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[TUAW's Steve Sande provides gift ideas on the latest MacJury podcast]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/tuaws-steve-sande-provides-gift-ideas-on-the-latest-macjury-pod/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/tuaws-steve-sande-provides-gift-ideas-on-the-latest-macjury-pod/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/tuaws-steve-sande-provides-gift-ideas-on-the-latest-macjury-pod/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Here it is, T-7 days until Black Friday, and you don't have any gift ideas?

I joined MacJury podcaster Chuck Joiner earlier this week to provide my ideas for gifting. This was part two of a holiday gift ideas episode on the popular podcast.

Joining me on the podcast were MacMouseCalls support genius (and grandmother) Pat Fauquet, Julio Ojeda-Zapata from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and The Mac Observer's Jeff Gamet.

Storage seemed to be a popular gift idea from the panelists, along with iPhone / Mac jewelry, video tools, and even some freebies. I take no responsibility for the singing that was taking place...

You can listen to MacJury Episode 918 at the MacJury website, or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

TUAWTUAW's Steve Sande provides gift ideas on the latest MacJury podcast originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black fridayBlackFridaygiftspodcastFri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Geotagged tweets now alive in Stone Design's Twittelator Pro 3.3.1]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/geotagged-tweets-now-alive-in-stone-designs-twittelator-pro-3-3/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/geotagged-tweets-now-alive-in-stone-designs-twittelator-pro-3-3/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/geotagged-tweets-now-alive-in-stone-designs-twittelator-pro-3-3/#commentsFiled under: ,

Twitter has flipped the switch on some new features, including geotagging of tweets and automatic retweeting. As a happy user of Stone Design's Twittelator Pro 3.3.1 [iTunes link], I was even more giddy when I found out that my favorite Twitter app already supports both of these features.

The geotagging feature lets you optionally attach a latitude and longitude to your tweets. If you receive the tweet in Twittelator, you can tap on the sender's avatar icon to see the geotag and pull up a Google map of the location near where the tweet was sent. The app lets you turn off geotagging when you send a tweet, which is useful if you're trying to shake off a stalker. It's also cool to use "nearby search" to find people who are near you and sending out tweets, and view their location on a map.

The official retweet feature has been going live for the past two weeks or so, although as of yet I haven't seen or been able to send a retweet that appears with the new retweet icon. In the web-based Twitter, I do see the new icons and messages that say "Retweeted by you," but I'm not sure why I'm not seeing this in Twittelator Pro.

Is anyone else using Twittelator Pro 3.3.1 who can vouch that the new retweet capability is working for them? Leave a comment.

TUAWGeotagged tweets now alive in Stone Design's Twittelator Pro 3.3.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>geotaggingretweetTwittelatortwitterFri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Looking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/20/looking-for-free-iweb-hosting-heres-how-to-use-dropbox-as-your/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Since iWeb comes with just about every Mac, it's surprising that it isn't used by more Mac users. For some people, coughing up US$99 a year for MobileMe hosting is the barrier, but there are other ways to get your iWeb pages out where the world can see them.

Last night, while participating in a recording of the MacJury podcast, one of my gift ideas was to sign somebody up for a free trial of Dropbox and show them how to use it for syncing all sorts of things. While I was touting all of the things that Dropbox can be used for, I pulled up the Dropbox wiki for reference, and I noticed a link for Tips and Tricks. One of the tips was "Use Dropbox to host a website."

iWeb is one of my personal specialties, so I immediately wondered if someone could use Dropbox to host an iWeb site. Within two minutes, I had my answer and an idea for a how-to post. Follow along as I show you how to publish your iWeb site on a free Dropbox account.

Note: As our commenters point out, even though the suggestion for website hosting comes direct from the Dropbox wiki, the service is not intended for 'production' web hosting. A few personal pages or a testing site shouldn't cause you any grief, but Dropbox does reserve the right to turn off your public links if the system detects unusual levels of bandwidth consumption.

Continue reading Looking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host

TUAWLooking for free iWeb hosting? Here's how to use Dropbox as your host originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dropboxfree web hostingFreeWebHostingiwebFri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Working with the new Apple Mac mini Server and Snow Leopard Server]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/working-with-the-new-apple-mac-mini-server-and-snow-leopard-serv/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/working-with-the-new-apple-mac-mini-server-and-snow-leopard-serv/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/19/working-with-the-new-apple-mac-mini-server-and-snow-leopard-serv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's always nice when, as a Mac consultant, I can play with the latest hardware and software and get paid to do it. Last week was no exception, and when I received a call from a new client who wanted assistance with a Mac mini Server, I jumped at the chance. Since the introduction of the Mac mini in early 2005, I've been using "regular" Mac minis as servers, and they've worked flawlessly. I had two servers of my own at Macminicolo.net for quite some time, and Brian Stucki, the owner of that Mac mini colocation firm, noted in a discussion a few years ago that the failure rate on the mini hardware is phenomenally low. I've set up Mac minis with Mac OS X Server for architectural firms, PR companies, design firms, non-profits, and a number of other companies that needed centralized control of digital assets, but didn't want to spend a lot of money to do so. Usually after setting up these servers, I rarely, if ever, need to go back and fix anything.

Unboxing the server (sorry, no unboxing movies this time...) unveiled a plastic-wrapped mini Server and the traditional power brick, along with a small box containing Mac OS X 10.6 Server and assorted manuals. While I didn't check for the usual Apple stickers, I did find the server software serial number cards that are essential during the setup process.

There was a bit of a holdup when I discovered that the server came with a mini-DVI to DVI adapter, while I had brought my old VGA display with me. Fortunately, one of the employees on-site had a monitor that was quickly pressed into service, and after plugging in the keyboard, mouse and power, the server quickly booted up.

Apple is marketing the Mac mini Server as "Easy to set up. Easy to run," and they're right on -- to a point.

Continue reading Working with the new Apple Mac mini Server and Snow Leopard Server

TUAWWorking with the new Apple Mac mini Server and Snow Leopard Server originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mac mini servermac os x serverMacMiniServerMacOsXServerserversnow leopard serverSnowLeopardServerThu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Found on eBay: An original Apple-1 with wonderful documentation]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/found-on-ebay-an-original-apple-1-with-wonderful-documentation/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/found-on-ebay-an-original-apple-1-with-wonderful-documentation/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/18/found-on-ebay-an-original-apple-1-with-wonderful-documentation/#commentsFiled under: ,

A few months ago, we provided details of an auction that featured a Mac that had been given to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry by Apple. If you missed your chance to pick up that prime item, now you have an opportunity to own an Apple that is even more rare: an Apple-1 (also known as the Apple I) that's currently on auction on eBay.

The starting bid for the Apple-1 is US$50,000. What do you get with your winning bid? A non-working Apple 1 motherboard, the original shipping box (with the return address being the home of Steve Jobs' parents), and the original manual, complete with schematics on how to take the motherboard and build a workable computer out of it.

There's also a tape interface card, used to load or save software from cassette tapes. The card comes with a manual and a cassette with a typed label that says "BASIC" on it.

If you're a fan of Steve Jobs, you'll want two of the items that are included. The first is a letter signed by Steve Jobs that explains how to connect a keyboard and monitor to the computer, and telling the buyer (someone who wanted to be a dealer) when dealer applications would be available. The second is a hand-typed invoice for the computer, showing "Steven" as the salesman for the machine.

The original full-page advertisement for Apple was included with each Apple-1. This features the original Apple "Isaac Newton" logo that was designed by the third founder of Apple, Ronald Wayne. Wayne also wrote the Apple-1 manual. Finally, you'll get a photograph of every other owner of this computer. The existing owner has a picture of himself, the computer, and Steve Wozniak that he's including.

If you're the successful bidder, you are asked to travel to Roseville, California to pick it up due to the irreplaceable nature of the Apple-1. A gallery of the photos included in the auction can be viewed below. And remember, this could be the perfect holiday gift for that special someone...

Gallery: Apple I eBay Auction

The Apple-1, front viewThe packageAddress labelThe invoiceLetter from Steve Jobs to a potential dealer

TUAWFound on eBay: An original Apple-1 with wonderful documentation originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Apple 1Apple1auctionebayhggron wayneRonWaynesteve jobssteve wozniakSteveJobsSteveWozniakWed, 18 Nov 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple giving huge discounts on Black Friday? No way!]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/apple-giving-huge-discounts-on-black-friday-no-way/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/apple-giving-huge-discounts-on-black-friday-no-way/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/17/apple-giving-huge-discounts-on-black-friday-no-way/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The boy geniuses over at Boy Genius Report are getting a lot of hits out of a story they ran late yesterday. Apparently, one of their contacts tipped them to a "shot of Apple's yearly Black Friday deals" that is "reported to be something Apple will email out shortly." The email (seen at right, pasted with an editorial comment from yours truly) shows alleged discounts of up to 30% on all iPods (excluding iPhone or iPod shuffle), up to 25% on all Macs, and up to 15% on all accessories, Apple software, and Apple hardware. This will only happen on November 27th and apparently "select" Apple stores will open at 6 AM.

Well, most of us here at TUAW are pretty sure this is a fake. A compelling fake, mind you, but an utter fabrication. Why?

First reason -- Apple almost never discounts their products, other than selling refurbished equipment on the cheap. That's part of the reason that the company is so successful and has the highest margins in the personal electronics and computing world. Discounts of "up to 25% on all Macs" are an Apple fanboy's most exciting dream (next to the iTablet, of course), but we doubt if the Cupertino Kids would discount anything more than 5%.

Reason two -- Apple Stores are, for the most part, hugely popular anyway. Apple doesn't need to drag in customers on Black Friday by enticing them with wicked discounts. Let's face it, most of the Apple Stores are going to be packed on November 27th, so why would Apple want to create traffic jams and general hysteria by doing something like this? Hell, most of the Apple retail employees would probably quit during Black Friday, leaving the company in the lurch for the rest of the holiday season.

Number three -- Historical precedence shows that Apple usually provides discounts on Black Friday, but not as big as BGR is indicating. In 2006, Apple provided free shipping to shoppers at the online store. Last year, Best Buy discounted up to US$150 on Macs and Apple matched that, but there was no steenkin' 25% discount.

And finally, reason number four -- Apple's probably not going to send out anything with that much blank space at the top of it. They're too picky about design. They don't want someone to have to scroll down through an email to read the discounts, even if there is an Apple logo floating around at the top of the email.

How sure are we that this isn't going to happen? Well, if it actually happens the way Boy Genius Report says it will, I'll wear a Boy Genius Report baseball cap (provided by BGR, of course) for four hours at Macworld Expo 2010 and give you guys some free advertising. TUAW readers -- what do you think about the discounts? Are they going to happen or not?

TUAWApple giving huge discounts on Black Friday? No way! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleBlack FridayBlackFridayBoyGeniusReportdiscountssmackdownTue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phil Libin on the past, present, and future of Evernote]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/phil-libin-on-the-past-present-and-future-of-evernote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/phil-libin-on-the-past-present-and-future-of-evernote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/16/phil-libin-on-the-past-present-and-future-of-evernote/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It must be nice to be Evernote CEO Phil Libin right now. His company's product / service, Evernote, is about to break 2 million customers, they're past the days of initial development and beta testing, and the future is looking bright.

I had a chance to chat with Mr. Libin last Friday about Evernote, the service that acts as a cloud-based repository for all of the information in your life. Last year during the closed beta test of the service, TUAW's Brett Terpstra interviewed Libin, who called Evernote "universal human memory extension." Whatever information you want to put into the Evernote cloud -- text, photos, voice memos -- is available for searching and viewing from your Mac, PC, or iPhone. Handwritten or printed text runs through a recognition routine that makes it searchable text, something that I've found incredibly useful when storing my business cards in Evernote. You can send web pages to Evernote from Firefox with the click of a button, or tweet notes to Evernote by addressing them to @myEN.

Libin ran me through a short history of Evernote, mentioning that many of the first reviews and discussions of it were provided by TUAW. The Mac app and the service began a closed beta in February, 2008, moving to an open beta in June of that year. As Libin noted, "We never really told anyone when we came out of beta; we just gradually removed the word 'beta' from the site and the software." Since then, Evernote has signed up almost 2 million users.

When I asked Libin if Evernote was meeting the company's expectations in terms of growth, he replied that "we're right where we thought we'd be now." In terms of the present and near future, there's a lot going on. Localized versions of Evernote will be available by the end of 2009 for several European countries, with a Japanese localized version on tap for early 2010. Libin noted that "the Japanese market is huge! Evernote is listed in many Japanese magazines, half of our Twitter traffic is in Japanese, and we're even thinking about opening an office in Japan."

Continue reading Phil Libin on the past, present, and future of Evernote

TUAWPhil Libin on the past, present, and future of Evernote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evernoteinterviewiphoneipod touchIpodTouchscanningMon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The gift of love; the gift of recycled Mac and iPhone jewelry]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/the-gift-of-love-the-gift-of-recycled-mac-and-iphone-jewelry/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/the-gift-of-love-the-gift-of-recycled-mac-and-iphone-jewelry/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/14/the-gift-of-love-the-gift-of-recycled-mac-and-iphone-jewelry/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Are you looking for that perfect holiday gift for a loved one? Is that someone special a Mac geek or geekette? If so, then the clever people at PowerBook Medic have a wonderful gift idea for you!

They make a living out of repairing old Mac laptops and iPhones, and it's apparent that over the years they've accumulated more than a handful of buttons from machines that need fixing. PowerBook Medic is now making earrings from iPhone home buttons (see photo at right) and the power buttons from aluminum, black, and white MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

These lovely personal accessories can be yours for only US$14.95 per pair, so it's probably a good idea to order a complete set so the recipient doesn't think you're a complete cheapskate.

The company is also giving away 15 pairs of the iPhone earrings to lucky winners. Details of their Twitter-fied contest can be found here.

TUAWThe gift of love; the gift of recycled Mac and iPhone jewelry originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>earringshggiphonejewelrymacbookmacbook proMacbookProSat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A new accessory for your iPhone: a NASA-developed chemical sensor]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/a-new-accessory-for-your-iphone-a-nasa-developed-chemical-senso/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/a-new-accessory-for-your-iphone-a-nasa-developed-chemical-senso/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/a-new-accessory-for-your-iphone-a-nasa-developed-chemical-senso/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What's better than a handful of sensors for determining if some hostile enemy has set off chemical weapons in a city? How about hundreds of thousands or millions of sensors? If research being done by NASA Ames Research Center under the Cell-All program in the US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate is taken into production, your next smartphone might contain chemical-sensing circuitry.

A recent article in OnOrbit described a proof of concept that was developed by Jing Li, a scientist at Ames, and a group of other researchers. In order to test out the tiny nanosensor-based chemical sensing circuitry, Li and his team created a device that plugs into the dock port of an iPhone.

To quote the original post,
The new device is able to detect and identify low concentrations of airborne ammonia, chlorine gas and methane. The device senses chemicals in the air using a "sample jet" and a multiple-channel silicon-based sensing chip, which consists of 16 nanosensors, and sends detection data to another phone or a computer via telephone communication network or Wi-Fi.
A newer version of the sensor has 64 nanosensors built-in and is less than 1 cm on a side. Isn't it cool that your iPhone is getting to be more like a Star Trek tricorder every day?

[via Gizmodo]

TUAWA new accessory for your iPhone: a NASA-developed chemical sensor originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

The features in TweetDeck 1.1.1 [iTunes Link] have been given a squirt of goodness, with these new features added to the mix:
  • Video tweeting via integration with 12seconds (record video and send to Twitter or Facebook using 12seconds platform)
  • Facebook integration (updates, FB columns, wall posts, etc.)
  • Landscape composing (for those with stumbly thumbs)
  • Trending Topics to see what's happening RIGHT NOW
  • Save Draft for later
  • Bit.ly support
  • And some additional goodies...
As with the Mac and Windows versions, the TweetDeck for iPhone user interface makes great use of columns, each of which can show a different feed, direct messages, or mentions for multiple accounts. Be sure to watch the video above, and if you're still looking for an iPhone Twitter client, give this fun freebie a try.

TUAWFound Footage: TweetDeck for iPhone gets a major makeover originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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

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

Continue reading Paul Kent gives TUAW the latest news about Macworld 2010

TUAWPaul Kent gives TUAW the latest news about Macworld 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david pogueDavidPoguekevin smithKevinSmithleo laporteLeoLaportemacworldmacworld expomacworld expo 2010macworld2010MacworldExpoMacworldExpo2010Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hiring a new sheriff: Apple clamping down on jailbreaking to soothe corporate angst?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/hiring-a-new-sheriff-apple-clamping-down-on-jailbreaking-maybe/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/hiring-a-new-sheriff-apple-clamping-down-on-jailbreaking-maybe/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/10/hiring-a-new-sheriff-apple-clamping-down-on-jailbreaking-maybe/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

With the latest jailbreaking code, blacksn0w, now available for Geohot's blackra1n utility, iPhone owners who want to free their favorite smartphone from the constraints of the App Store and the AT&T network may do so. But a recent report by PCWorld / Network World indicates that Apple is hiring a new "sheriff" to lock up the iPhone platform for good. Is this true? Maybe not.

According to the post by Network World blogger John Cox, an Apple corporate website is showing a job posting for an iPhone platform security manager. The manager would lead a team aimed at creating methods for secure booting and installation of the iPhone OS, strengthening the platform's cryptographic services, partitioning and hardening internal security domains, and providing risk analysis of security threats.

The post goes on to breathlessly state that this job posting (which is noted as filling an existing position, not creating a new one) is indicative of Apple's concern that enterprise users might jailbreak and unlock their iPhones. The jailbroken phones would let enterprise users load apps that could "threaten corporate data or back-end Exchange servers," and "unlocking the phone... makes it hard to track, monitor and optimize wireless costs and could open the enterprise to legal problems."

Why is it so important for Apple to crack down on jailbreaking and unlocking? Well, the post says that many enterprises are adopting the iPhone "despite the fact that Apple provides virtually no security or management infrastructure..." That last statement is a bit ridiculous, considering that Apple even provides a series of white papers on exactly how to implement secure, managed iPhone deployments in enterprises.

Perhaps the author has been out the enterprise world for a while, since alterations like jailbreaking and unlocking are forbidden by policy in almost all big businesses that provide their employees with phones. As Mike Rose put it succinctly, "What enterprise user is jailbreaking their phone to use T-Mobile when that means they won't get reimbursed for their cell costs? What enterprise user wants to risk getting cut off from Exchange access?" And what enterprise employee is going to risk his or her good graces with the corporate security team for the sake of being able to run SplatCam or Cycorder on the iPhone?

The post tries to tie the rather innocuous task of filling an open job posting to an attempt by Apple to try to shut off the jailbreak world -- which, if it is doing, isn't necessarily about covering corporate requirements. As long as there are people who want to jailbreak their phones or unlock and move them to a different GSM carrier, hackers will find a way to do it. To us, it appears that Apple is just trying to maintain and improve security for the iPhone platform, something that will benefit all iPhone owners.

TUAWHiring a new sheriff: Apple clamping down on jailbreaking to soothe corporate angst? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>enterpriseiphonejailbreakjailbreakingsecurityunlockTue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get a Quirky Beamer for your iPhone (hint: it's not a car)]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/get-a-quirky-beamer-for-your-iphone-hint-its-not-a-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/get-a-quirky-beamer-for-your-iphone-hint-its-not-a-car/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/get-a-quirky-beamer-for-your-iphone-hint-its-not-a-car/#commentsFiled under: ,

TUAW has introduced several Quirky projects to you in the past. Quirky is a community of folks who come up with really cool ideas, and then the best of the ideas are fine-tuned by the folks who run the site and readied for manufacturing. Once a minimum number of customers commit to buy the product, it is put into production.

While looking at the headline for this post, you might think that we're talking about an oddly-painted BMW, but the Quirky Beamer is actually a case for the iPhone. Not just any case, mind you, but one with a built-in bright LED light that can act as a real flashlight or provide illumination for your nighttime photos.

Compatible with the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the Beamer uses replaceable lithium coin cell batteries to provide up to 10 hours of illumination without chewing up your phone's batteries. Pressing the button on the case once turns on the light for 10 seconds, enough to find your keys or take a picture of your buds. To turn the light on for an indefinite amount of time, press the button twice. A third press turns it back off.

Quirky won't produce the Beamer until 500 commitments at $32.00 are received on the site. As of 9 PM on Sunday night, 106 people had committed to the product. If you're looking for a way to flash your friends and not get arrested, the Quirky Beamer might just be the answer.

[Thanks for the tip, Chris T.]

TUAWGet a Quirky Beamer for your iPhone (hint: it's not a car) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>caseflashflashlightiphone 3giphone 3gsIphone3gIphone3gsphotographyquirkyMon, 09 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Steve Jobs, the moral high ground, and the return to Apple]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/steve-jobs-the-moral-high-ground-and-the-return-to-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/steve-jobs-the-moral-high-ground-and-the-return-to-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/steve-jobs-the-moral-high-ground-and-the-return-to-apple/#commentsFiled under: ,

Jesus Diaz over at Gizmodo had a fascinating exposé in a post late last week that provided a look into some of the thinking of Steve Jobs back in 1997. As Diaz relates, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and his friend Steve Jobs were on a beach in Hawaii in '97 when Ellison, under the influence of a few margaritas, floated the idea of buying Apple to bring Jobs back into power at the company he had co-founded with Steve Wozniak.

Jobs declined, although Ellison had funding all lined up to allow The Steve to make a hostile takeover of the company. He told Ellison that a takeover would make people think he was greedy, just wanting to make money out of Apple. Ellison later stated that "He (Jobs) explained to me that with the moral high ground, he thought he could make decisions more easily and more gracefully."

Diaz went on to conjecture that it was more than decision-making that went into Steve's refusal to push his way back into power; it was love. As Diaz notes,
"Steve wanted to be wanted. He knew he was loved by the public and the press. After all, everyone likes the story of a legend coming back-to see him succeed or, better yet for Hollywood drama, fail. More importantly, the company was his company. He didn't have to buy it! That was absolutely preposterous, he probably thought at the time. He knew he was going to return as King once again, acclaimed by his troops and his people, so why spend any money?"

Since his return to Apple, Steve Jobs has, of course, brought the company from the brink of extinction into profitability and recognition. Whether or not he would have been equally successful as a result of a hostile takeover is a great plot for an alternative universe sci-fi novel, but it adds a lot to the legend of Steve Jobs to know that he was able to regain control of the company through a combination of connections, persuasion, and his love for his company.

The rest is history. As Ellison stated in an interview in Fortune, "The difference between me and Steve is that I'm willing to live with the best the world can provide-with Steve that's not always good enough." That difference explains why Apple continues to amaze us with their products, why Steve Jobs is so important to the company, and why Jobs was the hands-down choice for Fortune's CEO of the Decade.

[via Digg]

TUAWSteve Jobs, the moral high ground, and the return to Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple historyAppleHistorygizmodolarry ellisonLarryEllisonsteve jobsSteveJobsMon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TUAW Review and giveaway: Blur Tripod and app for iPhone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/tuaw-review-and-giveaway-blur-tripod-and-app-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/tuaw-review-and-giveaway-blur-tripod-and-app-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/09/tuaw-review-and-giveaway-blur-tripod-and-app-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Way back in September, we announced that Mobile Mechatronics was going to be selling a combination of a tiny tripod and an iPhone app called Blur. The idea behind this combo is that the tripod can hold your iPhone more steadily than your hand can, and then the software can assist you by either taking a photo after a delay or taking several photos in quick succession.

At the time, I asked Mobile Mechatronics to send some samples for us to test and then give away. The tripods arrived very quickly, but the software was nowhere to be found. In my quest to get review equipment out of my office and into the hands of TUAW readers, I kept searching the App Store for the app. It appears that Mobile Mechatronics fell into the bane of iPhone developers everywhere -- slow approval of apps -- because it finally showed up when I searched this week.

Continue reading TUAW Review and giveaway: Blur Tripod and app for iPhone

TUAWTUAW Review and giveaway: Blur Tripod and app for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessoriesblurcontestiphonetripodvideoMon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Found Photos: Rarely seen Steve Jobs]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/found-photos-rarely-seen-steve-jobs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/found-photos-rarely-seen-steve-jobs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/found-photos-rarely-seen-steve-jobs/#commentsFiled under: ,


As Dave Caolo told TUAW readers a few days ago, Fortune named Apple CEO Steve Jobs "CEO of the Decade" for his phenomenal leadership at Apple and how he has remade four industries (music, movies, mobile telephones, and computing) in the past ten years.

Part of the Fortune article was a collection of rarely seen photographs of Steve Jobs. From the early days with Steve Wozniak, to his recent battles with pancreatic cancer, the photos chronicle the life of the iconic CEO.

Two of my personal favorites in the gallery are a photo taken in 1982 of Jobs and the Mac team having a working lunch as they hammer out the design of the first-generation Mac, and another of a barefoot Jobs meeting with Bill Gates at the Jobs home in Palo Alto to talk about the future of computing for Fortune.

The entire set of posts, along with the photos and video, are a fascinating look into the many successes and few failures of the engimatic Mr. Jobs. If you have a chance, take a look at it this weekend.

TUAWFound Photos: Rarely seen Steve Jobs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple historyAppleHistoryCNNMoneyFortunemacphotossteve jobsSteveJobsSat, 07 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple patent application details simple "Grab and Go" sync]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-patent-application-details-simple-grab-and-go-sync/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-patent-application-details-simple-grab-and-go-sync/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-patent-application-details-simple-grab-and-go-sync/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Apple, being the innovative corporation that it is, applies for patents many times per year. While many of these items may never make it to market, the company is proactive in making sure that possible patents are filed as soon as possible in order to protect the intellectual property that's been developed.

One such filing from last year describes a fascinating cloud-based, cross-platform sync service referred to as "Grab & Go." The filing showed up earlier this week and demonstrates how synchronization of data over multiple devices could be simplified. Grab & Go creates pre-defined data sets with categories like family, entertainment, or business that a user could literally "grab" and move to a device. The patent document shows how sharing files between devices (whether the device is a smartphone, computer, tablet, or even a game console) could be made easier.

The software is flexible enough to adapt to different connection types (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, to name a few) and can provide different levels of encryption and security. The filing even discusses a possible requirement of having two or more devices within a certain distance of each other in order for synchronization to begin.

If you're up for a long, but interesting read over the weekend, head on over to the US Patent & Trademark Office and check out the details of Grab & Go. It could be a foretaste of things to come, or just another long legal document.

[via AppleInsider and Engadget]

TUAWApple patent application details simple "Grab and Go" sync originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple tvAppleTvbluetoothiphonemacpatentsyncwi-fiSat, 07 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: Smaller iPhone on tap for Verizon in Q3 2010?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/report-says-smaller-iphone-on-tap-for-verizon-in-q3-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you're tired of dropped calls and dead zones, and pondering the merits of turning in your iPhone for a DROID... hold on there, champ. AppleInsider says it's received a copy of a report by OTR Global, claiming that Apple has signed contracts to produce a UMTS / CDMA hybrid iPhone to be released in the third quarter of 2010.

The hybrid handset, built around a dual-system chip from Qualcomm, would allow the iPhone to run on virtually any GSM/UTMS cellular network worldwide -- and also on the CDMA2000 networks of US carriers like Verizon and Sprint. In particular, Verizon is cited in the report as the target carrier for the new devices.

The report states that Foxconn, the Taiwan-based sole-source provider of iPhone hardware at this time, will not build the new device. Instead, a subsidiary of Asustek known as Pegatron has been selected to kick off manufacturing. It's also rumored that the hybrid device uses a 2.8" screen, making the handset smaller than the current model which uses a 3.5" display.

Photos of the smaller display were first featured on iLounge in June of 2008 (see photo at right), sparking widespread rumors at the time that an "iPhone nano" was on the way. Over a year later, neither the smaller iPhone nor a Verizon model are available. However, if the leaked report is any indication, 2010 could be yet another year of incredible growth for the iPhone economy.

TUAWRumor: Smaller iPhone on tap for Verizon in Q3 2010? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AppleCDMA2000GSMiphonemanufacturingrumortaiwanVerizonSat, 07 Nov 2009 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Andy Ihnatko on Verizon Droid "iDon't" ads: baloney (mostly)]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/andy-ihnatko-on-verizon-droid-idont-ads-baloney-mostly/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Most American television viewers have been treated recently to endless reruns of Verizon's "iDon't" advertisements. These ads attack the iPhone, playing music that's similar to that played in iPhone ads while displaying a series of messages stating such brilliant and cutting phrases as "iDon't have a real keyboard," "iDon't run simultaneous apps," and so on.

Mac fan and Chicago Sun-Times writer Andy Ihnatko was apparently as fed up with the ads as most of us here at TUAW, so he took Verizon to task in a Wednesday column. In the column, he takes on Verizon's claims and for the most part finds them lacking or at least overblown.In describing the faults of the ad campaign, Ihnatko says "Its claims about the limitations of the iPhone are baloney (Mostly.)"

Andy has been testing the new Motorola Droid phone for an upcoming review, and he does like the phone -- a lot. But his take on the ad campaign is right on the mark: "Verizon's 'iDon't' is a terrible commercial. It provokes experienced iPhone users like me to get all Tyra Banks on the phone and the Android 2.0 OS. That can't possibly be good for business."

Don't mess with us iPhone fans, Verizon...

[via Chicago Sun-Times]

TUAWAndy Ihnatko on Verizon Droid "iDon't" ads: baloney (mostly) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisementandy ihnatkoAndyIhnatkodroidiphoneverizonThu, 05 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[App Store smashes the 100,000 app barrier and keeps on growing]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/app-store-smashes-the-100-000-app-barrier-and-keeps-on-growing/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Apple announced early this morning that there are now over 100,000 apps available to iPhone and iPod touch users in the the App Store. Customers of the App Store have purchased over two billion apps, and it is the world's most popular applications store.

In this morning's press release, Apple senior vice president for Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller noted that "The App Store, now with over 100,000 applications available, is clearly a major differentiator for millions of iPhone and iPod touch customers around the world."

Schiller's statement was echoed by top executives from EA Mobile and Smule. EA Mobile's Travis Boatman, VP of Worldwide Studios, praised the App Store as an innovative marketplace to over 50 million iPhone and iPod touch owners, while Smule's CEO Jeff Smith took the perspective of a small, new development house that has skyrocketed to success. "With 10,000 downloads a day, worldwide customer response to our I Am T-Pain App has exceeded our wildest expectations," said Smith. "The App Store has given us a unique opportunity to create and grow a very successful business, and we're looking forward to an exciting future.

By comparison, the Google Android Market had just over 10,000 apps as of early September, almost 65% of which were free. An analysis of iPhone and Android app purchases shows that iPhone users are more likely to purchase apps, while users of Android-based smartphones appear to like getting their software for free. Developers for the most part will go where the money is, and at this time, that appears to be the App Store.

[via Engadget]

TUAWApp Store smashes the 100,000 app barrier and keeps on growing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStoreiphoneipod touchIpodTouchWed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Do you fear when you fly? There's an app to help that.]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/03/do-you-fear-when-you-fly-theres-an-app-to-help-that/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fear of flying is nothing to laugh about. Having a panic attack while on an airplane, or not being able to even board a commercial flight because of fear, are both more common than most people would imagine. One solution is to learn how to relax, and to become knowledgeable about the sights, sounds, and feelings of flying.

Virgin Atlantic has had an amazing 98% success rate in curing fear of flying though its Flying Without Fear classes. These are seminars held throughout the UK that provide flight knowledge through a Q&A session with Virgin Atlantic flight crews, followed by a psychology session to make attendees aware of what makes them afraid and provide techniques to combat the fear. At the end of the day, attendees are taken on a short flight to try out their new knowledge and prove to themselves that they can fly without becoming paralyzed with panic.

To reach a much larger audience, Virgin Atlantic has just released the Flying Without Fear app [US$4.99, iTunes Link]. While the app doesn't include a visit from a flight crew or a psychologist, it's designed to make the techniques that have been so successful in Virgin Atlantic's in-person classes available to owners of the iPhone and iPod touch.

Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson provides a video introduction, followed by video-based explanations of what's going on at every phase of your flight. There's a built-in FAQ section with answers to questions such as "What if all the engines fail?", a set of relaxation exercises, and even a fear attack button (at right) for those scary situations that can occur in flight.

Of course, the app can't be run during takeoff and landing when you're asked to "turn off all electronic devices," but hopefully you'll gain enough confidence through using the app prior to your flight that you'll be able to stay calm.

[via CNET]

TUAWDo you fear when you fly? There's an app to help that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appfear of flyingFearOfFlyingflyingiphoneipod touchIpodTouchTue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SnowChecker will help you make the jump to Snow Leopard]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/still-havent-taken-the-snow-leopard-plunge-maybe-this-will-hel/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/still-havent-taken-the-snow-leopard-plunge-maybe-this-will-hel/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/still-havent-taken-the-snow-leopard-plunge-maybe-this-will-hel/#commentsFiled under: ,

Most of us here at TUAW jumped aboard the Snow Leopard bandwagon immediately after receiving our upgrade disks -- and I mean immediately. We didn't bother to check out what apps would or wouldn't run, and could have cared less about compatibility with scanners and printers or anything else important like that. No, we just dived into the lake before determining whether or not it was shallow, full of piranhas, or contained hydrochloric acid. That's just us, though -- we like to be able to tell TUAW readers what to expect, good and bad, when a new OS version is delivered. Our friends at Download Squad, however, must still be a little queasy about making the leap, since they posted a quick app review today for SnowChecker.

SnowChecker is a free Mac application that does one thing -- it tells you whether or not your applications will run under Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. SnowChecker performs a scan of your hard disk for apps, then compares the list of found apps against compatibility info stored at snowleopard.wikidot.com. It displays the the results, noting which apps are OK, which might have slight compatibility issues, and which will be totally hosed under Snow Leopard. SnowChecker uses a simple green, yellow, red color scheme to pass along the information to you, and often provides quick notes telling you about workarounds or updates that will help get all of your apps working smoothly.

If you're a bit on the shy side when it comes to doing upgrades, SnowChecker can make you feel a lot better about making the jump to Snow Leopard.

TUAWSnowChecker will help you make the jump to Snow Leopard originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple is already the huge name in the music business with the iTunes Store, and they've made continual inroads into the application, video, and movie markets as well. But what if Apple also became the content provider of choice for TV?

That idea isn't that far-fetched, according to a blog post by Peter Kafka at the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital. Kafka reports that Apple has been pitching the concept of $30 monthly TV subscriptions through iTunes to TV networks.

You'll note that I said iTunes. That's the interesting point here -- Apple isn't pushing sending content to a particular device, like the Apple TV that Kafka refers to as "underwhelming" (sounds familiar, doesn't it?) or the fabled Apple tablet / slate / whatever. Instead, the service would be available immediately to the more 100 million iTunes account holders that Apple had as of a year ago. Have a Mac? You're a potential customer. Have a PC? Ditto.

There's only one fly in the ointment -- will broadcast and cable programmers buy into this? Kafka thinks the first content provider to jump would be Disney, which of course counts Steve Jobs as its largest shareholder. Cable companies might not like the loss of their usually overpriced monthly packages to an upstart, or having their bandwidth chewed up by hordes of people streaming HD video. And there's always the question of whether current cable TV subscribers would make the jump to streaming content.

Kafka ends his post with a quote from an unnamed TV executive, who says of Apple's subscription plan "I think they might get it right this time." What's your take, TUAW readers? Do you think the world is ready to purchase all of its video content from Apple? Leave your comments below.

TUAWApple pitching "all you can watch for $30 a month" TV to networks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all things digitalAllThingsDigitalappleitunespeter kafkaPeterKafkatvMon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac OS X 10.6.2 rumored to block Atom support, foil netbook OS X booting]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/mac-os-x-10-6-2-rumored-to-block-atom-support-foil-netbook-os-x/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/mac-os-x-10-6-2-rumored-to-block-atom-support-foil-netbook-os-x/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/02/mac-os-x-10-6-2-rumored-to-block-atom-support-foil-netbook-os-x/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In a move sure to rile up the crowds of people (including our very own Erica Sadun) who have converted cheap Intel Atom-powered netbooks into tiny MacBook-like hackintoshes, several sites are reporting that Apple will kill support for the battery-sipping CPU in the next release of Snow Leopard.

For most netbook manufacturers like MSI, Dell, and ASUS, the Intel Atom line of energy-efficient microprocessors has been the perfect CPU due to its low cost. Cheap prices on these netbooks, often below US$300, have made them the choice of many Mac users who want a very portable and affordable laptop solution that they're not currently getting from Apple.

The word from many developers who are testing the most recent build of Mac OS X 10.6.2 Snow Leopard is that support for the Atom CPU is gone. Either the hackintosh owners will have to run Mac OS X 10.6.1 for the foreseeable future, or some enterprising hacker will build a patch to add Atom support back to the upcoming OS release.

Like the current syncing struggle between iTunes 9 and the Palm Pre, this may turn into a tit-for-tat battle between Apple and the hackintosh community -- or it might be the end of the road for Mac OS X on the featherlight PCs.

[via Engadget, OS X Daily]

TUAWMac OS X 10.6.2 rumored to block Atom support, foil netbook OS X booting originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackintoshintel atomIntelAtommac os x 10.6.2MacOsX10.6.2netbookMon, 02 Nov 2009 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Hunting down 10 iPhone apps for the outdoorsman]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/hunting-down-10-iphone-apps-for-the-outdoorsman/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/hunting-down-10-iphone-apps-for-the-outdoorsman/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/hunting-down-10-iphone-apps-for-the-outdoorsman/#commentsFiled under: , ,

At least here in Colorado, the big game hunting season is mostly over for another year, except for a few late-season licenses. While many hunters may be nursing deer camp hangovers, maintaining their firearms, or telling yarns about the ones that got away, those who own an iPhone or iPod touch can still be blasting away at Bambi.

There are a huge number of hunting-related apps in the App Store, ranging from various deer and duck hunting simulations to duck and deer calls. Let's take a look at a ten-pack of apps:

Go out and blast at virtual deer, elk, caribou, grizzly bears, and black bears with 3D Hunting Trophy Whitetail [US$0.99, iTunes Link]. Four weapon types (Lever-Action Rifle, Bolt-Action Rifle, Scoped Bolt-Action Rifle, or Bow & Arrow) are available for your shooting enjoyment, and you get to use calls and scents to attract your prey.

Continue reading Hunting down 10 iPhone apps for the outdoorsman

TUAWHunting down 10 iPhone apps for the outdoorsman originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeappsAppStorehuntershuntingiphoneipod touchIpodTouchSun, 01 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[I went to an Apple Store on Halloween and they gave me... a bookmark]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/i-went-to-an-apple-store-on-halloween-and-they-gave-me-a-bookm/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/i-went-to-an-apple-store-on-halloween-and-they-gave-me-a-bookm/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/01/i-went-to-an-apple-store-on-halloween-and-they-gave-me-a-bookm/#commentsFiled under: ,

Several TUAW readers have tipped us to the fact that many Apple Stores were in the Halloween spirit last night, handing out treats for ghouls, goblins, and Mac nerds who wandered by.

However, it sounds like Apple was playing the anonymous homeowner to Charlie Brown, who always got a rock instead of candy in his bag. The Apple Stores were not giving out sugary treats to the tots with their parents in tow, but they did get bookmarks. Yay.

The bookmarks are pretty cool, though. Printed in a beautiful turquoise color, the iPod nano-sized bookmarks have magnets on the inside tips so you can fold them around a page and they'll stick. Apple design savvy strikes again!

Apple fans apparently "ate up" the bookmarks; the post on iPhone Savior mentioned that one store was out of them by 7:30 PM. I'm thinking that we should use Apple's use of a bookmark as a giveaway as a hint about the legendary iTablet / ebook reader...

What do you think Apple should have given out to the costumed crowds last night instead of bookmarks? Leave your comments below.

[via iPhone Savior]

TUAWI went to an Apple Store on Halloween and they gave me... a bookmark originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Update: As our loyal commenters have pointed out, Gizmodo (which was among the first sites to report that Clow was changing roles, echoing a piece in the industry journal Advertising Age) has followed up with an internal email from Clow where he says Miller's promotion does not imply that Clow is stepping away from his own leadership role with the company, including "keeping an eye on Apple."

---

When many people think of Apple, they think of the ad campaigns that the company has used over the years:
  • The original "1984" Super Bowl ad that introduced the Mac to the world
  • The "Think Different" campaign that coincided with the return of Steve Jobs to the company
  • The iPod dancing silhouettes
  • "There's an app for that" -- the iPhone ads
  • "Hello, I'm a Mac. And I'm a PC." -- the Get A Mac ads
Apple's advertising agency is TBWA / Media Arts Lab, and the person who has been the creative force behind all of these ads is a man by the name of Lee Clow. The 66 year-old Clow has decided to step down as chief creative officer at the agency, although he'll remain chairman and global director of Media Arts Lab and fulfill other roles within TBWA.

Clow's replacement is no stranger to Apple. Duncan Milner is currently the executive creative director on the Apple account and is considered by many in the advertising industry to be the perfect replacement for Clow, a close friend of Steve Jobs.

TUAWApple's ad man changes roles, but another Apple fan will take his place originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingapplelee clowLeeClowtbwaSat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Look: video editing on your iPhone with Nexvio ReelDirector]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/first-look-video-editing-on-your-iphone-with-nexvio-reeldirecto/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/first-look-video-editing-on-your-iphone-with-nexvio-reeldirecto/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/first-look-video-editing-on-your-iphone-with-nexvio-reeldirecto/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

With the introduction of the iPhone 3GS back in June of this year, iPhone lovers finally got what a lot of other smartphones already had -- video recording capabilities. A little over a week later, I wrote a post titled "How to make iPhone videos sparkle with iMovie." At the time I remember thinking, "Wouldn't it be great if I could do editing on the iPhone instead of having to do it on my Mac?"

Somebody at Nexvio was obviously thinking the same thing, and the company has introduced ReelDirector [US$7.99, iTunes Link], a video editing app for iPhone. One reviewer noted that "it's not Final Cut Pro," but make no mistake -- ReelDirector is a powerful, easy-to-use, and fun iPhone app for creating videos with titles and effects. It's perfect for putting together on-the-spot vacation videos to send to friends and relatives, making quick video podcasts, and teaching kids (or yourself) the basics of video editing.

Continue reading First Look: video editing on your iPhone with Nexvio ReelDirector

TUAWFirst Look: video editing on your iPhone with Nexvio ReelDirector originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Regardless of some of the breathless comments coming out about the Apple TV 3.0 update, it appears that Apple TV is still a "hobby" to Apple. That is my impression after updating my Apple TV this afternoon and giving it a short run around the block.

To start with, I need to qualify this post with a quick reminder that I rarely use my Apple TV. But the gyrations I went through to get it updated are an indication that it still needs a real update, not just a facelift.

I began the update by turning on my Panasonic Viera Plasma TV and flipping the various switches to get the Apple TV on the display. Shortly after, the Apple TV woke up from a few months of sleep and I began flipping screens to find the Update button. I saw something that said "Downloads," and decided that was where I needed to go.

It asked for my Apple ID and password, and then told me I had the password wrong or it couldn't find the Apple ID. All of this was done not by typing on a keyboard, but by using the old white plastic Apple remote to pick one letter at a time off of a grid of letters and numbers. So much for Apple's vaunted skills in user interface design...

Continue reading Hands-on with the underwhelming Apple TV 3.0 update

TUAWHands-on with the underwhelming Apple TV 3.0 update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple tvAppleTviTunes 9.0.2itunes extrasitunes lpItunes9.0.2ItunesExtrasItunesLpsoftware updateSoftwareUpdateThu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Men in kilts: video from the Aberdeen, Scotland Apple Store opening]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/men-in-kilts-video-from-the-aberdeen-scotland-apple-store-open/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/men-in-kilts-video-from-the-aberdeen-scotland-apple-store-open/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/men-in-kilts-video-from-the-aberdeen-scotland-apple-store-open/#commentsFiled under: , ,


TUAW fan George sent us a link to some video he shot earlier today at the grand opening of the Apple Store Union Square in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The video is fun; not only is there the usual high-fiving and applause as customers enter the new store, but one of the Apple employees is wearing a kilt and there was a kilted piper entertaining the folks in line.

In other Apple Store news, reader Christophe pointed us to exclusive photos on Macgeneration of the interior of the new Louvre store in Paris, France, which is scheduled to open on November 7th, 2009. That store will be the first Apple Store in France.

Apple's plans to dominate the European computer and consumer electronics market continue to bear watching, as these new Apple Stores are bound to increase international sales to impressive new levels.

TUAWMen in kilts: video from the Aberdeen, Scotland Apple Store opening originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aberdeenapple storeAppleStorelouvreopeningscotlandThu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[T-3 days, and another NaNoWriMo deal]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/t-3-days-and-another-nanowrimo-deal/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/t-3-days-and-another-nanowrimo-deal/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/t-3-days-and-another-nanowrimo-deal/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There are three more full days until the start of National Novel Writing Month, and that means that yet another software developer has checked in with a deal on a Mac writing application.

This time, it's Mariner Software, and the application is StoryMill. Mariner's deal is this -- if you purchase StoryMill before the start of NaNoWriMo on November 1st, you'll get a 35% discount off of the normal price of US$49.95. That brings the price down to a very nice US$34.95.

StoryMill is unique in that it has a timeline function that gives authors a way to arrange the scenes in their opus on a graphical timeline. For continuity of the story line, that's a great tool, and it's something that seems to be available only with StoryMill. The package also has a distraction-free writing mode for churning out your average of 1,667 words per day, as well as a Progress Meter for counting down those 50,000 words in your NaNoWriMo novel.

If you're not sure that StoryMill will work for you, there's also a 30-launch free trial that may see you through NaNoWriMo. I'm hoping that all of you TUAW readers who are thinking of writing during NaNoWriMo have signed up by now and have decided what your story is all about. Good luck, and happy writing!

TUAWT-3 days, and another NaNoWriMo deal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealsnanowrimostorymillwriting toolsWritingToolsThu, 29 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Uncle Walt says "Apple's built-in software still has the edge"]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/uncle-walt-says-apples-built-in-software-still-has-the-edge/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/uncle-walt-says-apples-built-in-software-still-has-the-edge/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/uncle-walt-says-apples-built-in-software-still-has-the-edge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Walt Mossberg, the curmudgeonly, smooth-pated personal technology blogger at The Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital, has released his fall computer-buying guide. And when Walt talks, people listen.

Mossberg is usually very kind to Apple products, which probably explains why he gets the latest and greatest equipment sent to him by the guys in Cupertino prior to release, and we don't. In his latest guide, he says some surprisingly nice things about Windows PCs. That's mostly due to the progress in usability and friendliness brought about by the recent release of Windows 7. But he also goes on to say some very interesting things in his lead-in post, titled "Operating Systems Provide New Choices in PC Shopping."

While Walt points out the obvious -- that Windows PCs are usually less expensive than Macs and that Windows 7 has closed the gap between the operating systems in terms of user-friendliness -- he also goes on to say some very nice things about Macs:
But Apple's hardware is stylish and sturdy, and, in my tests, Macs usually boot faster than Windows machines. Plus, Apple's chain of retail stores offers a better buying experience and strong post-purchase support. Also, in my view, Apple's built-in software still has the edge. Snow Leopard is fast and reliable. And it comes with a full suite of excellent built-in programs, including email, photo and video software. Microsoft has stripped Windows 7 of such programs. Some PC makers have restored some or all of these in certain models, although I consider Apple's counterparts better. Another huge plus: The Mac isn't susceptible to the vast majority of viruses and spyware.
That's high praise again from the Prince of Personal Tech, and a list of good arguments for us "Apple Fanboys" to bring up when we're faced with Windows-lovers.

TUAWUncle Walt says "Apple's built-in software still has the edge" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As I write this, snow is falling. That was the view out of my office this morning. Yes, I know it's only October 27th. Yes, I know that winter starts on December 21st. But sometimes in Colorado we get blizzards or major snowstorms in "non-standard" months. We're supposed to get two feet of the white stuff before this storm departs Thursday night.

An IM conversation with Mike R. got me thinking about what iPhone apps could be useful when you're snowed in. Here's my list, and be sure to use the comments section below to leave your ideas.

You're going to be getting a little cabin fever after being stuck in the house a few days, so why not go insane a bit faster? There are a number of snow globe apps for iPhone in the App Store [iTunes Link], so you can shake them up and watch those little virtual snowflakes falling, all while laughing nervously and sharpening that butcher knife.

On a much more positive, happy-thoughts note, how about thinking about where you can go skiing or snowboarding when the roads are cleared and you can actually get the car out of the garage? The first thing you'll want to know are the snow depths at all of your favorite resorts. The US$1.99 Snow Reports [iTunes Link] does exactly that for over 2,000 resorts worldwide. Ski Lodge - Snow Reports [US$4.99, iTunes Link] is similar, but also provides detailed trail maps, directions to the nearest resort, and more.

When you're on the mountain and riding your board, it's always fun to use iTrailMap 3D [US$4.99, iTunes Link] to trace your runs via GPS on a map, then send the map to those obnoxious virtual coworkers who keep sending you pictures of the palm trees swaying outside their San Diego offices.

Continue reading iPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readers

TUAWiPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>5 apps5Appsappstoreblizzardfreezing my butt offFreezingMyButtOffiphoneipod touchIpodTouchsnowWed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Quick and easy podcasting with an iPhone 3GS, GarageBand, and Posterous]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/guerilla-podcasting-with-an-iphone-3gs-garageband-and-posterou/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/guerilla-podcasting-with-an-iphone-3gs-garageband-and-posterou/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/guerilla-podcasting-with-an-iphone-3gs-garageband-and-posterou/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

I love podcasting.

My first podcasts weren't really podcasts, just recordings that I made and uploaded to a website in the late 90's so that other people could listen to them. Unlike the podcasts we know and love today, there was no way to subscribe to all of the episodes that I recorded. When podcasting as we know it hit the world in 2004, I started hosting podcasts through one of my companies.

Despite creating two long-running podcasts between 2004 and 2007, I finally gave up because of the time involved. Part of the problem was due to me being a stickler for perfection in my podcasts, while the rest was due to the fact that I was stuck with podcasting when I was near my iMac and could edit and update a feed file on a regular basis.

Earlier this month, I decided that I wanted to start up a personal podcast again. Yeah, I talk about tech, but for the most part I wanted this to be a free-form podcast that could talk about photography one day, music the next, and the joys of being a cat owner the third. Since my calendar is already pretty well jammed, the only way I was going to be able to commit to doing a podcast every day was to get the podcast workflow down to as little time as possible.

Continue reading Quick and easy podcasting with an iPhone 3GS, GarageBand, and Posterous

TUAWQuick and easy podcasting with an iPhone 3GS, GarageBand, and Posterous originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloggingfeed validatorfeedburnerFeedValidatorgaragebanditunesiwebpodcastingposterousWed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Space geeks love MacBook Pros]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/space-geeks-3-macbook-pros/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/space-geeks-3-macbook-pros/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/27/space-geeks-3-macbook-pros/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Like a lot of my fellow space geeks, I was watching the live feed from Spaceflight Now this morning for the launch of the Ares 1-X test vehicle. Unfortunately, the launch was scrubbed, but I was happy to see that the three guys doing the coverage this morning were all using MacBook Pros.

The MacBook Pros were all being used to do blogging and tweeting during the launch coverage, as well as to receive updates from NASA.

The coverage was being provided by former CNN talking head and well-known aviation enthusiast Miles O'Brien (center), veteran TV reporter David Waters (at left), and Astronaut Leroy Chiao (at right). While the weather didn't cooperate for the launch this morning, that gives TUAW readers another chance tomorrow morning to watch and listen to the launch, and to admire all that gleaming aluminum in the morning sun -- that's the MacBook Pros, not the Ares 1-X.

TUAWSpace geeks love MacBook Pros originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ares 1-XAres1-xlaunchNASAspaceflight nowSpaceflightNowTue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Retrevo Study: Apple needs to price tablet at $600 or less to attract PC users]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/retrevo-study-apple-needs-to-price-tablet-at-600-or-less-to-at/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/retrevo-study-apple-needs-to-price-tablet-at-600-or-less-to-at/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/retrevo-study-apple-needs-to-price-tablet-at-600-or-less-to-at/#commentsFiled under: ,

The mythical Apple tablet is back in the news again, this time in the results of a new study that shows where the pricing "sweet spot" will need to be for Apple to attract users who would traditionally buy an inexpensive PC netbook instead.

Consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo.com surveyed 753 Americans distributed across age, gender, income, and location, asking them what they'd be willing to pay for an Apple tablet computer. While 68% of Mac users said that they'd willingly drop $600 or more on a tablet, only 36% of PC users said that they'd pay that much.

What does that tell Apple? If they want to continue to make inroads into the PC market, particularly in the netbook sector, the new device should have a price point around $600 so that price is not an issue for PC users. Retrevo's Gadgetology study also noted that Apple has already lost potential sales to early adopters like iPhone users, 59% of whom said they either already own or plan to purchase a netbook this year.

Not only is pricing of the Apple tablet key to making it a runaway success, but the study results show that Apple needs to get this device out the door as quickly as possible to capture the slower adopters who are planning on making a netbook purchase in the next year.

The study does not answer the question on how many dissatisfied netbook owners would make the switch to an Apple tablet, but we can only hope that Retrevo asks that question soon.

TUAWRetrevo Study: Apple needs to price tablet at $600 or less to attract PC users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applenetbookretrevosurveytabletMon, 26 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Robert Scoble: 85,000 reasons why the iPhone won't be disrupted]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/robert-scoble-85-000-reasons-why-the-iphone-wont-be-disrupted/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/robert-scoble-85-000-reasons-why-the-iphone-wont-be-disrupted/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/26/robert-scoble-85-000-reasons-why-the-iphone-wont-be-disrupted/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Whether you think he's the voice of reason on the Web or an annoying pest, when Robert Scoble over at the Scobleizer blog speaks, people listen.

Yesterday, a Twitter follower of Mr. Scoble stated that he thought "iPhone users were beyond reason," referring to the almost unnatural fixation that most of us have for our phones. Scoble brought up a very good point in his blogged response -- every app that comes out on the market (more than 85,000 at this point) provides another way to customize your iPhone to the way that you live and work.

In order for another manufacturer to come out with a device that will pry that iPhone out of our fingers, they're going to need to exactly duplicate or surpass the functionality that we've become used to. That's not likely to happen, in Scoble's opinion, because the 85,000+ apps that filter down to a couple of dozen (or hundred) apps on each iPhone turn that iPhone into something completely unique. It's not likely that any iPhone user is going to want to give up that up unless every app in the special combination on his or her iPhone is replaced by something better.

It makes sense. I've worked with all of the other smartphone platforms, and in no case have there been compelling apps that hold me to the platform. With the iPhone, I've tried thousands of apps, kept about a hundred, and those hundred apps let me work and play the way I want to. iPhone developers have also made sure that the apps are simple to use, too.

Perhaps the Android or some other smartphone platform will eventually evolve to the point that there is a critical mass of compelling apps that provides the same magical combination of power, ease-of-use, and fun, but until that time the iPhone will reign supreme. That's even despite Microsoft CEO and iPhone hater Steve Ballmer's recent assertion about the iPhone, "That's why they've got 75,000 applications -- they're all trying to make the Internet look decent on the iPhone."

Obviously Mr. Ballmer hasn't used an iPhone, or he'd realize that the iPhone is much more than Web apps. That might also give Ballmer a clue why Windows phones aren't even on the radar for most smartphone buyers today.

TUAWRobert Scoble: 85,000 reasons why the iPhone won't be disrupted originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW reader Ethan pointed us in the direction of something new, cool, and available only for iPhone and iPod touch (take that, Palm Pre and Android phones!)

BestBuy has an exclusive on the new Viper SmartStart System, which can do a number of things for your wheels:
  • Start your car with virtually unlimited range
  • Warm your car in winter; cool your car in summer
  • Unlock your car or truck
  • Arm the alarm to protect your car
  • Activate panic alarm to protect yourself
  • Receive push-button status notifications
It uses a free iPhone app [iTunes link] to give you that remote love, like when you are visiting friends overseas and want to scare people by starting your car up while it's sitting by itself in the airport parking lot. The developers also note that in the near future, a new release of the app will give you push notification if your car alarm goes off.

There are two versions available: a module (SmartStart VSM100 Module, US$299.99) for cars that are already equipped with compatible Viper starting systems, and a fully loaded package (SmartStart VSM4000 System, US$499.99) for the rest of us.

Some of the app reviewers have noted that you're not only paying for the system and your iPhone bill, but there's also a US$29 monthly annual GSM service bill that you'll have to pay (the first year of service is complimentary with your purchase). However, if the money isn't an object and you're already clueless about what to get a loved one for Christmas, this might be an idea to consider.

TUAWVrooooom! Start your car (and more) from your iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I'm beginning to think that some other writers on the Mac beat are reading my mind.

About two weeks ago, one of my consulting clients was asking if there was any way that she'd be able to upgrade to Snow Leopard and still be able to run two legacy applications in Classic, one of which was HyperCard. Being the forward-looking guy I am, I suggested that we just move the data from her old HyperCard stack over to Bento (simple), and then see if we could find a replacement for the other application into which her employees could re-enter the old data.

Yesterday I was looking at posts over on the venerable Mac website TidBITS, and blogger/author Matt Neuburg had written a post about SheepShaver. This oddly-named application is a PowerPC Mac emulator, one of several that are available for both Mac and Windows. Neuburg does a good job of explaining the process of getting a ROM image, then using a Mac OS 9 installer CD to get SheepShaver up and running.

Matt pointed out a website, E-Maculation, that is dedicated to Mac emulators and how to get them up and running. While my client loved the solution I was able to provide to her, running Classic under Snow Leopard might be a better (and more fun!) solution for other Mac users. If you're up to the challenge and fun of setting up SheepShaver on a Snow Leopard Mac, be sure to take a look at both Matt's post and the E-Maculation website.

In the meantime, I'm going to go put my aluminum foil hat to make sure that Matt stops reading my mind.

[via TidBITS]

TUAWNeed to run Classic under Snow Leopard? SheepShaver can do that. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The day is Thursday, October 22nd. You're in Scottsdale, Arizona, and you walk into a brand new store being opened by a multinational corporation that produces technology products, including popular operating systems for computers and mobile phones, music/media players, and 'cloud' email and storage services for consumers.

As you walk into the store, employees in brightly-colored t-shirts cheer and applaud. The store is spacious, with large wooden tables placed far enough apart that the opening-day crowd, standing on a hardwood floor, isn't packed into the place. At the back of the store is an "Answer Bar," where you can ask questions about the operating system on your computer.

No, Apple didn't open a new Apple Store in Scottsdale on the 22nd. Instead, this was the opening of the first Microsoft Store. As expected, the stores draw heavily on the highly successful Apple Store concept; the stores are opening near Apple Stores, the former real estate chief for Apple (George Blankenship) was hired to consult on location and placement of the stores, and Microsoft has even attempted to hire away Apple Store managers to run their retail outlets.

The personal shoppers are a blatant rip-off of Apple's Concierge concept, and Personal Training is an echo of Apple's One-to-One training. The Microsoft Store website has similarities to the pages for individual Apple Stores, down to a scrolling list of in-store classes and events (the list for the Scottsdale store is empty at this time).

It's fascinating to see that Microsoft has decided to copycat the Apple Store concept, but it remains to be seen if the execution will be as successful for Microsoft as it has been for Apple.

[via MacRumors]

TUAWMicrosoft retail store opening in AZ copies freely from Apple Stores originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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