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[iPhone worm author really goes to work]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/iphone-worm-author-really-goes-to-work/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/iphone-worm-author-really-goes-to-work/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/iphone-worm-author-really-goes-to-work/#commentsFiled under: ,

While you have to go to quite some lengths to be vulnerable to it, jailbroken iPhones have been under fire for susceptibility to a particular SSH-based type of worm that has seen a lot of press lately. One of the developers, Ashley Towns, who helped to get the "rick" rolling, as it were, has just announced his employment at an iPhone game firm.

Sophos is reporting that he'll be taking up shop at mogeneration, the developer responsible for such hits as Xumii [iTunes link], a cross-social networking communication app, and Moo Shake! [iTunes link], a farm-based activity game for kids. It is an interesting turn of events given that mogeneration even reported on the topic of Ashley's now-infamous rickrolling iPhone worm.

I personally think that there is a lot of potential for coders of malware to embark on legitimate careers as developers coding for good. However, I don't favor the thought that malware developers are essentially getting 'rewarded' for their dangerous work. There is nothing from mogeneration to imply that Towns was hired based on the notoriety of his SSH-based worm, but I can't help thinking that there are other, more talented iPhone developers who have stayed below the radar by not writing malware.

I want to know what you think. Should developers of intentionally malicious software be given a clean slate and a new life? Or perhaps should they be feeling the effects of the law's very long arms?

[via Techmeme]

TUAWiPhone worm author really goes to work originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developmentiphonemalwaremogenerationrickrollsshThu, 26 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Provision profile expiration time: does it leave you wondering?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/provision-profile-expiration-time-does-it-leave-you-wondering/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/provision-profile-expiration-time-does-it-leave-you-wondering/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/provision-profile-expiration-time-does-it-leave-you-wondering/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back when the iPhone Developer Program was first announced, developer provisions (the 'permission slips' that allow developers to distribute pre-release builds of apps in progress) lasted one year. It seemed natural to have a one year expiration, as our developer memberships also lasted one year.

Everything was all fine, developers created new provision profiles as they grew, and each lasted one year. However, sometime in May of this year, provision profiles seemed to start expiring after 90 days. At first, many thought this was linked to the expiration time of their iPhone developer memberships, which would decrease the time to use a provision.

However, it seems that it's been set that provisions are only going to last 90 days. Also, distribution provision profiles, which are needed to submit applications to the App Store or distribute applications via ad-hoc, now only last about six months instead of one year.

If your provisions are expiring, your iPhone will remind you to renew your provision, and will state when that provision will expire.

If this is the way it's going to be, we may have to live with it -- it's just something that I would like to stay consistent, rather than wondering every time I renew a provision whether Apple has swapped out its stopwatch again.

TUAWProvision profile expiration time: does it leave you wondering? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>expirationiphoneprofileprovisionrenewingsdkThu, 26 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dear Aunt TUAW: My "private" APIs... aren't]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/dear-aunt-tuaw-my-private-apis-arent/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/dear-aunt-tuaw-my-private-apis-arent/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/dear-aunt-tuaw-my-private-apis-arent/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sometimes Auntie TUAW gets emails from anxious iPhone developers. In this case, the correspondent is running into issues with Apple's new automated checks for private API use in iPhone apps.

Dear Auntie TUAW,

I got an email from Apple's App Review team saying the code in my iPhone app uses private APIs. They pointed to -setOrder, which is a method I created in code, and -setThumbnail, which was created automatically from a Core Data property.

But those are all from my own code, and thumbnail is actually a property for my CoreData class. Any idea why? I don't even have a setter for thumbnail, it is just a dynamic property for the CoreData class.

I don't want to rename my properties because I'm not sure that CoreData will automigrate my renamed items and my users are going to start crying if everything breaks.

Love & snuggles,

Lauren

Read on for Auntie's reply.

Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: My "private" APIs... aren't

TUAWDear Aunt TUAW: My "private" APIs... aren't originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>APIAPIsapp storeApp Store WoesAppStoreAppStoreWoesdeveloperiphonePrivate APIsPrivateApisstatic analyzerStaticAnalyzerUnpublished APIsUnpublishedApisThu, 26 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Dozen Daily Deals, Day 2]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/a-dozen-daily-deals-day-2/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/a-dozen-daily-deals-day-2/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/a-dozen-daily-deals-day-2/#commentsFiled under:

As Victor mentioned yesterday, for the next few days we'll be featuring daily deals from our friends at DealNews.com. Lots of good stuff today, so why not get started browsing for Christmas gifts on stuffing day? Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
  • Walmart: [Black Friday] Walmart Thanksgiving Day Sale live now
  • Best Buy: [Black Friday] Best Buy Thanksgiving Weekend Sale: Netbooks from $180, more
  • MacMall: [Black Friday] MacMall 72 Hour Apple Black Friday Sale: Up to 25% off Apple systems after rebate
  • RadioShack: [Black Friday] Radio Shack Shack Friday Sale live now
  • Sam's Club: [Black Friday] Sam's Club Black Friday Sale live now
  • JR: [Black Friday] JR.com posts Black Friday Sale
  • 6ave: [Black Friday] 6th Avenue Electronics Thanksgiving Day Sale live now
  • DicksSportingGoods: [Black Friday] Dick's Sporting Goods Black Friday Doorbuster deals now live
  • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] Gameloft iPhone / iPod touch Apps: Real Tennis 2009, Blades of Fury, more for 99 cents each
  • Lowe's: [Black Friday] Lowe's Super Friday Sneak Peek Sale live now
  • GoGamer: [Black Friday] GoGamer Black Friday Madness: Deals from 1 cent + $3 s&h
  • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] CoPilot Live North America for iPhone downloads for $20

TUAWA Dozen Daily Deals, Day 2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>black-fridaydealnewsdealselectronicshggiphoneipodmacsaleThu, 26 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask TUAW: iMac processor upgrade, 27" iMac as display, wireless input devices, and more]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/ask-tuaw-imac-processor-upgrade-27-imac-as-display-wireless/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/ask-tuaw-imac-processor-upgrade-27-imac-as-display-wireless/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/ask-tuaw-imac-processor-upgrade-27-imac-as-display-wireless/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Happy holiday, and welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we've got questions about upgrading an iMac processor, using the 27" iMac as a display, sharing a Magic Mouse and Bluetooth keyboard with a Linux machine, and more.

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

Continue reading Ask TUAW: iMac processor upgrade, 27" iMac as display, wireless input devices, and more

TUAWAsk TUAW: iMac processor upgrade, 27" iMac as display, wireless input devices, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetooth keyboardBluetoothKeyboardCore i7core2duoCoreI7firewire 800Firewire800magic mouseMagicMousesuperdupertarget display modeTargetDisplayModeThu, 26 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pie Guy: A web game for the iPhone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/pie-guy-a-web-game-for-the-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Back when the iPhone was first announced, there was no SDK, you'll remember. Jobs said that developers could just make web apps, and that they would be good enough. Of course, he was wrong -- given what you can do with your iPhone now compared to what you could do with your iPhone then, even Steve would be happy to say that yes, there is a native app for that. But let's not toss the projects out with the development platform, so to speak. Neven Mrgan, one of the devs over at Panic, has released Pie Guy, a free and surprisingly full-featured game for the iPhone that exists only as a Javascript web app. To play it, just point your iPhone 3GS (the page says you need one of those, and while I was able to play it on my 1G, it was too clunky to enjoy) to mrgan.com/pieguy, add that page to your homescreen, and there you go.

In case you haven't guessed from the pic above (or the name), the game itself is a straightforward Pac-Man clone. But what's most interesting here is the example this game sets. Think about it: a full featured, automatically updated game release, delivered straight to the iPhone without any approval required by Apple. The revenue model might need some work, but maybe we dismissed this whole "web app" idea a little too quickly. For devs looking to go around the App Store's process, maybe there's a solution here. Boy, Flash sure would help with that, wouldn't it?

TUAWPie Guy: A web game for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flashflash for iphoneFlashForIphoneiphone 3gsIphone3gsneven mrganNevenMrganpanicpie guypie-guyPieGuyrevenuesdksteve jobsSteveJobswebweb appsWebAppsThu, 26 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple document details Target Display mode for 27" iMac]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-document-details-target-display-mode-for-27-imac/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-document-details-target-display-mode-for-27-imac/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-document-details-target-display-mode-for-27-imac/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In case you're itching to use that new 27" iMac as a big display for a MacBook, DVD player, or some other device -- and assuming your new unit isn't one of the ones that has shown up DOA or with a cracked screen corner -- Apple has released a knowledge base article gives you the scoop on how to do it all.

The article, titled "Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display" outlines how easy it is to accomplish this:
  1. Make sure both computers are turned on and awake.
  2. Connect a male-to-male Mini DisplayPort cable to the Mini DisplayPort on each computer. The 27-inch iMac will enter Target Display Mode and display content from the source computer.
    Note: If you are connecting two 27-inch iMacs, connect a Mini DisplayPort cable to each computer and press Command + F2 on the 27-inch iMac keyboard that you will use as an external display.
  3. To leave Target Display mode, press Command + F2 on the keyboard of the 27-inch iMac that is in Target Display mode. To return to Target Display mode, press Command + F2 again.
The post goes on to describe special conditions that may affect use of Target Display mode, and notes that third-party converters may be used to provide the Mini DisplayPort compliant signals needed for this mode.

Have any of you used a 27" iMac as an external display for another machine or device? Let us know by leaving your comment below.

TUAWApple document details Target Display mode for 27" iMac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>27-inch imac27-inchImacappleimacknowledgebasetarget display modeTargetDisplayModeThu, 26 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple Black Friday deals hit the Australian store]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-black-friday-deals-hit-the-australian-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-black-friday-deals-hit-the-australian-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-black-friday-deals-hit-the-australian-store/#commentsFiled under:

Put aside, for the moment, the incongruity of non-US stores featuring discounts for the day after a US-only holiday... just roll with it, OK? Apple's online store for Australia -- where, of course, it's already Black Friday -- has got the one-day discount page posted and ready to go.

The pricing drops are in the vicinity of 8-10% on the listed gear, which is certainly nice, and consistent with the second take on the leaked Apple ad posted by Boy Genius Report (the first one posted by the site featured delightful discounts that were much higher -- and unfortunately quite bogus). Look for similar discounts on the US store starting tonight.

Thanks to Victor Cajiao!

TUAWApple Black Friday deals hit the Australian store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple storeAppleStoreaustraliablack fridayBlackFridaydealsdiscountshggThu, 26 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/lose-it-app-for-iphone-updated-to-2-0-introduces-online-sync-s/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/lose-it-app-for-iphone-updated-to-2-0-introduces-online-sync-s/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/lose-it-app-for-iphone-updated-to-2-0-introduces-online-sync-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As you prepare to feast, it's not too soon to consider the impact of all that turkey and stuffing. The free Lose It! [iTunes Link] has been out for a long while now, and it's an app that people nearly always bring up when the conversation turns to good exercise/calorie tracker apps. With good reason: at one point I managed to lose over 15 pounds, and it was at least partly thanks to Lose It! on the iPhone. Its extremely intuitive interface and vast database of foods and exercises made it incredibly easy for me to track my progress and restrict my caloric intake.

The one thing I always thought was missing from Lose It! was the ability to sync information back to the Mac. The app itself had limited ability to track trends over time, so I always wished Lose It! had some way of getting that info off my iPhone and onto my computer so I could at least make a spreadsheet out of it.

Lose It! has gone one step farther than that -- they've created their own website, loseit.com, that allows you to view all sorts of information, synced directly from the 2.0 version of Lose It! on the iPhone. Not only are there heaps of information about your own weight loss, calorie consumption, and exercise trends, Lose It's website also allows you to view your friends' information and watch each others' progress, assuming you all have the Lose It! app.

Continue reading Lose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service

TUAWLose It! app for iPhone updated to 2.0, introduces online sync service originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app reviewAppReviewhggiphoneipod touchLose ItWeight lossThu, 26 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple documents iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for developers]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-documents-itunes-lp-and-itunes-extras-for-developers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-documents-itunes-lp-and-itunes-extras-for-developers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/26/apple-documents-itunes-lp-and-itunes-extras-for-developers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After seeing the intent by developers and artists to create iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for their music, Apple has opened up the availability to develop these features to third parties. However, automatic submission for iTunes LP and iTunes Extras is not expected until early 2010; in the meantime, it's still a limited process and uploads must be performed manually.

If you're an iTunes contributor and you're looking forward to developing an iTunes LP of your own, Apple has posted several resources for Extras & LP, including a best practices guide, a development guide, asset delivery tips and a testing guide.

There's also templates to get you started, and documentation on the TuneKit framework used by iTunes LP and iTunes Extras. These make extensive use of the WebKit framework, while using many new web standards.

Are you going to be more interested in these features since it's now open for development? Let us know in the comments below!

TUAWApple documents iTunes LP and iTunes Extras for developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developersiTunes ExtrasiTunes LPItunesExtrasItunesLpThu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First Look: iFlex trainer for Bowflex]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/first-look-iflex-trainer-for-bowflex/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/first-look-iflex-trainer-for-bowflex/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/first-look-iflex-trainer-for-bowflex/#commentsFiled under:


As the owner of a new Bowflex system, I was excited to be able to try the $1.99 iFlex app from Redkab Creative [iTunes link]. For the new system owner, this app is really helpful. It provides a video reference library that shows you how to use the equipment to perform a wide range of exercises for every part of the body.

Each movement is categorized into an area of your anatomy, including shoulders, chest, arms, legs, and so forth. Within each category are a dozen or more individual exercises. Each unit contains both a video overview and a starting and ending position -- very helpful when trying to understand exactly how to perform the exercise.

In addition to the reference material, iFlex offers a virtual trainer. This section of the app includes suggested workout routines for gaining muscle, losing weight, and toning. You can track your sets, report the number of pounds lifted and your reps. Days 6 and 7 instruct you to "take the day off." I did not find any graphing tools or any way to track progress otherwise, nor can you create your own workouts.

To wrap up the program, a simple fitness calculator figures out your BMI (Body-Mass Index, the same index used by Wii Fit), BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). It's a nice enough feature, but something of an afterthought.

iFlex was nicely designed and for just two bucks, it's a great accessory to a Bowflex-style system. My personal unit is different from the one used in the videos, but it wasn't hard to adapt the instructions to the realities of the equipment in use. I'm looking forward to using iFlex over the next few weeks to add to my workout vocabulary.

TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page.

TUAWFirst Look: iFlex trainer for Bowflex originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BowflexfitnessguideshggiFlexreferencetoningweight gainweight lossweight trainingWeightGainWeightLossWeightTrainingworkoutWed, 25 Nov 2009 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Magellan has worthy contender in the GPS sweepstakes]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/magellan-has-worthy-contender-in-the-gps-sweepstakes/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/magellan-has-worthy-contender-in-the-gps-sweepstakes/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/magellan-has-worthy-contender-in-the-gps-sweepstakes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Just in time for the holidays! I was excited when Magellan announced a new iPhone GPS software product, and was eager to get it downloaded to test. I spent two days driving around (well, not the whole 2 days) and generally had a positive experience.

Magellan has been around the GPS business for a long time, delivering the first GPS handheld unit back in 1989. They also pioneered the Neverlost system in Hertz rental cars. The company has a lot of experience getting travelers to their destinations on vacations, business trips, and for the holidays.

They've put quite a lot in this first version for the iPhone which they call the Magellan Roadmate 2010. It sells for US $79.99 [iTunes link] for a 'limited time', then it goes back to $99.99, and it's a 1.36GB download. The app has text to speech, lane assist, iPod control, and a pedestrian mode, which is a nice touch.

The maps, which are sourced from NAVTEQ, include the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

As a bonus, iPod touch users can use this app with the optional Magellan Premium Car Kit with a built-in GPS receiver. The car kit hasn't been released yet, but it's imminent.

Driving around using it was a pleasant experience. The maps are clear and easy to read, and work in portrait or landscape mode. The maps change colors for a night view automatically. If you like the look of the dedicated Magellan units you'll certainly like it on the iPhone.

Text to speech is clear, and you can have the unit talk to you in a male or female voice. You can get a list of all the turns you will make on your trip, and you can turn on a feature that auto zooms the display as you approach a turn so you can get more detail at intersections.

Gallery: Magellan Roadmate 2010 screen images



Read on for more impressions...

Continue reading Magellan has worthy contender in the GPS sweepstakes

TUAWMagellan has worthy contender in the GPS sweepstakes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app reviewAppReviewGPShggMagellan RoadmateMagellanRoadmatenavigationtext to speechWed, 25 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Holiday Gift Guide: The Perfect iPhone Ringtone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-the-perfect-iphone-ringtone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-the-perfect-iphone-ringtone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-the-perfect-iphone-ringtone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Looking to get something for that new, special 3G or 3GS owner that doesn't cost a lot of money? Or even a little something for yourself? (After all, those monthly bills to AT&T are pretty harsh, so a bargain treat is welcome, right?)

How about an awesome ringtonable-song? "This is my Ringtone" from Parry Gripp [iTunes link] is it. The guys behind the "Do You Like Waffles" song have created the perfect $1 gift. Think of it as a virtual stocking stuffer. That one dollar buys you all the attitude that a 3GS iPhone truly deserves.

Sure, it will make the other people around you feel bad that they don't own their own iPhone, but isn't that what status symbols are for? So live the big life (even if you don't, actually, own an iPhone) with the ultimate iPhone ringtone.

TUAWHoliday Gift Guide: The Perfect iPhone Ringtone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hggholidayhumoriphoneparry grippParryGrippringtonesongWed, 25 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cook that turkey, drink that wine! Five cooking apps for Thanksgiving]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/cook-that-turkey-drink-that-wine-five-cooking-apps-for-thanksg/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/cook-that-turkey-drink-that-wine-five-cooking-apps-for-thanksg/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/cook-that-turkey-drink-that-wine-five-cooking-apps-for-thanksg/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Are you ready for the Thanksgiving Day feast tomorrow? If you're a typical American, the day will go something like this -- wake up, watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, watch some football, eat some snacks, cook and eat a huge feast, watch some more football while dozing, eat some dessert, take some Maalox, and go to bed with visions of Black Friday in your mind.

To help with the cooking chores, we offer the following five apps to make your turkey day a bit less hectic and a lot more fun.

#1 -- iCooking American Celebrations

While this app features only 56 recipes, many of which are for other American holidays, the recipes that are included are the classic ones you always wanted to steal from Grandma. iCooking American Celebrations [US$0.99, iTunes Link] is a handy app for iPhone or iPod touch to help you make a memorable feast.

#2 -- Thanksgiving Dinner

Do you just need an app that will give you recipes for the classic Thanksgiving dinner? The aptly-named Thanksgiving Dinner [US$0.99, iTunes Link] has basic recipes for turkey, cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, an orange dessert, and apple crumb pie. If it's your first time cooking the feast for an extended family, you'll love these features: an overall schedule telling you when to start prepping the food and a shopping list.

Continue reading Cook that turkey, drink that wine! Five cooking apps for Thanksgiving

TUAWCook that turkey, drink that wine! Five cooking apps for Thanksgiving originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>app storeAppStoreholidaysiphoneipod touchIpodTouchrecipesthanksgivingthanksgiving dinnerThanksgivingDinnerWed, 25 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Dozen Daily Deals]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/a-dozen-daily-deals/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/a-dozen-daily-deals/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/a-dozen-daily-deals/#commentsFiled under:

'Tis the season to start shopping until your brains melt (or skip it all entirely, depending on your interpretation of the term holiday). In that spirit, for the next few days we'll be rounding up a dozen daily deals courtesy our friends at DealNews.com. Each afternoon tune in to TUAW for this handy summary. Keep in mind that while our posts will live on, the deals won't. Each is lovingly generated by the deal-bot every day, so get 'em while they're hot. Enjoy!

  • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] App Store Freebies: World Surfer, HandWriting Mail, Sign Here, Writie Talkie, more
  • Home Depot: [Black Friday] Home Depot Black Friday Preview Savings Sale now live + extra 10% off
  • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] 1Password Pro for iPhone downloads for free
  • MacUpdate Promo: [Office Software Suites] Pages Templates 5 for Mac downloads for $20
  • iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] Electronic Arts iPhone / iPod touch Apps: Tetris, SimCity for $3, Madden 10 for $5, more
  • [MP3 Downloads] The 99 Most Essential Tchaikovsky Masterpieces MP3 Album download for $5 ... or $2
  • InvisibleShield: [Notebook Accessories] 50% off ZAGGskins Protectors at ZAGG.com
  • Sony Style: [46" - 47" LCD TVs] Free PS3 or Blu-ray Player w/ Sony HDTVs: 46" 120Hz 1080p for $1,000 + free shipping, more
  • Staples: [Media Receivers] Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD 500GB Media Player for $100 + free shipping
  • Western Digital Store: [Media Receivers] Refurbished Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player for $70 + free shipping
  • Meritline: [iPod Accessories] USB Data Cable for iPhone / iPod touch for $2 + free shipping
  • Seehere: [Photo Services] FujiFilm SeeHere: 50 free holiday cards + $3 s&h

TUAWA Dozen Daily Deals originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daily dealDailyDealhgghome theaterHomeTheateriphoneitunesmusicWed, 25 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Do Android & WebOS need iPod touch clones?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/do-android-and-webos-need-ipod-touch-clones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/do-android-and-webos-need-ipod-touch-clones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/do-android-and-webos-need-ipod-touch-clones/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dan Frommer's post this morning over at Silicon Alley Insider suggests that one of the missing pieces from the competitive pie, as far as Google and Palm's mobile OS offerings are concerned, is a 3G-free & contractless device. Something, perhaps, like the iPod touch. Absent a way for consumers and developers to buy into the platform without the burden of a monthly cellphone contract, he argues, the two players are unlikely to build the critical mass of apps and app purchasers that would grant vitality and staying power in the face of the Apple/App Store ecosystem.

It's easy to see that the touch provides a great boost to the App Store juggernaut; about one-third of the 50 million-plus iPhone OS devices are estimated to be iPod touch units, and all those owners are potential app and music customers. Certainly there's an audience for Android (if not WebOS, which is more telephony-centric to my mind) on a disconnected gadget?

Unfortunately, Frommer's analysis is missing two key pieces of market data. Number one, as was adroitly pointed out by Joachim on Sunday's talkcast, there already is a contract-free developer handheld for Android, available for $399 from the Android Market... exactly what he proposes in the last paragraph of his story. There's also the new Archos 5 Internet Tablet, a consumer-grade, contract-free and phoneless Android tablet, ready for the eager Android personal media player buyers to snap up. (The equivalent contract-free Pre is a stark $899, and there is no 3G-less WebOS device that I can find.) Update: A commenter notes the Creative Zii Egg, another impending Android PMP that looks astonishingly like an Apple product.

That's where we come to the second market truth that Frommer missed, and it's a harsh one: Nobody knows, and nobody cares. Even a guy writing about this precise topic had no idea -- and apparently couldn't quickly discover from a casual search -- that these devices were already out in the field, despite frequent coverage of the Archos device on Engadget and elsewhere over the past few months. If there's any starker evidence that the market for non-phone Android and WebOS devices simply doesn't exist yet, I can't imagine what it would be.

Part of the reason for the iPod touch's success is that it clearly combined two already-successful products: the iPhone and the iPod. The 'elevator pitch' for the device ("It's an iPhone but with Wi-Fi instead of the phone") is simple and straightforward. Unfortunately for Android, there really isn't a dynamic personal media player market anymore that supports a phoneless entrant... it got eaten by the iPod.

I do think it would be healthy for the iPhone and for the portable OS market in general if developers and customers had more contract-free options on the other platforms. Still, the retroactive wish-fulfillment of Frommer's post doesn't bode well. "Oh, they already have that? Gosh."

TUAWDo Android & WebOS need iPod touch clones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidarchosecosystemfrommergoogleiphoneipod touchipod-touchIpodTouchmobile osmobile-osMobileOstouchwebosWed, 25 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Featured job of the week: Mac developer for graphics focused project]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/featured-job-of-the-week-mac-developer-for-graphics-focused-pro/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/featured-job-of-the-week-mac-developer-for-graphics-focused-pro/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/featured-job-of-the-week-mac-developer-for-graphics-focused-pro/#commentsFiled under: ,

Job Description

Join an award-winning ex-Apple graphic designer as well as a respected computer vision/graphics researcher, with patents licensed by a number of well-known technology brands, to take a patent-pending technology and build it into a best-of-class Mac application.

We are looking for a talented developer with a passion for building creative solutions in the graphics space.

Candidate will be responsible for overseeing software development, testing and launch. The expectation is for this product to be a game-changer; we're looking for a talented developer who can help make that a reality.

For more info, and to apply, check out the full requirements and contact info on this job's page.

TUAWFeatured job of the week: Mac developer for graphics focused project originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developeremploymentfeatured jobFeaturedJobgraphicsjobmacworkWed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[UK to get 4th carrier for iPhone]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/uk-to-get-4th-carrier-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/uk-to-get-4th-carrier-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/uk-to-get-4th-carrier-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under:


When I visited Liverpool last month, I saw that Tesco was everywhere -- as big box store, as a gas station, in smaller markets, and even Tesco Mobile, a joint venture with O2. So, it's no surprise to me to hear that Tesco is planning to offer the iPhone at its stores in the UK. A spokesperson told the BBC that the phone will be available "in time for Christmas." Tesco joins O2, Vodafone and Orange in selling the iPhone.

[Via Engadget]

TUAWUK to get 4th carrier for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphoneO2orangetescoukWed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dare to be Creative announces Parachute backup utility for Mac OS X]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/dare-to-be-creative-announces-parachute-backup-utility-for-mac-o/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/dare-to-be-creative-announces-parachute-backup-utility-for-mac-o/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/dare-to-be-creative-announces-parachute-backup-utility-for-mac-o/#commentsFiled under: ,

If there's one thing you've probably learned over the years from reading TUAW, it's that backups are important. Many of the bloggers here are obsessive about backups, doing Time Machine backups, SuperDuper! bootable backups, and using services like BackBlaze for offsite backups -- and that's all for one Mac!

With the importance of viable and easy-to-create backups for your Mac, it's not surprising that Belgium development firm Dare to be Creative has just announced a new backup utility, Parachute [US$39.00]. The application is Snow Leopard-ready, and can be used to back up your Mac's data to your primary hard disk (definitely not recommended by our team), external disks, FTP or SFTP servers, USB drives, network volumes, and even your iDisk.

Parachute has many features that are found on other backup utilities. For example, you can schedule backups to run hourly, daily, weekly, or manually. The application also does incremental backups after the initial full backup, so subsequent backups take much less time. There is one feature that does appear to be unique to Parachute, and that's the ability to create multiple backup tasks for different files and folders on your Mac, and use a variety of destinations for each task.

There's a 15-day full-functioning trial available for download here. While you are in your tryptophan-induced coma after tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day feast, you can set up some Parachute backups and rest assured that your data is safe.

TUAWDare to be Creative announces Parachute backup utility for Mac OS X originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>backupdatamac os xMacOsXparachuteSnow LeopardSnowLeopardsoftwareutilityWed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to get the most out of in-flight Wi-Fi]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-in-flight-wi-fi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-in-flight-wi-fi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/how-to-get-the-most-out-of-in-flight-wi-fi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Over the weekend, I discovered that my annual flight from Phoenix to Alabama (via Atlanta) had in-flight Wi-Fi. Best of all? It happened to be free, thanks to eBay jumping in on the free holiday Wi-Fi bandwagon. The promotion was already active on the flight I took from Phoenix to Atlanta. If you're traveling for Thanksgiving or Christmas, here's some things to consider about utilizing this service with your MacBook, MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

Is it worth it?
It all depends. It was very nice being able to talk with my fiancé (who, on his part used FlightStats.com to inform me of where I was at) during the flight. I'm no fan of flying, and when the turbulence got bad, it was a nice distraction. However, I did notice I got a slight motion-induced headache and had to take a break. If the seat in front of you is reclined to the point where your computer is rammed into your chest, the person in the seat next to you is taking up half of yours with their elbows, or if you're inclined to motion sickness, this may not be for you. Still, a free promotion is the perfect time to give the service a try.

Normally, this service can cost anywhere from $6-15 for a flight. Gogo's pricing structure is $5.95 for a flight less than 90 minutes, $9.95 for a flight between 90 minutes and three hours, $12.95 for one more than three hours or a daily pass on a single airline. If you're just using your iPhone, it's $5.95 for a flight less than 90 minutes and $7.95 for one longer than that.

Read on for tips on maximizing your battery life in flight.

Continue reading How to get the most out of in-flight Wi-Fi

TUAWHow to get the most out of in-flight Wi-Fi originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>batteryGOGOInternetmacbookmacbook airmacbook proMacbookAirMacbookPropowerthanksgivingtipstravelwifiWed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Holiday Gift Guide: Hackintoshable Dell Mini 10v]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-hackintoshable-dell-mini-10v/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-hackintoshable-dell-mini-10v/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/25/holiday-gift-guide-hackintoshable-dell-mini-10v/#commentsFiled under: ,

Update: This deal seems to be dead for now, possibly until Friday. (Apparently the TUAWlanche we set off hit the "LIMITED QUANTITIES AT THIS PRICE" limit.) We will update the post when and if it goes live again.

Later Update: It's baaaaaaaaaack. Link & code seem to be working again. Guess we didn't completely TUAWcide the deal.

For shoppers in the US, Black Friday is right around the corner. With it, of course, are lots of deals, including many that don't make you wait for Friday.

Dell is currently offering the highly Hackintoshable Mini 10v unit for just $229 shipped (it's $20 more for Bluetooth, which you have to opt out of; there are many other options configurable as you set up your unit). Here's a typical order, with the lowest end processor and free shipping. 
1 Inspiron Mini 10v 
1 Intel Atom Processor N270 (1.6GHz/533Mhz FSB/512K cache) 
1 1GB DDR2 SDRAM 
1 10.1" Widescreen Display (1024x600) 
1 Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 
1 160GB, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive 
1 Obsidian Black 
1 Wireless 802.11g (1397) Mini Card 
1 Integrated 1.3M Pixel Webcam 
1 24WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (3-cell) 
1 1Yr Ltd Warranty and Mail-In Service 
1 1Yr LoJack for Laptops Theft Protection 
Save $139 off this Dell Mini 10 ! - $139.00 
Order Subtotal: $229.00 Shipping and Handling Total: $8.00 
Shipping Discount: -$8.00 
Tax Total: $17.68 Total Amount: $246.68
Add in a Leopard license (plus an optional Snow Leopard license on top of that) and you still have a very reasonably priced system. If you have a monitor, keyboard and mouse on hand, and the Mini 10v makes an excellent and highly affordable kids' computer to replace an older Mac system.

Note that Apple's EULA, as recently affirmed by the California courts, does prohibit you from installing the copy of Leopard you purchase on anything other than Apple hardware, meaning that you Hackintosh your system at your own risk (legal and technical).

TUAWHoliday Gift Guide: Hackintoshable Dell Mini 10v originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dellhackintoshhggleopardnetbookWed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Handbrake 0.9.4 released, includes 64-bit support]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/handbrake-0-9-4-released-includes-64-bit-support/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's been a year in coming, but Handbrake, the multiplatform, open-source video transcoder, has been updated to version 0.9.4. It's one of the tools I included in my list of 10 must-have apps for a new Mac.

The Handbrake team has been busy indeed over the past year -- their change log shows over 1000 changes since the build they released last year. The biggest new feature with this update is support for 64-bit, which allows Handbrake to encode approximately 10% faster than previous 32-bit builds. The 64-bit build is not exclusive to Snow Leopard, so if you're still running 10.5 on a 64-bit capable machine, you'll still be able to reap the benefits of reduced encoding time.

That 10% performance improvement estimate appears to be very close to the mark, at least on my MacBook Pro. Using 0.9.3, Handbrake encodes would average around 27 - 29 frames per second when transcoding a VIDEO_TS folder to H.264. In 0.9.4, using the same settings, I'm seeing encoding rates of closer to 30 - 34 frames per second. This means that on my Mac, Handbrake is now transcoding DVDs in real time or faster thanks to the improvements in the new version.

The Handbrake team has trimmed some of the fat from this release. There are no more presets for the PSP, PS3, or Xbox 360; all three have been replaced with a "Normal" preset that should work on any device that supports Main Profile H.264. Handbrake has also removed support for transcoding to AVI, OGG, and XviD. Personally I won't miss any of these, as I always transcoded to H.264, but for people who are still clinging to AVI (for whatever reason), this update will force them to abandon the format.

Another new feature that looks like it'll be incredibly useful is Live Preview, which allows you to encode a small portion of the video source using current settings and then see what it looks like. This will keep you from having to encode the entire video only to find out two hours later that one of your settings was off, forcing you to start all over again.

Handbrake 0.9.4 is a free download, available here.

TUAWHandbrake 0.9.4 released, includes 64-bit support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>h.264HandbrakevideoTue, 24 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Software Update: iPhoto 8.1.1 released]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/software-update-iphoto-8-1-1-released/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/software-update-iphoto-8-1-1-released/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/software-update-iphoto-8-1-1-released/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're running iLife '09, fire up Software Update, because Apple has a bug fix update out for you. iPhoto 8.1.1 "addresses issues affecting face recognition performance and accuracy. It also fixes minor issues in the areas of book ordering, and iPod touch support."

There's an extra step for getting Faces recognition working properly if you imported pictures in iPhoto 8.1, which Apple details on the support page for the update:
Important: If you imported photos of people while using iPhoto 8.1, there's an extra step you should take after installing the 8.1.1 update. Select all those photos, Control-click to open the contextual menu, and then choose Detect Missing Faces. This will redetect the faces in those photos and correct any face recognition issues introduced in iPhoto 8.1. You should not quit iPhoto during the Detect Missing Faces process.
iPhoto Update 8.1.1 is a 12.5 MB update available now in Software Update.

TUAWSoftware Update: iPhoto 8.1.1 released originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iphotosoftware updateSoftwareUpdateTue, 24 Nov 2009 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Gobble up this deal on 1Password Pro touch]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/gobble-up-this-deal-on-1password-pro-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/gobble-up-this-deal-on-1password-pro-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/gobble-up-this-deal-on-1password-pro-touch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

To celebrate Thanksgiving, Agile Web Solutions is giving thanks to its customers this week in the form of a free iPhone app. Previously $7.99, 1Password Pro touch [iTunes link] is completely free until December 1st.

Whether or not you use the excellent Mac edition of this app, which was recently updated to version 3.0, 1Password touch is a great addition to your iPod touch or iPhone. Essentially a password manager, this app stores login usernames and passwords, wallet information like credit card numbers, software license keys, and secured notes behind one or two levels of protection (depending on how sensitive you deem the data). With cut and paste functionality, as well as a built-in web browser, it's a great way to simplify logging into password-protected sites or even making online purchases. Of course, to get the most out of the mobile version, a copy running on your Mac is a must. With it, you'll be able to sync your information between the devices.

The standard app is great and all, but since both versions are free for the time being, you might as well grab the Pro. Extra features include folders for better organization, the ability to copy multiple fields to paste elsewhere, and a unique switching mode to quickly copy and past info into Mobile Safari. In addition, there are some Pro-only features on the way including MobileMe and WebDAV syncing (I can't wait for that!), and Favorites.

If you already have the regular touch edition, make sure to back up your data before removing the old app and upgrading to the Pro version. Those with the Mac application can rely on Wi-Fi syncing to ensure the latest info is on the computer, however Agile has instructions on its site for those without. Once you've removed the standard 1Password touch and installed Pro, you can restore the data.

TUAWGobble up this deal on 1Password Pro touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1Password1Password Pro touch1Password touch1passwordProTouch1passwordTouchappApp StoreAppStoreiPhoneiPod touchMobileMepasswordpassword managerPasswordManagersyncingWebDAVTue, 24 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MusicNAO offers unique dock for iPhone and iPod touch]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/musicnao-offers-unique-dock-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/musicnao-offers-unique-dock-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/musicnao-offers-unique-dock-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Canadian company Cignias has announced an interesting product in the home audio/iPhone category. It's called the MusicNAO and it allows you to wirelessly control a docked iPod with an iPhone or iPod touch. It also lets you play music wirelessly to the dock from an iPhone or iPod touch. The music streams using the stereo Bluetooth capability of your iPhone or second generation iPod touch.

The base unit, which is a bit reminiscent of the Bose product, has 40 watts of output power, contains equalization circuitry, and uses 4" speakers. You can skip music, select music, and control the volume remotely. If you have an iPod plugged in, you can view and select playlists, artists and genres from your iPhone or iPod touch.

The apps for your iPhone or iPod touch are available free from the iTunes app store [iTunes link]. The control connections are through Wi-Fi, while the music streams through Bluetooth.

The unit also has an auxiliary input for plugging in another audio source. Hey, anyone still have cassettes?

The MusicNAO is shipping December 1, with an introductory price of U.S. $249.00 until November 30, then it's $299.00. The prices are the same in Canada. I haven't heard the device, so I can't give testimony to the audio quality.

I do think the MusicNAO is a unique twist on portable music integration with Apple products. The system also supports Blackberry cellphones that have a stereo streaming feature.

TUAWMusicNAO offers unique dock for iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothhggiPhoneiPod touchMusicNAOstreaming musicWi-FiTue, 24 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sneak Peek: ColorSchemer Studio 2, pick your palette]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/sneak-peek-colorschemer-studio-2-pick-your-palette/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/sneak-peek-colorschemer-studio-2-pick-your-palette/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/sneak-peek-colorschemer-studio-2-pick-your-palette/#commentsFiled under: ,

As part of my trade, I work a lot with colors. ColorSchemer Studio has long been a valuable tool in my toolkit for picking out color schemes based on solid color theory. It had its shortcomings, though, and some other tools had surpassed it, both on the desktop and on the iPhone. However, I got a sneak peek at the up-and-coming version 2.0 of ColorSchemer Studio, and I'm willing to say that it's poised to regain its lead in the field.

ColorSchemer Studio 2 adds an amazing number of new features, and improves on just about every aspect of the existing toolkit. Firstly, I want to highlight that it can now work entirely in the CMYK gamut, if you choose. Screen colors are adjusted to a CMYK profile, and there are export options to match. That's a big deal for those who take their colors off the screen and into the real world. Even though many modern presses can actually get better color from an RGB file, CMYK still rules in the world of offset printing. While it's a huge step for this app, it's not the coolest part ... read on for an in-depth preview.

Continue reading Sneak Peek: ColorSchemer Studio 2, pick your palette

TUAWSneak Peek: ColorSchemer Studio 2, pick your palette originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colorcolor schemercolor-schemerColorSchemercolorschemer studioColorschemerStudiocolourloversdesignpalettesneak peeksneak-peekSneakPeekTue, 24 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Magazine publishers joining together for iTunes-like magazine store]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/magazine-publishers-joining-together-for-itunes-like-magazine-st/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/magazine-publishers-joining-together-for-itunes-like-magazine-st/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/magazine-publishers-joining-together-for-itunes-like-magazine-st/#commentsFiled under: ,

The New York Observer is reporting that Time, Inc. executive VP John Squires has been making the rounds of other major publishing houses lately with one thing in mind: creating an iTunes-like magazine store for digital distribution of their titles. At this time, it appears that Time, Inc., Condé Nast, and Hearst are all planning on joining the alliance, with over 50 top magazines that would for sale in the store. Those titles include Sports Illustrated, Time, People, The New Yorker, Vogue, and O, The Oprah Magazine.

The as-yet-unnamed store doesn't plan on adding a new reader device to the mix. Instead, the consortium is looking at ways to distribute content to existing platforms such as the iPhone, Kindle, nook, BlackBerry, and the major computer operating systems. Reading the post, it seems to this writer that although Squires and Co. have a great idea, the execution of the plan might be doomed already. Quoting from the Observer article:

The deal is taking time to complete because it involves so many moving pieces.

"It's pretty complicated stuff," said a source. "The really, really hard part is that you've got so many different kinds of devices running on different operating systems. And how do you handle that? The consortium provides one point of contact for the consumer. When you come to the main store, you can get the content any way you want."

In addition to building up the store, each publisher will actually have to figure out how to build digital versions of their own magazines.

Continue reading Magazine publishers joining together for iTunes-like magazine store

TUAWMagazine publishers joining together for iTunes-like magazine store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>inc.magazinepublishingpublishing industryPublishingIndustrytimeTue, 24 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Found Footage: Little World Gifts enters the world of virtual gifting]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-little-world-gifts-enters-the-world-of-virtual-gi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-little-world-gifts-enters-the-world-of-virtual-gi/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-little-world-gifts-enters-the-world-of-virtual-gi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Have you ever wanted to send a loved one a rose, but knew that you wouldn't be able to deliver it yourself? Or maybe you wanted to cheer up a friend in the hospital, but you were on another continent? If the Liverpudlians at Little World Gifts have their way, you'll soon be exchanging virtual gifts with your friends.

The six-person UK startup has been working on a self-titled iPhone app that they hope to ship in December. The app lets you purchase virtual gifts from a shop and send them to others who either have the app or are Facebook users. As you can see in the video above, the gifts are high-resolution 3D items that you and your friends can touch and manipulate.

Your friends receive push notifications that you've sent them a gift, and can then add them to their collection in their copy of the app, or enjoy them in a separate Facebook app.

In case you think virtual goods are a silly idea, Little Worlds Gifts points out that it is estimated that consumers will spend over US$1 billion on virtual goods in 2009 through online games and social networks. Facebook generates almost US$40 million annually through sales of virtual gifts.

Little World Gifts hasn't announced a price for the app or the virtual gifts, but TUAW will keep an eye on this virtual boutique for future reference.

TUAWFound Footage: Little World Gifts enters the world of virtual gifting originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookiphoneipod touchIpodTouchvirtual giftsVirtualGiftsTue, 24 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developers]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/chillingo-officially-launches-crystal-sdk-for-iphone-game-develo/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Chillingo recently announced that it would be launching Crystal SDK, a service joining the increasingly crowded social network market for iPhone games. Xbox Live on the Xbox is an official social network, but the iPhone has no such official service. A crowd of contenders, from the popular OpenFeint service to ngmoco's Plus+ network, are jumping in and trying to get developers on board with them. Crystal SDK is one of those -- they've now launched the official website and are asking developers interested to sign up and see what their software has to offer.

Like many of the other services, Crystal is offering to integrate challenges, achievements, leaderboards, and other social services into iPhone apps. The SDK seems like it's still pre-release, however -- there's only a signup, no information on cost or implementation or anything else on the site. Still, if you happen to be an iPhone developer still looking for a network to hook up with, they might be the one for you.

While we're at it: what do you consumers think? Have you actually chosen a network to go with, or are you doing what I'm doing and still basically going game by game? The goal of these networks eventually is to have a unified stable of developers, where you'll jump into a new game simply because it's linked to the network you're signed up with (and your friends will be playing over there and encouraging you to join). But in reality, I haven't seen that -- most people I know are just playing the games they're interested in, and the network the games are connected to hasn't made a big difference.

TUAWChillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chillingocrystal-sdkdevelopersgame developersgame-developersGameDevelopersgamingiphonenetworkngmocoopenfeintplussocial networkSocialNetworkTue, 24 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Found Footage: Hands-on with Boardwalk Games from Skyworks]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-hands-on-with-boardwalk-games-from-skyworks/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-hands-on-with-boardwalk-games-from-skyworks/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/24/found-footage-hands-on-with-boardwalk-games-from-skyworks/#commentsFiled under: ,


For just US$1.99, you could do a lot worse than picking up Skyworks's new Boardwalk Games [iTunes link]. Offering three carnival-style attractions, Boardwalk Games takes you into the midway with good gameplay, quality graphics, and audible sound. To be honest, those audible sounds kind of drove me a little nuts and I couldn't find a settings screen to could turn them off.

The three mini games are all simple toss-something-at-something games: toss a ball at tiki statues, toss a ball at milk bottles, toss a dart at balloons. It's fun. Admittedly, a little limited, but fun. The fun is probably worth more than the two bucks the app costs.

Just in case you think you're getting a little bit too good of a deal, well, you are. Skywork's included some fairly heavy-handed upselling ads in the game, which appear each time you finish playing a round. It's not too bad as these things go, but clearly they intend to balance their relatively low price point with targeted advertising.

I found the games easy to play and engaging. Will the app remain on your phone for the long term? Probably not. This is one of those use-it-for-a-few-days-or-weeks-then-toss-it kinds of games. There aren't compelling learning curves and not much room has been left for the app to grow. I'd recommend this for a rainy day / DMV visit / Doctor's Appointment, but it's not so amazing that you should rush out and buy it right away. It's amusing, it's well made, and I hate that music.

TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page.

TUAWFound Footage: Hands-on with Boardwalk Games from Skyworks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well here we go. Up until now, we've heard a lot from developers about how much of a mess the App Store's approval process is, from people who've been rejected outright to people who've been forced to resubmit to people who've just given up completely. But we haven't heard much from Apple, and now Phil Schiller has spoken with Business Week about what it is about the App Store's approval process that has devs pulling their hair out.

The verdict? Schiller says the process is in place for a reason. About 90% of the apps submitted merely have bugs or technical issues, and he says for the most part that devs are happy to get that feedback (though TechCrunch doesn't buy that for one second). But the other 10% of the apps Apple denies are simply what they deem "inappropriate," which could be anything from problematic coding (code that steals passwords or other private information), or app content that doesn't belong on the store, from porn to apps that help break the law or steal in some way. Apple is also vicious about trademark defense -- Schiller says that "if you don't defend your trademarks, in the end you end up not owning them."

That all sounds fine and dandy (ok, well, the "inappropriate" label is a little unclear -- that's broad enough that Apple could fit almost anything under that umbrella, which is a bit troubling), but what about all of those angry devs? Unfortunately, Schiller doesn't address at all the idea that Apple might someday allow devs to release apps that haven't been through their approval process, on the App Store or anywhere else. As far as Apple is concerned, it seems like they're keeping their grip on what gets released, and anyone who doesn't like it is welcome to go elsewhere.

[via TheAppleBlog]

Continue reading Schiller defends App Store approval process

TUAWSchiller defends App Store approval process originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Support continues to grow for the iPhone in the enterprise. TBI Research (subscription required) says Apple's answer to telephony is gaining ground in business, thanks largely to employees and execs grabbing an iPhone for personal use and deciding they just have to have it for work as well.

TBI sees the iPhone having trouble in two of the biggest industries in the US. Government and finance are likely to keep favoring Research in Motion's BlackBerry, though Apple could take enough of the rest of the sectors to make up for what it misses. "The two industries we see as the least likely of switching from Blackberries are Finance and Government," says a TBI research note. "These are huge industries, but they make up only 20% of the total US workforce. That still leaves 80% of the total 150 million US workforce."

Meanwhile TBI sees iPhone adoption ramping-up aggressively in industries such as media, entertainment, hospitality, transportation, and consumer packaged goods.

TBI's report dovetails nicely with a report at the beginning of the month from Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore. Early in November, Whitmore said he expected to see 2 million iPhones in the enterprise market by the end of this year, giving Apple roughly 7% of the business end of smartphones in the US.

[via MacNN]

TUAWMore growth seen for iPhone in business originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blackberrybusinessdeutsche bankenterpriseiphonemacnnmarketresearch in motionrimTue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sneak Peek: Stair Dismount offers... broken bones, mostly]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/sneak-peak-stair-dismount-offers-broken-bones-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/sneak-peak-stair-dismount-offers-broken-bones-mostly/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/sneak-peak-stair-dismount-offers-broken-bones-mostly/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Remember Zen Bound? It's a gorgeous and fun-to-play little puzzle game. So when I heard that SecretExit, the makers of Zen Bound, were about to release a new app, I was excited to get a sneak preview.

Stair Dismount is a very different game to Zen Bound. Although, as you can see in the above video, the audio and graphics quality are consistently high, it's not really fair to compare the two. According to SecretExit, Stair Dismount is more focused on "humor and social elements" rather than problem solving.

The game basically involves pushing someone down the stairs and seeing how many bones they break. Playing this made me feel like the world's worst sadist. Hard to get game playing satisfaction other than tormenting the poor dude.

With Stair Dismount, you can add the face of a Facebook friend and send screen shots of their broken body lying at the bottom of the staircase. Secret Exit dev Jani Kahrama notes, "It feels better with a friendly Facebook face on the guy :)."

Your enjoyment of this will vary by your personal take but for me, I don't think Stair Dismount will be staying on my iPod or be exposed to my kids. Stair Dismount is due to hit the App Store within the week.

About the video: At this time, TUAW can only create preview videos for applications compiled for 3.1 or earlier using a development (not distribution or ad hoc) build and review videos for distribution-compiled apps that are 3.1 or earlier.

TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page.

TUAWSneak Peek: Stair Dismount offers... broken bones, mostly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Do you use eBay regularly for shopping for goodies? If you do, and if you're an iPhone or iPod touch owner, you probably ought to turn on your device right now and download the new eBay Deals app [Free, iTunes Link].

In eBay parlance, a deal can be one of two things:
  1. An eBay Daily Deal, which is a limited quantity item from a trusted seller, provided with free shipping
  2. An item that is in big demand (an iPhone, for example) with zero bids and with less than four hours to go in the auction
But wait, there's more! The app also uses push notifications to give you the bad news that you're being outbid on an item or to tell you that an auction is just about over. There's a "Shake for Deals" option that provides random deals when you shake your phone.

The app has a nice little tutorial that shows how the features work and what various icons mean. That's a nice touch for getting users up and running quickly. If you're looking for that perfect gift at a bargain price, you may need to look no further than the screen of your iPhone.

TUAWeBay Deals iPhone app pushes bargains in your face originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bargainsdealsebayiphoneipod touchIpodTouchMon, 23 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Protect yourself from SSH-based iPhone worms]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/protect-yourself-from-ssh-based-iphone-worms/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/protect-yourself-from-ssh-based-iphone-worms/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/protect-yourself-from-ssh-based-iphone-worms/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The internet has been ablaze with reports of jailbroken iPhones being infested with worms. The exploit takes advantage of unwitting jailbreakers who install OpenSSH on their iPhones via Cydia without taking into account all of the impacts on security. The most notable, and now famous, hole in this theory is that every iPhone ships with the same default password for both the all-powerful "root" user as well as the more-restricted "mobile" user.

Not surprisingly, Apple has officially commented on the situation noting that "the worm affects only a very specific set of iPhone users who have jail broken[sic] their iPhones and hacked it with unauthorized software." It is pretty clear from Apple's statement their feelings on the jailbreak community and its effects on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Luckily, if you need to have OpenSSH installed on your iPhone (who doesn't want a remotely-accessible, full UNIX terminal in their pocket?), there is a pretty simple solution to this problem that will prevent this breed of infestation from ever reaching your iPhone.
  1. Remember, this only affects jailbroken iPhone owners who have installed OpenSSH...
  2. Begin by installing MobileTerminal via Cydia (alternately, you can login via SSH from Terminal.app or a Cygwin-equipped Windows PC).
  3. Type "login", you will be asked for a login name which should be "root" then a password which should be "alpine".
  4. Type "passwd" then tap return, you will be asked to type the new password. Tap return and type the new password again.
Repeat this same process for the "mobile" user by replacing "root" with "mobile" in step 3. Also, when using passwd to change the password for "mobile" you may be asked the old password which would be "alpine". It is not necessary to use a different password for "root" and "mobile" but if you're highly security conscious, it wouldn't hurt. The second half of this post includes a screen image of my exact process working successfully on OS 3.1.2 with an iPhone 3GS.

In addition to changing the user passwords for your iPhone, another good security measure is to use one of the jailbreak apps like BossPrefs or SBSettings to have a toggle that will disable SSH when not in use. Obviously, having SSH disabled (or not installed) is the best defense against worms of this sort. Got any other iPhone security tips? Let us know in the comments!

Continue reading Protect yourself from SSH-based iPhone worms

TUAWProtect yourself from SSH-based iPhone worms originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bossprefsjailbreakopensshsecuritysshMon, 23 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac Pro takes a bullet, brings justice]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mac-pro-takes-a-bullet-brings-justice/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mac-pro-takes-a-bullet-brings-justice/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/mac-pro-takes-a-bullet-brings-justice/#commentsFiled under: ,

This piece isn't about shooting Mac Pros, but it is about how the Mac Pro is helping forensics professionals solve cases faster and more accurately. Pyramidal Technologies produces a system called ALIAS (Advanced balLIstics Analysis System), a replacement for standard ballistic investigation systems that offers faster ramp-up times, increases data accuracy in ballistics investigations, and lowers operator error.

Pyramidal's tagline, "Solve more crimes, Convict more criminals, Save more lives" sums up their mission pretty succinctly. ALIAS will help to convict more criminals with more accuracy, and should even solve some previously-unsolvable cold cases. Helping to proactively build a civil society by identifying wrongdoers and exposing them to justice is among the many socially conscious goals of Pyramidal Technologies.

I found this story of interest because, in my limited experience, the world of law enforcement does not lean very heavily toward the Apple side of the computing spectrum. I assume that this is for the same primary reason that any agency, organization or company tends to stick with Windows: the software they depend on is Windows-based and often proprietary. What intrigued me here was the fact that the benefits of various systems, both hardware and operating system, were weighed in an OS-agnostic fashion, and the Mac won. Here's what I learned about the reasons why ...

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Continue reading Mac Pro takes a bullet, brings justice

TUAWMac Pro takes a bullet, brings justice originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's jumped into the Verizon versus AT&T fray, according to BusinessWeek, with a couple of new ads -- and, somewhat surprisingly, they come out in full defense of AT&T. Both ads show an iPhone user in the middle of a phone call who multitasks by looking up movie information, restaurant ratings, and many other things over AT&T's 3G network. The ads end with the question, "Can your phone and your network do that?" with a very prominent AT&T logo in the final seconds of the ads.

As I'm personally somewhat on the outside looking in at the U.S. telecom spats, I don't know how much US smartphone users really miss the ability to do simultaneous data browsing and phone calls while on Verizon's network. Based on what I've heard about AT&T's network reliability, however, there are some areas of the U.S. where you'll be lucky to be able to make and receive calls at all, or hold on to a call in progress, much less multitask in the manner depicted in these ads.

What's most interesting about these ads is how favorable they are to AT&T. It's no secret that Apple's been less than thrilled with AT&T over the course of their relationship, and it's even less of a secret how dissatisfied U.S. customers have been with the telco giant. It's understandable that Apple wants to paint the iPhone in a favorable light, but I'm admittedly surprised that they seem to be going to bat for AT&T at the same time. Sure AT&T is their business partner, but from my point of view this smells a lot like telling your family that your less-than-presentable date for Thanksgiving has 'a really great personality.'

Read on to see the ads in action.

Continue reading Two new iPhone ads: Apple defends AT&T?

TUAWTwo new iPhone ads: Apple defends AT&T? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AdsATTiphoneVerizonMon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple's Black Friday ad possibly leaked?]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/apples-black-friday-ad-possibly-leaked/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/apples-black-friday-ad-possibly-leaked/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/apples-black-friday-ad-possibly-leaked/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Boy Genius Report claims to have gotten its hands on Apple's Black Friday brochure. Although they had posted another brochure earlier that made less than credible claims of 30% iPod discounts and 25% Mac discounts, BGR claims this newest ad comes from "a pretty credible connect of ours." The new ad's discounts are also more in line with Apple's previous Black Friday deals, which tend to be fairly modest compared to other retailers.

Below are a few of the discounts on the "leaked" ad:
iMac: $101 off
MacBook Pro: $51-$101 off
iPod nano: $11 off
iPod touch: $21-$41 off

Boy Genius Report notes that these deals apply only on the online store, not at Apple's retail stores.

Though this ad seems legitimate on the face of it, it's worth noting that pretty much everyone here at TUAW agreed Boy Genius Report's last "leaked" ad was a fake. So take this latest "leak" with a grain of salt. However, after taking into account Apple's Black Friday deals in earlier years, whatever discounts it offers this year are at least likely to be similar to this latest ad leak whether it's the real deal or not.

[Via Mac Rumors]

TUAWApple's Black Friday ad possibly leaked? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Apple RetailAppleRetailBlack FridayBlackFridayhggMon, 23 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone and Android now total 75% of U.S. smartphone web traffic]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/iphone-and-android-now-total-75-of-u-s-smartphone-web-traffic/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/iphone-and-android-now-total-75-of-u-s-smartphone-web-traffic/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/iphone-and-android-now-total-75-of-u-s-smartphone-web-traffic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's a rather stunning number from AdMob in an October report. The firm reports on web requests from thousands of sites world wide. In the latest report, Apple has 55% of the domestic Smartphone traffic share, and Android has 20%. Interestingly, the Blackberry share dropped 2% to a 12 percent share, and Palm's webOS dropped from a 10% share to 5%.

Windows Mobile OS has 4% of the U.S. Smartphone web traffic.

The AdMob statistics do not show handset sales, but rather are calculated by measuring traffic on more than 15,000 web sites and applications.

The Motorola Droid, running only on Verizon, has captured 24% of all Android traffic, even though it has been out only a few weeks.

The iPhone has been on the market for 28 months. That 55% share of traffic is a pretty robust number for such a relatively new product. The Android numbers, especially those of the Droid are also good news for Google, Motorola and Verizon.

The balance of Smartphone data may change dramatically as the holiday season unwinds, and it will be interesting to watch the ebb and flow of the competing brands.

AdMob was recently purchased by Google. Apple also had reportedly had some interest in the company.

TUAWiPhone and Android now total 75% of U.S. smartphone web traffic originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndroidiPhonesmartphonestraffic rankingsTrafficRankingsWindows MobileMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[ScreenSteps 2.7 preview and some Holiday savings]]>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/screensteps-2-7-preview-and-some-holiday-savings/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/screensteps-2-7-preview-and-some-holiday-savings/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/23/screensteps-2-7-preview-and-some-holiday-savings/#commentsFiled under: ,

We've mentioned ScreenSteps from Blue Mango Learning Systems before. A few times, actually. Version 2.7 is coming up quickly, and it's going to have some great new features. There's also a sale this week that I thought was worth mentioning, check the end of the post for details on that.

First, a recap. ScreenSteps is one of the best ways I've found to quickly create documentation for screen-based projects, whether it's company software, a CMS admin panel, or anything else you can document with screenshots. More recent versions of ScreenSteps can embed video, as well. You just snap a screenshot or screencast segment and add markup (arrows, highlights, sequence numbers, etc.) using the built-in tools. ScreenSteps handles creating lessons and manuals which can be templated and output to PDF, HTML, sent directly to a blog or wiki, or hosted online at ScreenSteps Live, where you can maintain a constantly-updated manual for company/client reference.

Version 2.7 of ScreenSteps desktop is going to have a couple of shiny new features. The first one I'll mention is aesthetic, but a welcome addition: drop shadows. Markup elements added to screenshots now have the option to include a drop shadow underneath them. This is not just better looking; it helps to call out the markup in a way that clearly distinguishes it from the screenshot itself. I got a chance to test this in private beta, and am pleasantly surprised at what a difference it makes.

The other new feature, and potentially a very useful one in many situations, is the ability to copy a lesson directly to the clipboard (video preview here), ostensibly with an email as a target, though the possibilities are a little wider than that. Blue Mango hopes to be able to open the beta to the public in the next few weeks so you can try it out for yourself.

Now, the sale. It's billed by Blue Mango as "The Sale that Goes Stale" and, as you might guess from the moniker, it decreases in value over the course of this week. Monday and Tuesday you can get 40% off of any purchase (including ScreenSteps Live accounts). On Wednesday it drops to a still-a-hefty-discount 30% savings. By Thursday it's down to 20%, and Friday, it's leftovers ... 10% off. Stop by the store to check prices on the desktop version ($39.95US-$79.95US, academic pricing available), and ScreenSteps live accounts ($19US/mo-$285/mo). Use the coupon THANKS at checkout to take advantage of the savings.

TUAWScreenSteps 2.7 preview and some Holiday savings originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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