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[YouTube with all of the sizzle but none of the Flash]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/youtube-with-all-of-the-sizzle-but-none-of-the-flash/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/youtube-with-all-of-the-sizzle-but-none-of-the-flash/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/youtube-with-all-of-the-sizzle-but-none-of-the-flash/#commentsFiled under:

[Our regular Sunday night Talkcast is cancelled due to a sick host. Sorry, and we'll see you next week. -Ed.]

Let's face it: Flash on the Mac is a dog. Actually, that's an insult to dogs, which are known for running fast. Flash for Mac is such a an unoptimized beast that you can expect it will suck up as much CPU as possible, even for the simplest of videos.

My first line of defense is ClickToFlash (which I've mentioned before), but the folks over at NeoSmart have another solution, at least for YouTube: HTML5.

By using the newest version of HTML, they have devised a system to send YouTube videos directly to any MP4 decoder on your computer. Simply go to their custom web page and paste the YouTube URL into the field. In a moment you will be presented with a clean window showing you the video, as well as a download link for the MP4 version.

They also have a Greasemonkey/UserScript available which will add a link to all YouTube pages. That's nice, but what I was really looking for was a bookmarklet I could keep in my Bookmarks Bar and just click on when I was on a YouTube page. I didn't find one, so I made one. Drag (don't click!) this link to your Bookmarks Bar: FlashFree YouTube and you can easily access the NeoSmart/HTML5 version.

How does it work? Superbly well. I tested it using Safari, and watching a YouTube video through NeoSmart had no noticeable impact on my CPU at all.

I've nearly given up hope for a version of Flash for Mac that doesn't stink. Until then, ClickToFlash and NeoSmart's HTML5 YouTube are a great combination to make your web surfing more enjoyable.

TUAWYouTube with all of the sizzle but none of the Flash originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ClickToFlashFlashHTML5NeoSmartYouTubeSun, 08 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/balloons-sending-out-a-mystery-message-on-your-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

With over 100,000 apps in the app store, it's getting harder and harder to find something new; most apps seem to be 'me too' versions of something else. Balloons! US $2.99 [iTunes Link] for iPhones running OS 3.0 or better, is something I haven't seen before, and it's really very clever. TUAW first got a look at an early development version of Balloons! back at WWDC, including a video interview with the developer.

Balloon mail has been used, along with the more common phrase message in a bottle, to describe sending a message into the wind or sea and hoping that someone finds it and contacts you. It's sort of non-directional social networking with a hint of mystery built in.

In this app, you start making a balloon by choosing from a variety of balloon styles. Next you create a message that the balloon will convey. Tap in the middle of the screen and the camera activates to take a picture of what's going on in your life at the moment. Then add a bit of text and send the balloon out into the world. Other users, over 900 in the first 3 days of sales, are doing the same thing. Over 3500 balloons have been sent up from the US, Europe, and Japan already.

Next, you'll want to catch a balloon. When you do, you'll see the message from the person who made the balloon along with a separate flippable page from everyone who caught the balloon, added something to it, and let it fly again. As more people catch, add to, and release balloons, each balloon takes on a history and often has a story to tell.

The balloons don't travel randomly. If launched in New York City, you can't immediately grab the balloon in London; it needs time to travel.

If you want to see what has happened to your balloon, there is a balloon tracking option that tells you how long your balloon has been flying and if has been caught or not. Tap on one of your caught balloons and you'll see all the notes added by those that have seen your balloon. I found this to be a lot of fun.

There is a free, advertising-supported version of the app [iTunes Link] that doesn't include the tracking option. I liked the idea of giving out a free appetizer, since you can get a great idea of how Balloons! works and quickly realize that the best part of the app is the tracking option.

The graphics suit the app nicely. Screens are very cartoonish using bright colors and animated clouds. I was taken by the whimsy of this app, and can see it being great for kids as a nudge toward becoming interested in geography. It's also fun, tinged with a bit of longing for faraway places, for everyone.

Take a look at the video in the 2nd half of this post to see it in action.

Continue reading Balloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone

TUAWBalloons! Sending out a mystery message on your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app reviewAppReviewAppStoreballoonsiphonevideoSun, 08 Nov 2009 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Brenthaven: The best computer backpack I've ever seen]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/brenthaven-the-best-computer-backpack-ive-ever-seen/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/brenthaven-the-best-computer-backpack-ive-ever-seen/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/brenthaven-the-best-computer-backpack-ive-ever-seen/#commentsFiled under: ,

The TUAW gang have been searching for great holiday gift ideas and I think I've found one that's been right under my nose for five years.

When I bought my brand new PowerBook G4 17" in 2004, I splurged and bought a Brenthaven backpack for it. Back then it cost a good deal more than the usual backpack -- around $75 -- but I thought it would be worth it since I lugged around my PowerBook nearly every day and it looked like the Brenthaven provided better padding than the competition.

Since then, the backpack has housed a succession of three 17" PowerBooks and MacBook Pros under very heavy use. The amazing part is that outside of being a bit dusty, it's in just as good shape as the day I bought it. No frayed stitching, no stuck zippers, no torn dividers. There is no sign of wear and/or tear whatsoever. And if there was, or ever will be, all Brenthaven bags come with a lifetime warranty.

Continue reading Brenthaven: The best computer backpack I've ever seen

TUAWBrenthaven: The best computer backpack I've ever seen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backpackBrenthavenhggholiday gift guideholiday shoppingHolidayGiftGuideHolidayShoppingSun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:00 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[First look: Viewfinder supercharges Flickr search]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/first-look-viewfinder/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/first-look-viewfinder/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/first-look-viewfinder/#commentsFiled under: ,


The new Mac app Viewfinder by Connected Flow (developer Fraser Speirs is the man behind the FlickrExport plugins for Aperture and iPhoto) is designed for browsing/searching images on Flickr. This application provides many ways to work with the service's photos; you can select licenses to constrain your search to images you can use (such as Creative Commons or commercial use images), or search through the full text of tags and descriptions. Once you've found a photo, you can save a few steps in performing common tasks that would normally require you to download the image separately.

You can set the selected image to your desktop picture in one click. You can also insert the selected image into a Keynote presentation immediately. You can see the selected image(s) on Flickr, or you can download them. Also, you can get a "quick look" of the image by pressing the space bar on your keyboard, just like you would using the Finder.

If you're a frequent image searcher on Flickr, Viewfinder is a nice way to supercharge your search tasks. If you're not an image search pro, however, you're probably not going to need this application.

Viewfinder requires Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (which makes it Intel-only); Keynote '08 or later is required to insert an image into a Keynote presentation. It's available for a introductory price of US $23.60.

TUAWFirst look: Viewfinder supercharges Flickr search originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Connected FlowConnectedFlowFlickrphotosViewfinderSun, 08 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Yes, the Apple Store is <strike>down</strike> up]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/yes-the-apple-store-is-down-dont-get-too-excited/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/yes-the-apple-store-is-down-dont-get-too-excited/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/08/yes-the-apple-store-is-down-dont-get-too-excited/#commentsFiled under:



Yep, the Apple Store is down (all over, it seems) and our inboxes runneth over. Don't get too excited, however. This has happened before and will happen again. And again. And again. And again.

If you see anything new when it comes back online, be a dear and leave it in the comments.

UPDATE: Store is back up with holiday cheer. And there was much rejoicing.

thanks to everyone who sent this in!

TUAWYes, the Apple Store is down up originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Worm rickrolls unsecured jailbroken iPhones via SSH]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/jailbreak-worm-rickrolls-the-unsecured/#commentsFiled under: , ,

For the last few days, some jailbroken iPhone users have found their home screen background a little different than they remembered. A hacker, going by the name "ikee," created a worm that changes the home screen background on jailbroken iPhones whose owners failed to change the default password after installing SSH. Simply jailbreaking your iPhone will not make you vulnerable to this sort of hack. The iPhone OS, in general, is also immune to this hack. Still confused? Let's back up a bit.

On jailbroken iPhones, SSH is installable with a package from Cydia that allows you to connect to your phone and make changes to the filesystem. It does this by logging into the root user with the password "alpine." After installing SSH, it is always recommended that you change "alpine" to the password of your choosing. This hack can only affect people who chose not to change that password -- no one else.

This hack originated in Australia, the home country of ikee, and has possibly spread to other iPhones in other countries, but we've been unable to verify that. A gentleman by the name of JD held an interview with the hacker over IRC and posted it to his blog. In ikee's own words, here's how the worm has spread:
...The code itself is set to firstly scan the 3G IP range the phone is on, then Optus/Vodafone/Telstra's IP Ranges (I think the reason Optus got hit so hard is because the other 2 are NAT'd) then a random 20 IP ranges. I'm guessing a few phones hit a range that another vulnerable phone was on.
Basically, once your phone is infected, the worm starts looking for other iPhones on the cellular network that use the root:alpine combination. Once it finds another vulnerable iPhone, it installs itself and begins the process again... and again... and again.

Luckily for the jailbreakers in the audience who may have been affected, there's really no harm done -- at least not with this version of the worm. According to the hacker, this was more of an experiment than anything else. The worm changes your background and then disables inbound SSH, which is a good thing. If SSH was left turned on, a similar worm could follow along but conceivably do much more damage. For instructions on how to delete this worm, read JD's interview with ikee. I would recommend reading the interview just for the information it presents; I found it pretty interesting. If you've got a jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch and you've never changed the default device password, now's the time. Here's how, if you are using terminal:

Type: ssh root@(iPhone IP address)
When prompted for the password type: alpine
Now you're connected the phone...
type: passwd
It should then prompt your for a new password -- type one that you'll remember. There's no easy way to reset it if you forget it.

That's it. Please remember to be responsibly secure with your devices. Hackers like ikee are troublesome, but this could have been much worse. While I don't personally condone his actions, he's prevented a lot of people from being vulnerable to more malicious attacks later down the road.

Thanks, James!

TUAWWorm rickrolls unsecured jailbroken iPhones via SSH originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hacksiphonejailbreakpasswordvulnerabilitywormWormsSat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Heads Up: Update your Apple TV to 3.0.1 ASAP, says Apple]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/heads-up-update-your-apple-tv-to-3-0-1-asap-says-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/heads-up-update-your-apple-tv-to-3-0-1-asap-says-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/heads-up-update-your-apple-tv-to-3-0-1-asap-says-apple/#commentsFiled under: ,



We've heard a few reports of sync issues with the new Apple TV 3.0 software over the past few days, and apparently the chatter on the Apple support boards was on the mark: Apple has shipped 3.0.1, which is supposed to fix problems where 3.0 units would unexpectedly dump all their loaded content. You can get all the details from Apple's tech note. [According to our commenters, in most cases the content was not gone, simply invisible; a reboot of the ATV might bring back the media.]

Since it's a giant pain to resync gigabytes of media over the network link, it's nice to see this fixed promptly.... but considering that the Apple TV 3.0 update was billed as a major improvement to Apple's 'hobby,' this bug is not going to make any fans out of Apple TV foes.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.


TUAWHeads Up: Update your Apple TV to 3.0.1 ASAP, says Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.0apple tvAppleTvSat, 07 Nov 2009 17:45:00 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[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[Save URLs for later with Quiet Read]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/save-urls-for-later-with-quiet-read/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/save-urls-for-later-with-quiet-read/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/save-urls-for-later-with-quiet-read/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Bambooapps has released a simple and useful utility called Quiet Read that has earned a spot on my Mac's menubar. With a simple drag-and-drop, it lets you save a web page for later review.

Of course, there are many apps that do this, including Instapaper and Evernote. Instapaper gets the job done via a bookmarklet; just give it a click while at the desired URL and it's saved. Evernote does pretty much the same thing, thought their bookmarklet behaves differently between Safari and Firefox. In addition, they have the Mac application for tagging and organizing.

I spent the day using Quiet Read instead of the other two. Here's what I liked and disliked. First, adding a URL is as easy as possible. Simply drag it out of your browser's address bar and drop it onto the menu bar icon. The display keeps track of how many you've collected. A tidy drop-down lets your browse the saved articles for easy selection.

What I disliked is that once an app is gone, it's gone. Instapaper saves read articles.

But Quiet Read isn't Instapaper. If you're looking for a free, simple way to save articles for later reading (and you're running 10.6 or later), Quiet Read could be the solution.

TUAWSave URLs for later with Quiet Read originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bambooappsinstapaperinternetquiet readQuietReadutilitiesSat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple introduces reserve and pick-up]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-introduces-reserve-and-pick-up/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-introduces-reserve-and-pick-up/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-introduces-reserve-and-pick-up/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As a guy who likes shopping online, but who still appreciates the act of going into a retail store for big purchases, I love this news. Apple has introduced a "Reserve and Pick-up" service for the holiday season.

The name is a little unwieldy, but it gets the point across. You go onto the Apple web site to find what you want, click to reserve the product at a nearby Apple Store, and then go to the store and pick up the goods while you're doing your holiday shopping between December 15 to 24.

For many folks, this might seem awkward -- why not just buy the product online and get it shipped, or just go to the store and buy it? For guys like me, it's perfect -- all of the convenience of choosing a product online, with the added bonus of being able to check out the retail store during the holidays.

iLounge notes that there's no AppleTV on the list, so if you were planning to pick one up as a gift, you'll have to go a more traditional route. There's also no way to actually reserve an iPhone. Instead, you're told to get an iPhone gift card to give to some lucky recipient. Nevertheless, I like the idea of reserve and pick-up, an interesting mix of online shopping and in-store purchasing for the holiday season. It's Apple take-out.

TUAWApple introduces reserve and pick-up originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want an iPhone app business without all the boring hassle of actually programming and releasing iPhone apps? Boy, does Brice Milliorn have a deal for you! He's auctioning off his iPhone app business, which he says has 87 different apps for sale, over on eBay.

Milliorn says he started out developing apps on his own, but the business is just too big for him to keep up so he's selling all of the apps and their rights, all of the source code, and technical support for two months to transition everything over to the new owner. He doesn't specifically say that he'll transfer the developer account on Apple's App Store to your name (he says he'll send over a DVD with the source code and transfer "the whole kit and caboodle" to you), but we presume that's what will happen -- of course if you go for it, you're doing this at your own risk.

What will a burgeoning App Store business, complete with apps like iSexyRef and Swine Flu cost you? Just a cool $100 grand. That's the starting bid in the eBay auction, which has just over a week left and no bids as of this writing. There are certainly less expensive ways to get started selling apps on the store. It only costs $100 to register in Apple's Developer Program for a year, and then you just need to find a developer you can pay -- or even do it yourself with a helper service).

If you'd rather start off with a bunch of marginal to silly 99-cent apps and happen to have an extra $100,000 lying around to spend (maybe for a nice holiday gift?), here's your opportunity.

TUAWFor sale on eBay: One iPhone development business, batteries not included originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountapp-storeappsauctiondeveloperebayhumoriphoneiphone-appsisexyrefjbmjbmmarginalsalesillysource-codesportsswine-fluSat, 07 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple Store Carrousel du Louvre opens today]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-store-carrousel-du-louvre/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-store-carrousel-du-louvre/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/apple-store-carrousel-du-louvre/#commentsFiled under: ,

Apple typically opens retail stores in high-end shopping areas, and this one is as high-end as it gets.

Beneath the great glass pyramid that marks the entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris is Carrousel du Louvre, home to shops, a gourmet food court, exhibition space and, as of this Saturday, an Apple Store. This will be the first Apple Store in Paris and in France. Another Apple Store is poised to open in the seaside town of Montpellier next Saturday.

This location has the now iconic glass spiral staircase that's featured in other flagship stores and two levels total. If you can't visit Apple Store Carrousel du Louvre this weekend, check out the photos and coverage from ifoAppleStore as well as these photos on Flickr. C'est Magnifique!

Also notable this week is the new Musee du Louvre app that's available for free from the App Store [iTunes link]. Coincidentally, of course.

TUAWApple Store Carrousel du Louvre opens today originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple storeAppleStorecarrousel du louvreCarrouselDuLouvrelouvreparisretailSat, 07 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The week in TUAW]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/the-week-in-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/the-week-in-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/07/the-week-in-tuaw/#commentsFiled under: ,

Thumbnail for Need a Mac or iPhone developer? TUAW job boards are here! Need a Mac or iPhone developer? TUAW job boards are here!
Notice anything new at TUAW? We've had our job boards up for a week now, making sure all the tape would stick when new jobs were posted, and I'm proud to say that the doors are wide open for job...
TUAW Video: a tour of Freeverse
Welcome to the first of what we hope will be many, many TUAW Videos to come. We've done lots of video on TUAW, from Macworld Expo coverage to WWDC interviews to fart apps and more. This time we're...
Thumbnail for Hands-on with the Magic Mouse Hands-on with the Magic Mouse
Well, I got my Magic Mouse a few days ago, and I've been using it for my everyday tasks for a few days (and I'm still using it), and here are my impressions. Packaging: This packaging is...		 Also of interest:

TUAWThe week in TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>job boardsJobBoardskanexmagic mouseMagicMouserounduptuawwaveboardSat, 07 Nov 2009 00:33:00 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[Squarespace hosting/CMS service launches iPhone app]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/squarespace-hosting-cms-service-launches-iphone-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

After a long wait, Squarespace customers finally have an iPhone app of their own. Squarespace is a hosted blogging/CMS service that competes with the likes of WordPress.com and Typepad. Having used all three, I can say that interacting with Squarespace (posting, changing your site's look and feel, etc.) is unlike the others. Instead of a separate control panel/dashboard, Squarespace previews changes in real time on the same screen. It's really nice.

The iPhone app [iTunes link] seems to be an extension of its browser-based sibling. For example, check out the live preview mode pictured at right. You can also manage multiple accounts, post, upload multiple images at once (awesome) view stats and more. The UI looks nice as well.

While bloggers on other platforms have had compatible apps in the App Store for a while now, this is Squarespace's first solution. We're eager to play around with it. Squarespace for iPhone is free and requires a paid Squarespace account.

TUAWSquarespace hosting/CMS service launches iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStoreblogbloggingcmsiphonesquarespaceFri, 06 Nov 2009 20:00:00 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[Tons of software on sale thanks to One Finger Discount]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/tons-of-software-on-sale-thanks-to-one-finger-discount/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/tons-of-software-on-sale-thanks-to-one-finger-discount/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/tons-of-software-on-sale-thanks-to-one-finger-discount/#commentsFiled under: ,


How does a 20% discount sound? How about 20% off software from over 30 developers? This list has been growing since One Finger Discount started this week and continues to grow as developers jump on board with a pretty darn good deal if you're in the market for any one of these awesome applications. They run the gamut from productivity to games to blogging software.

Kudos to Daniel Jalkut of Red Sweater Software for putting these deals together on one page, somewhat cheekily as a response to MacHeist, it would seem. The One Finger? Well, that comes from 1/5, 20% discount as opposed to a five-finger discount (free). 20% is still a steal, right? Very clever, Mr. Jalkut -- we'll leave the readers to consider which finger they should order with.

[via Macworld]

TUAWTons of software on sale thanks to One Finger Discount originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealdiscounthahaone finger discountOneFingerDiscountsoftwareFri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RFID coming to iPhones?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/rfid-coming-to-iphones/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo courtesy of flickr: Thijs Jacobs
Back in April 2009, TUAW's Dave Caolo posted a video showing off the potential (and some of the potential annoyances as well) and possibilities of an RFID-enabled iPhone world via an iPhone RFID prototype by Near Field. And, according to a Near Field Communications blog posting, Apple is said to have equipped prototypes of the next-generation iPhone with RFID readers.

How awesome would it be if, instead of using my Mobil Speedpass, I could turn to my iPhone and swipe that against the gas pumping station to pay for gas? And, because there may eventually be "an app for that," I may also be able to view my current balance and fuel economy statistics. Or, instead of needing to put a FasTrak transponder atop my windshield (which is annoying), I could simply put my iPhone on the dashboard as I cross the toll road. I could then view my balance, as well as fill up my credits on the fly. These are just some examples of RFID applications in use today.

TUAWRFID coming to iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneprototypeproximityrfidrumorFri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with the new Apple Remote]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-with-the-new-apple-remote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-with-the-new-apple-remote/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-with-the-new-apple-remote/#commentsFiled under: ,


Like many of the others at TUAW who really wanted to see this remote, I got my new Apple Remote a few days ago, and here are some of my impressions.

Continue reading Hands-on with the new Apple Remote

TUAWHands-on with the new Apple Remote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aluminumApple RemoteAppleRemotehggremoteFri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5 smart albums to help you organize your iPhoto library]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/5-smart-albums-to-help-you-organize-your-iphoto-library/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/5-smart-albums-to-help-you-organize-your-iphoto-library/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/5-smart-albums-to-help-you-organize-your-iphoto-library/#commentsFiled under: ,

Like smart playlists in iTunes, smart albums in iPhoto provide a way for you to better organize your photos. Whether it's a list of your most recent photos or photos with a specified aperture range, there are countless smart albums you could create to fit your needs. Here are a few of my favorite.

Recently added: I always like having my most recent photos with me, and this is the smart album that gives them to me.

  • Match the following condition.
  • Date is in the last "90 days" (or whatever date range you prefer).

The smart family album: Say there are three family members in a family -- Tobias Fünke (dad), Lindsay Fünke (mom) and Maebe Fünke (daughter) -- and you want pictures of all of them in one place.

  • Match any of the following conditions.
  • Face is "Tobias."
  • Face is "Lindsay."
  • Face is "Maebe."

The camera-specific smart album: We've recently added a new member to the camera family, the Canon EOS 40D. But, like many a household, ours is one with several different cameras, and sometimes it's nice to see where each photo originated from.

  • Match the following condition.
  • Camera Model is "Canon EOS40D"

A smart album for videos: Some digital cameras these days can also function as "good enough" alternatives for camcorders. Here's a smart album that collects all of your videos imported from your digital cameras.

  • Match the following condition.
  • Photo is "Movie."

The best of the best: Your highest rated photos in one place

  • Match the following condition.
  • My rating is greater than "*" (or however many stars you desire)

Readers, tell us about some of the iPhoto smart albums that you've created.

TUAW5 smart albums to help you organize your iPhoto library originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphotoorganizationphotossmart albumSmartAlbumFri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple adds submission histories to iTunes Connect]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/apple-adds-submission-histories-to-itunes-connect/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/apple-adds-submission-histories-to-itunes-connect/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/apple-adds-submission-histories-to-itunes-connect/#commentsFiled under: ,

iPhone developer Brian Stormont pinged us this morning to share the news that Apple has quietly updated iTunes Connect with a great new feature: Status History. Appearing near recently reviewed items, this option opens a detail table showing how your application has worked its way through the App Store review process, and on to the shelf. Stormont details this update on his site.

This option does not, at this time, appear to be universally available. When I checked my personal apps this morning in the iTunes Connect "Manage Your Applications" screen, I was unable to find any Status History links on any of my application listings. However, I was able to confirm this feature with other iPhone developers.

Another new feature appears to be that the amber-bubbled status messages have been extended. In addition to the standard "In Review," iTunes Connect now offers a "Waiting for Review" status for newly uploaded material. If you see any further interface changes or new status messages, drop us a comment and let us know.

So what does this all mean? In my opinion, this is all great stuff, helping move Apple towards greater developer feedback. No, it's still not the full ticketing system that a lot of us are hoping for but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Thanks, Maior

TUAWApple adds submission histories to iTunes Connect originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>App Store ReviewAppStoreReviewGood AppleGoodAppleMoving forwardMovingForwardProgressFri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The loot from the recent MacHeist]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/free-mac-software-loot-macheist-bundle/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As Kevin pointed out on Wednesday, MacHeist has a new bundle for us at the moment -- but this one is what they consider a "nanoBundle" and it's free. I can't speak for everyone here at TUAW, but when I see the word "free" next to software, I horde it.

They've decided to just give away this bundle of apps in what appears to be a move to encourage their users to come back for more. 6 great mac apps for zero dollars. That's my kind of deal. There are only 6 more days to download this bundle, so go grab it after checking out the loot:
  • Shove Box -- An awesome reminder, organization, gotta-get-it-done application that sits in your menu bar. You can then drag things like text, URLs, images... possibly anything to the menu bar app and it'll save it for later. When you get some free time, you can go back through and see what you have. There's an iPhone companion app as well.
  • WriteRoom -- A simple writing application that removes all of the typical distractions from your writing sessions. It makes the text window full screen, completely cutting off the rest of the world from your mind -- if you so choose. It still has simple tools like word count, background/text color adjustments... but definitely keeps you focused. We've covered it quite a bit.
  • Twitterrific -- One of my favorite apps on my iPhone as of late. The desktop version is similarly simple. Set up your Twitter account and tweet away with the easiest solution imaginable.
  • TinyGrab -- Is a screen capture maniac's dream. It allows you to use the standard command-shift-4 and select part of your screen or hit spacebar to capture a specific window. The kicker: it uploads it directly to your own FTP server and puts the URL in your clipboard so you can paste it in Facebook, Twitter, email, IM... whatever your pleasure.
  • Hordes of Orcs -- I'll admit, this is the real reason I'm downloading the bundle. I've heard nothing but great reviews about this game even from our own Mike Schramm. It's one of the most innovative desktop tower defense games I've seen. Everything is in 3D, there are 6 different game variations and let's not forget tower defense.
  • Mariner Write -- This is a word processor with features you need but none of the "bloat" found in other applications *cough* Microsoft *cough.* Of course, it will open and save Word documents, as well as other formats.
While I was writing this, the download total went up 5,000 downloads but it'll take 500,000 for all of us to get the full benefit. MacHeist says that Mariner Write is the unlockable application, so I'm hoping to get a serial and really try it out. Head over to Macheist, and download your nanoBundle. For the first time, I'll be using all of the apps in it -- and it's free!

TUAWThe loot from the recent MacHeist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hgghordes of orcsHordesOfOrcsmacheistmariner writeMarinerWriteshove boxShoveBoxtinygrabtwitterrificwriteroomFri, 06 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[iTunes LP now available for Apple TV customers]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/itunes-lp-now-available-for-apple-tv-customers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/itunes-lp-now-available-for-apple-tv-customers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/06/itunes-lp-now-available-for-apple-tv-customers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

A few of us here at TUAW received an email from Apple this morning stating that Apple TV-compatible versions of previous iTunes LP purchases are available for download. You'll remember that LP purchases made before the Apple TV 3.0 release would need a second download to work with the Apple TV. Apple is now offering those downloads.

The email from Apple is very straight-forward:

"With the latest versions of iTunes (9.0.2) and Apple TV software (3.0), you can now use iTunes LP on your Apple TV. We have updated the iTunes LP that was included with [your previous purchase here] so that it can now be viewed on Apple TV in addition to your Mac or PC...."

From there, the message provides a download link. Grab it, sync your Apple TV and you're off. My own is syncing as I type this, so we'll let you know how it looks and behaves later today. In the meantime, enjoy iTunes LP on your Apple TV!

TUAWiTunes LP now available for Apple TV customers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple tvAppleTvitunesitunes lpItunesLpFri, 06 Nov 2009 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[AT&T looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/atandt-looking-to-sell-an-8gb-iphone-3gs/#commentsFiled under:

Boy Genius Report is claiming that two separate sources have told them that AT&T is looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS for $99 US before Christmas. While this news wouldn't come as a shock, it would certainly take more than AT&T to make it happen. As most of you know, Apple doesn't make an 8GB iPhone 3GS and it would probably mean the discontinuation of the iPhone 3G in general.

If you think back to the time of the first generation iPhone (it was so long ago now), you'll probably remember that Apple quickly discontinued the 4GB iPhone after realizing that most people were opting for the larger capacity. Not too long after that, Apple introduced the 16GB version and discounted the price of the 8GB. Now that the iPhones themselves are subsidized by the wireless carrier, the game is a little different.

I doubt that we'll see AT&T discount the 16GB iPhone 3GS to $99 US, even though it would be a huge strategic move before the holiday season, but I have a hard time believing that Apple would be willing to manufacture an 8GB iPhone 3GS. It's one thing for them to continue with the 8GB iPhone 3G because they already have the manufacturing in place, but for Apple to start manufacturing another iPhone 3GS at a capacity less than its current models -- that just seems out of place.

I've found it disappointing that the iPhone (a professional device) has had a smaller capacity than that of its sister, the iPod touch. Currently, the iPod touch is shipping at a top capacity of 64GB and the iPhone only 32GB. Here's the point: if AT&T and Apple could work together and release the 16GB iPhone 3GS at $99 then that could potentially allow for the 32GB at $199 and a 64GB model at $299. That would be a killer plan for the two companies just before the holiday season.

While this may be far-fetched, I don't think it's impossible: Apple did release a bump in storage to the 16GB iPhone in early 2008 without any warning. Here's hoping that they do that again.

TUAWAT&T looking to sell an 8GB iPhone 3GS? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8gbATThggiphoneiphone 3gsIphone3gSThu, 05 Nov 2009 21:00:00 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[Quick QuickTime Q&A]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/quick-quicktime-q-and-a/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/quick-quicktime-q-and-a/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/quick-quicktime-q-and-a/#commentsFiled under: ,

QuickTime was one of the few apps which changed significantly in Snow Leopard. We've heard from some readers who missed the initial reports about it, so we're repeating it here, with some additional QuickTime information.

Q: "What happened to QuickTime in Snow Leopard?"

QuickTime Player "X" has brought significant changes to the way the app looks and works. Most notably, there is no "chrome" to the player when a file is being played. This is intended to let you see as much of the picture as possible.

Q: "How do I get the old QuickTime back?"

You can install QuickTime Player 7 on Snow Leopard. Apple even posted instructions which boil down to this:
  • Insert your Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Install DVD.
  • Open the Optional Installs folder and double-click "Optional Installs.mpkg".
  • Select the QuickTime 7 option and click Continue.
  • QuickTime Player 7 will be installed in your Utilities folder.
It goes on to say "If you double-click any media that requires QuickTime Player 7 for playback and it is not already installed, you will be asked if you want to download it from Apple."

Q: "I had QuickTime Pro before I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I want to use its features!"

That's not really a question, but we understand that you're upset. QuickTime Pro had the ability to do more than QuickTime X. If you installed Snow Leopard over your Leopard installation, check /Applications/Utilities/ QuickTime 7 should already be there. If not, you can install it as above.

Q: "I have QuickTime 7.6.3, and I tried to install 7.6.4 but it wouldn't let me."

That isn't a question either. You're not very good at this Q&A thing, are you? Nevermind. This confused me as well. The webpage for QuickTime 7.6.4 says that it is for "... Mac OS X 10.5 or later" but the download page for QuickTime 7 says that it is for Leopard or Tiger only. The installer for QuickTime 7.6.4 refuses to install on Snow Leopard.

Q: "What's New in QuickTime 7.6.4?"

That's a good question. From Apple: "QuickTime 7.6.4 includes changes that increase reliability, improve compatibility and enhance security. This release is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users." It's unclear why this isn't available for Snow Leopard. Perhaps the security and compatibility aren't applicable. I hope.

Q: "How can I take a screenshot of a movie in QuickTime X?"

One gripe about the new QuickTime X is that when you pause a video, the on-screen controls stay visible, making it impossible to grab a clean screenshot. TUAW reader Gwion Daniel wrote in to tell us that you can make the controls fade by double-clicking the picture frame. I have had mixed results with this. I have had the most success double-clicking on the far right side of the window (where the scrollbar would be, if there was one). Sometimes it seems to work, sometimes it takes a few tries. If you can't get it to work, fire up VLC and use the menu item Video > Snapshot.

Q: "What happened to QuickTime X's preferences?"

Thery aren't any clearly visibe as there's no preference menu. However, if you install the Secrets preference panel which we mentioned earlier you'll find hidden preferences for:
  • Autoplay movies on open
  • Allow multiple simultaneous recordings
  • Always hide title bar
  • Autohide titlebar/controller
  • Autoshow titlebar/controller
  • Automatically show subtitles and closed captioning on open
  • Exit fullscreen when switching apps
  • Use square corners
I'm hoping that the new QuickTime player will eventually regain all of QuickTime 7 Pro's functionality and the user interface will become a little more user-friendly (hiding these basic preferences seems like an odd decision), but for now we are living in an in-between time in QuickTime's development. QuickTime turns 18 this year, and it's obviously going through some changes. 'Ol Quicktime is no longer who it was, nor is it yet what it will be when it grows up. At least you don't have to worry about it staying out all night with its friends.

TUAWQuick QuickTime Q&A originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>quicktimesecretsvlcThu, 05 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fortune names Jobs "CEO of the Decade"]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/forbes-names-jobs-ceo-of-the-decade/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/forbes-names-jobs-ceo-of-the-decade/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/forbes-names-jobs-ceo-of-the-decade/#commentsFiled under: ,

Forbes Fortune bestowed a significant honor on Steve Jobs today, naming him their CEO of the Decade. Fortune outlines the incredible leaps in business, technology and industry Apple has made since Steve's return. For anyone who might not remember, the 90's were not kind to Apple and nearly everyone thought the company was finished.

Consider this incredible fact: Apple launched OS X and iTunes, opened the first two retail stores and introduced the first iPod ... all in the same year (2001). Fortune also goes on to describe how Steve changed the film industry with Pixar, the music industry with the iTunes Store and the cell phone industry with the iPhone and the App Store.

He also kicked cancer's ass.

This is precisely why I'm excited about the prospect of a new piece of hardware from Apple. I won't call it a tablet because that's not what it will be. Apple didn't invent the digital music player, the mobile phone or mass distribution of media. But, they did demonstrate how to do those things the right way, which no one else could come up with.

If there's a new product coming, comparing it to contemporary tablets or netbooks is a huge mistake, because it won't behave like any of them.

Click below to watch Fortunes' video on this announcement.

[Via MacDailyNews]

Continue reading Fortune names Jobs "CEO of the Decade"

TUAWFortune names Jobs "CEO of the Decade" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple corporateAppleCorporatebusinessforbessteve jobsSteveJobsThu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Secrets preference panel updated for Snow Leopard]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/secrets-preference-panel-updated-for-snow-leopard/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/secrets-preference-panel-updated-for-snow-leopard/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/secrets-preference-panel-updated-for-snow-leopard/#commentsFiled under: , ,

From time to time we have shared hidden settings in applications which can be used to "tweak" an app's behavior, such as forcing Snow Leopard's dictionary to reuse the same window or make the print dialog expanded by default. These settings are normally changed using the Terminal.app which can be daunting to some.

Secrets is a (free!) preference panel which has collected a bunch of these settings and made changing them as simple as checking a box or choosing from a drop-down panel of possible choices. It includes settings for about 40 different applications, from Apple applications such as Mail, iCal, iChat, Finder, Front Row, Keynote, DVD Player (and more) to third-party applications including Adium, Audio Hijack Pro, BBedit, EyeTV, VMware Fusion, and TextMate (just to name a few). Some applications have a lot of hidden settings, and some have only one or two.

If you see a setting but don't know what it does, click it and Secrets will show a brief explanation (these are also available on the Secrets website, but they are easier to read in the preference panel). If you change a setting which requires you to restart the application, Secrets will tell you, and even give you a "Quit This" button. (It's usually best to make these changes when the app isn't running.)

Unfortunately at least one of the secret settings from 10.5 doesn't seem to work in 10.6. That is, the setting to turn HelpViewer into a regular (instead of floating) window. There may be others.

I'm off to explore and see what new goodies Alcor (the developer of Secrets, who you may also know as the creator of Quicksilver) has uncovered.

Thanks to the recently-revived Hawk Wings site for bringing this to my attention. If you use Apple's Mail.app, Hawk Wings is a great site for tips and information.

Update: We seem to have taken down the Secrets website (oops!) but you can download the preference panel from a mirror (zip) (166kb).

TUAWSecrets preference panel updated for Snow Leopard originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>defaultsosos xOsXPreferencePaneSecretssystemThu, 05 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[iStopMotion now Snow Leopard happy]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Just in case you were waiting for the stop-motion app on your hard drive to be compatible before switching to Snow Leopard, you can stop waiting -- even if you're using some other program to do stop motion, iStopMotion is the best and brightest, and with the brand new update to version 2.1, it's completely compatible with the newest version of OS X.

OK, you probably weren't waiting for this upgrade to bring the OS up to date, but hey, Snow Leopard compatibility is a nice selling point with any app. This upgrade also includes the ability to put markers (with their own name, color, and description) in the timeline of your video, as well as a full Japanese localization, to go along with the English, German, and French already in there. It's a free update for all current users, and considering that iStopMotion has made quite a few appearances in various Mac software bundles, odds are you've already got it anyway.

TUAWiStopMotion now Snow Leopard happy originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>boinx-softwarebundlescompatibilityfeatureshggjapanesemacheistmarkersos-xsnow-leopardsoftwareupdateversion-2.1Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[An interview with the man behind the name "iMac"]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/an-interview-with-the-man-behind-imac/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/an-interview-with-the-man-behind-imac/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/an-interview-with-the-man-behind-imac/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is a cool interview over at Cult of Mac -- you've heard of Steve Jobs of course, you know who Jonathan Ive is, you might have heard of Rob Janoff, but do you know Ken Segall's name? He's a former creative director from TBWA\Chiat\Day, and he has two claims to Apple fame: he worked on the "Think Different" campaign, and he's responsible for coming up with the one letter that may have defined the modern-day Apple as we know it. That's right, he named the iMac.

The writeup is fascinating, even if you get the sense that we're looking through the lens of history, and things may not happened quite as stylishly as they seem. Jobs apparently showed the Bondi Blue iMac to the ad team, and while he originally "hated" the name, he obviously came around -- though Segall apparently never got the satisfaction of official approval.

He closes with an interesting sentiment about the company, too: at Apple, it's always about moving forward to the next big thing, and everything is product-centered, not number-driven. Segall says he was around for a few Jobs "flare-ups," but if there was a fit thrown, it was always in trying to keep the company moving forward as quickly as possible.

Interesting stuff. It's quite a legacy, too -- the iMac was originally called so because it was a Mac that connected to the Internet, but obviously since then, the i has become symbolic of many other things, all the way up to iLife, the iPod, and the iPhone. You tend to forget, after all of the millions of dollars and the culture and promotion, that it all came from the head of a guy in a conference room looking at a computer Jobs just pulled the cloth off of.

TUAWAn interview with the man behind the name "iMac" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bondi-bluecult-of-macimacinterviewmotionnamesnamingsteve-jobstbwachiatdaythink-differentThu, 05 Nov 2009 11:00:00 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[Perhaps Apple won't block Atom support after all]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/perhaps-apple-wont-block-atom-support-after-all/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/perhaps-apple-wont-block-atom-support-after-all/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/perhaps-apple-wont-block-atom-support-after-all/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There was a report this week that Mac OS X 10.6.2 will block Atom support, leaving Hackintosh owners stuck at 10.6.1. Intel's Atom processors have been used in netbooks by MSI, Dell and ASUS for their low cost and modest energy consumption. Hackintosh owners were disappointed.

Shortly after that report was published, Electronista noted that a newly-released build of 10.6.2 (10C535) brought it back. Of course, we're talking about "support" for hackintoshes in a developer build of the OS, so keep that in mind.

The moral of the story: Apple can kill this when ever they please, so have fun while you can.

[Via Engadget]

TUAWPerhaps Apple won't block Atom support after all originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10.6.2hackhackintoshosos xOsXsnow leopardSnowLeopardThu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Logos brings free Bible study tools to the iPhone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/logos-brings-free-bible-study-tools-to-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/logos-brings-free-bible-study-tools-to-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/logos-brings-free-bible-study-tools-to-the-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've mentioned Logos for Mac before, but now there is Logos Bible Software for iPhone (iTunes link), a free app providing access to several translations of the Bible and other Bible study books (most of the ones available at http://bible.logos.com). That's pretty good.

If you create a free account at Logos.com, you gain access to even more free resources. That's even better.

The app also lets you set up reading lists, which is an excellent idea. I've read through the Bible twice in the past few years, and used Mobile Safari on my iPhone to keep up with online lists. This app would have been much easier to use.

Many of the free resources are older, but the English Standard Version (ESV) is a good and fairly modern translation. There are also comparison tools available, as well as dictionaries. (UPDATE: Ryan Burns from Logos.com added a complete list in the comments.)

I'm almost hesitant to mention this next feature. Here's the good news: the new Logos version 4 will work with the iPhone app, giving you access over the Internet to books that you have purchased. That's a pretty killer feature.

Here's the bad news: the Mac version of Logos 4 is not finished. (That sound you just heard was an angry mob of Mac users grabbing their pitchforks off the wall and looking for the kerosene to light their torches.) Logos is developed both for Windows and Mac, and the Windows version beat the Mac version out the door.

The developers explain that the underlying "core" works on both Windows and Mac, and that the pre-release version "reads and indexes the exact same resources and data files as the Windows version. It synchronizes with the server and even uploads and downloads notes, settings, and other data. It can automatically update itself over the Internet. It just needs work at the user interface level, and we're doing that as fast as we can."

They go on to explain that the Windows and iPhone versions are both ready, and delaying "wouldn't speed up the Mac product, it would just delay access for the larger group of users." They describe version 4 as "a completely new product." All of which is fairly reasonable, but unlikely to soothe the nerves of some Mac users who will no doubt feel like second-class citizens.

The iPhone app still offers a lot of functionality, even without Logos 4 integration, and it is completely free.

Do you have a favorite iPhone Bible study app? If so, please let us know in the comments. I realize a lot of you are not religious and may not have any use or affinity for this particular app, but it would be appreciated if you'd let others have a chance to discuss this.

TUAWLogos brings free Bible study tools to the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biblebible studyBibleStudyiPhonelogosThu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Developers report a moment of upside-down app rankings, now returning to normal]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/developers-report-a-moment-of-upside-down-app-rankings-now-retu/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/developers-report-a-moment-of-upside-down-app-rankings-now-retu/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/developers-report-a-moment-of-upside-down-app-rankings-now-retu/#commentsFiled under:

It seems to be back to status quo ante now, and we're not sure exactly what was going on, but something apparently slipped off the crazy shelf and whacked the App Store firmly in the noggin. Multiple users and developers emailed to let us know that the Top Paid rankings in the store were completely jumbled up, with unfamiliar apps taking over the rankings from long-standing champs. iGlowStickPro? 301+ Short Stories? That ain't right.

The US store was definitely fritzy, but other tipsters report that the Australian store was affected as well. Now that things seem to be returning to normal, it's interesting to note how quickly everyone reacted to send a heads-up about the problem... when your monthly revenues depend on that Top Paid ranking slot, even a few minutes of confusion will get your attention in a hurry.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

TUAWDevelopers report a moment of upside-down app rankings, now returning to normal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStorerankingssalesWed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[TUAW Gift Guides: Gifts for tech-savvy women]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/#commentsFiled under: ,

Holiday time is drawing near, with Black Friday just over the horizon. So have you started thinking about what to get your favorite gal? You might want to subscribe to a Monoprice e-mail alert to catch the latest restocks for your beloved's iPhone or iPod touch. Last night, they sold out of their 2200 mAh charge boosters within minutes. I snagged mine just in time.

Because, gentlemen, you need to face it: cables, remotes, and batteries are made of holiday win. Why not consider a miniDisplay cable to give your lady that second Mac mini monitor she's been dreaming about? Those redesigned Apple remotes make the perfect accompaniment to the treadmill, when watching "The View." Or, for that matter, when watching the morning financial news. Whatever floats your boat.

One of my female TUAW colleagues writes, "Last year I got earrings and returned them for a MacBook. My husband also knows that on Black Friday morning, in the dark, I will be at Radio Shack or MicroCenter -- elbows out to fend off other customers -- hissing at the sunlight and hoarding hard drives, enclosures, and spindles of DVDs."

Face it: Chicks love technology. Trust me. I'm a woman.

Results are not typical or representative of all real women's buying habits. Please check with a lawyer before deciding whether purchasing Mac peripherals are right for you. Side effects, including being kicked out of your home and/or marriage, may occur. Peripherals are not a substitute for fine jewelry. Do not attempt to offer technology when the spouse is pregnant or nursing. Consult a physician should a piece of technology make an accelerated impact with your head. In case of technology overdose, seek professional assistance, or contact a family counselor immediately.

TUAWTUAW Gift Guides: Gifts for tech-savvy women originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>giftshggholidayshoppingwomenWed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Snow Leopard quirk prevents opening groups of recently downloaded files]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/snow-leopard-bug-prevents-opening-groups-of-recently-downloaded/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/snow-leopard-bug-prevents-opening-groups-of-recently-downloaded/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/snow-leopard-bug-prevents-opening-groups-of-recently-downloaded/#commentsFiled under:

Reports of an odd bug affecting downloaded files in Snow Leopard have been circulating Apple's discussion boards recently. As reported by TidBITS, the issue appears to be affecting all computers running Snow Leopard.

While different users have reported varying symptoms and differing circumstances, it essentially boils down to this: if you download a group of files, and then attempt to open the entire group of files at once (rather than opening each file individually), chances are either some or all of the selected files will not open.

My initial response to this was that it could possibly be one of those "it's not a bug, it's a feature" ordeals. We have already seen some indications that Apple is working on enhanced security and virus protection in Snow Leopard, so it stands to reason that the operating system may be simply trying to prevent what it thinks is malicious activity by imposing restrictions on what you can and can't do with a newly downloaded file.

Of course, that's just my theory, but I'm apparently not the only one who has explored that possibility -- a reader on the Mac OS X Hints forum discovered some hard evidence supporting that theory. In OS X, newly downloaded files are flagged with a "quarantine" attribute, which remains until the file is opened. If this attribute is set when the file is launched, and the file is an application, you would receive the typical "This application was downloaded from the Internet" confirmation before the application is allowed to continue launching. This is nothing new in Snow Leopard, but it would seem that the additional protections and scanning that were added to Snow Leopard most likely prevent opening multiple files so that each file can be individually checked before it is launched.

Whether or not this is a serious bug or a minor inconvenience depends entirely on your workflow. Personally, I find that I don't often open multiple files from Finder, as most of the applications I use have the ability to select multiple files from their Open dialog. I can easily see where this might pose significant problems, however. For example, if you do a lot of work with graphics, you might download a several photos from a client, highlight them and open them with a custom tool that automatically resizes and processes for you. With this bug in play, that task would become much more difficult if you had to open each file individually.

So what about you? Is this bug bugging you, or is it a non-issue? If you are affected, feel free to chime in with your experiences on the discussion boards, and be sure to let us know in the comments!

TUAWSnow Leopard quirk prevents opening groups of recently downloaded files originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugsfilesfindersnow leopardSnowLeopardWed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone user survey gives excuses to dump gadget-undesirable romantic partners]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/iphone-user-survey-gives-excuses/#commentsFiled under: ,

My beloved fiancé,

It is with great sadness that I write you at home to your Gmail account to inform you that I am intending to sell your ring on Ebay and we will part ways. You see, ours was a mixed relationship to begin with. You have your Windows 7, your Linux, your original Android phone from T-Mobile in the UK. I have my iPhone, my iMac and everything good that's Apple (and even a few pieces that aren't).

That's why I know it'll never work out between us. According to a recent study from Retrevo, iPhone owners believe that a "cool gadget" makes a person far more attractive than the measly doctorate you've spent years studying for. Every time we are together, I can't help but shudder over the fact that your Android phone is not of the latest generation.

So forget the four years of history between us, the months of separation due to our being in two different countries, and the fact that you are a wonderful, kind, sweet, and intelligent man with a bright future ahead of you. I have someone else I think the world of, and it is my iPhone. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go watch adult material and post up an ad at Match.com for someone with a 3GS.

Much love,
Your dear departed Megan

P.S. This letter is satire, I'm not dumping my fiance over his gadget preferences. Love you, honey!

TUAWiPhone user survey gives excuses to dump gadget-undesirable romantic partners originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneRetervosatirestereotypestudyWed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST