? Press Pause, then pick up where you left off."

It's a spiffy new design, with darker buttons instead of the all-white older model. Might make it easier to use when fumbling in the dark.

The remote will sell for U.S. $19.99 and is shipping in 2-4 weeks.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

TUAWThe hits just keep coming: now there's a new Apple Remote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aluminumAppleApple RemoteAppleRemoteTue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[If AT&T loses iPhone exclusivity, Apple will gain]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/19/if-atandt-loses-iphone-exclusivity-apple-will-gain/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/19/if-atandt-loses-iphone-exclusivity-apple-will-gain/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/19/if-atandt-loses-iphone-exclusivity-apple-will-gain/#commentsFiled under: ,

Is AT&T holding back the iPhone's sales potential? That's the conclusion of analysts at Piper Jaffray. In a report issued today, the firm says Apple is likely to go with multiple carriers, as the company is already doing in other world markets like France and the U.K.

To make the point, the report cites iPhone sales in France, where Apple's share of the smartphone market zoomed to 40% from 15% since Orange lost the exclusive there.

What does that mean for AT&T? If Apple finds additional partners, AT&T could lose a hefty chunk of customers who haven't been too thrilled with the way the communications giant has performed with the iPhone. There is still no tethering, MMS took a long time to roll out, and there is a continuing complaint of dropped calls from every corner of the country.

One wonders what is going on inside Verizon. The best-regarded US cell carrier for coverage & network quality is the subject of many rumors about the iPhone being offered, and others rumors of the mythical Apple tablet coming to Verizon. It's all especially interesting as Verizon has been bashing the iPhone in a series of TV ads hyping the upcoming Droid from Motorola and Google. Doesn't seem like Verizon is warming up the relationship.

It will be an interesting next few months as competition increases; partners may or may nor change, and Apple will be looking to increase market share for one of the hottest phones on the market.

[via Business Week]

TUAWIf AT&T loses iPhone exclusivity, Apple will gain originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DroidGoogleiPhoneMotorolaPiper-JaffrayVerizonMon, 19 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Thundergod gets you out in the rain without getting wet]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/18/thundergod-gets-you-out-in-the-rain-without-getting-wet/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/18/thundergod-gets-you-out-in-the-rain-without-getting-wet/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/18/thundergod-gets-you-out-in-the-rain-without-getting-wet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I'm spending the weekend in Northern Arizona on a photo shoot. It's dry up here, but I took along a little iPhone/iPod touch app that put me in the center of several dramatic thunderstorms.

The app is called Thundergod [iTunes link]. With creative microphone technique, and a good set of headphones, you'd swear you were in a raging storm, or a rain forest, or one of 5 other environments, listening to nature at its most spectacular. You can listen and let your mind drift off, consider the state of the universe, or just fall asleep in a soft rain using the built in sleep timer.

I suspect the techniques used to make these recording are similar to the highly regarded binaural technique, using 2 microphones separated by the approximate distance between your ears. Then when you play back with good headphones, you are instantly transported to a hyper-realistic, almost holographic place that closely duplicates being in a real space with real sounds.

This effect doesn't work through speakers. It can sound nice, but it's not startling or compelling. With headphones the sound comes alive, and you can begin to have an emotional reaction to what you are hearing.

The app also allows for a special equalization curve if you are using earbuds like the ones Apple includes, and it is effective. This app as produced by Holographic Audio Theater, who gave us the free app Naturespace that shows off their recording and producing prowess. It's a good introduction to their technique.

Thundergod is not cheap. It's a U.S. $9.99 app, but of you look at the App Store reviews you'll be surprised how many purchasers thought the app was worth the money.

The sounds are not short repeating loops, but something like a long concert that has a beginning, a middle and a conclusion. I liked the 'Thor' environment the best, because it was the most dramatic and attention-grabbing. It's not for relaxation, but for stimulation. If relaxation is what you want, there are sonic environments included for that as well.

My suggestion is that you try the free intro app, and if you like it, then go ahead and get Thundergod. The effect can't really be described, but must be experienced.



TUAWThundergod gets you out in the rain without getting wet originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>binaural recordingheadphonesholorgraphic audioiPhoneiPod touchNatureSpaceThundergodSun, 18 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Augmented Reality to the max with Layars for iPhone 3GS]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/augmented-reality-to-the-max-with-layars-for-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/augmented-reality-to-the-max-with-layars-for-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/15/augmented-reality-to-the-max-with-layars-for-iphone-3gs/#commentsFiled under: ,

Every so often an app comes along that you just get excited about. Well, I'm excited about the Layar Reality Browser [iTunes link], and even better: it's free!

This app has been available on the Android platform, and iPhone users have been eagerly awaiting it. Wait no more.

The Layar app will only run on an iPhone 3GS because it really needs that built-in compass. So what does it do? Quite a lot. The app displays real time information based on your location and the direction you are facing, overlaying the camera with locations and information that you are looking for.

Yes, like other apps with augmented reality, it can find food and shopping, but that's only the beginning. You can find apartments for rent, Flickr photos taken near your location, mountain peaks, tourist information, and the list goes on and on. The Layar screen shows your live camera view, a radar-like display showing you a 360 degree view of 'hits' near you, the accuracy of your GPS fix, and the number of items it has located.

The Layars app is based on an open architecture, so it can interact with an unlimited amount of information set up to talk to the platform. It is globally aware, not just U.S. centric, and lots of 3rd party developers are jumping in.

In operation it generally worked very well. I didn't see any crashes, but at times some of the many servers supplying information did not seem to be up and running. When I wanted to see some information on the mountains in my area, it worked great one time, and the next time it said there was nothing around, even though I was standing in the foothills of some 5,000-foot peaks.

Generally though, the app was well behaved, and as you explore the riches it contains your mind races with all the possibilities an app like this has. You don't have to use only the camera view. You can get a list of nearby points of interest or see everything on a 2D Google map. Wikipedia is even available. When I brought it up, it gave me some information on my town, a nearby school, and some info about nearby parks.

I hope this app really grows, because the potential here is limitless. Try it for yourself. There's no cost, and no risk. You'll be surprised at all the stuff around you. I'm going on a trip soon, and can't wait to explore with Layars.

Let us know how it works for you.

TUAWAugmented Reality to the max with Layars for iPhone 3GS originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gsaugmented realityGPSiphoneiphone 3gsIphone3gsLayarlayarsnavigationThu, 15 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waze for iPhone has a ways to go]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/waze-for-iphone-has-a-ways-to-go/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/waze-for-iphone-has-a-ways-to-go/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/waze-for-iphone-has-a-ways-to-go/#commentsFiled under: ,

Several of our readers suggested that we take a look at Waze, a free navigation app [iTunes link] that depends on other users for reports of traffic tie ups, accidents, and speed traps. It also functions as a turn-by-turn navigator with spoken directions, although it doesn't have text to speech capabilities for naming streets or points of interest.

As a navigator Waze is fine, but it seems to be missing a lot of residential addresses. Waze had a nasty habit of jumping my vehicle icon to a nearby parallel street, and while it was nice to have both 2D and 3D maps, the software seemed to change the zoom factor without me telling it to. This erratic zooming seemed to happen when I went to a menu and then returned to the map.

The maps aren't very attractive. There are both day and night views for the Waze maps, but even when set to 'auto,' the night map comes up no matter what time of day it is. The maps and POI data are all downloaded from the internet, so if you're in a "dead zone" for data, you have no navigation.

As for the social functions of the app, they are a great idea, but in reality you're only going to get information in a densely populated areas. Even then, you may not get much of anything in terms of reported incidents. If you go to the Waze web page and look at the national map for reported incidents, it is pretty lightly populated. Of course, that should get better as more and more people use Waze. A clever aspect of the app is that it keeps track of where you are while you're navigating, and uses your speed to add to its database of road conditions.

I think Waze is promising, and if you don't want to spend money on a turn-by-turn nav app, it's a start. To be really useful some of the bugs need to be fixed, the address data needs to be more complete, and there need to be a heck of a lot more people using Waze so there is more incident reporting.

This app is free and implements some creative ideas. If you're thinking about getting a nav app, but you're on the fence, make the risk-free download of Waze and see if it enhances your driving.

TUAWWaze for iPhone has a ways to go originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>GPSiphonenavigationstreet mapsturn by turnuser generated contentWazeWed, 14 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sonos offers new portable music system controlled by iPhone or iPod touch]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/sonos-offers-new-portable-music-system-controlled-by-iphone-or-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/sonos-offers-new-portable-music-system-controlled-by-iphone-or-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/sonos-offers-new-portable-music-system-controlled-by-iphone-or-i/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sonos has announced a portable wireless music system that uses an iPhone or iPod touch for a controller. The Zone Player S5 is a one piece, 5 speaker music player that can access your iTunes library or any internet radio station, as well as Napster, Rhapsody, Pandora, last.fm or Sirius if you have the required subscriptions.

The physical unit has only volume controls and a mute button. Like other Sonos products, the S5 needs a wired router connection or a Zone Bridge unit, which is a U.S. $99.00 box that plugs into your router and then allows the S5 to be wireless anywhere in the house. You can add additional S5 units that only need AC power to work.

The S5 looks a bit like the Bose audio systems that dock with the iPhone. The difference with the Sonos unit is you keep the iPhone with you, and the S5 gets your music from iTunes.

The S5 will be available later this month for $399.00. If you already have a Sonos system in your home or office, or are just getting started with multi-room music, this system is worth checking out.

Of course Apple also provides solutions to stream iTunes with the Airport Express Air Tunes hardware/software. Apple also offers Remote, [iTunes link] a free app to control Airport Express or an Apple TV from your iPhone and iPod touch. Logitech also offers the Squeezebox family of wireless music products, and there are other good solutions as well.

Choice. It's a good thing.

TUAWSonos offers new portable music system controlled by iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iPhoneiPod touchS5Sonoswireless music systemsTue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST