Feature: Stacks, which are what Apple is calling clickable icons on the Dock that fold out to show other clickable icons.
How it works: It's actually an updated implementation of the old "Piles" idea, in that you can have one icon that gives you access to lots of different things. But Apple's Stacks fill another role-- they get icons off of the Desktop for good, and down into the Dock without looking cluttered. For years and years, almost every Desktop on every computer ever has had icons all over it, from apps to various downloads to whatever ended up there. But Leopard is different-- all of its icons aren't spread on the Desktop, they're piled into the Dock. Click them, and they span across the Desktop (or line up in a grid, if you're boring), click them again and they disappear. That's the real innovation here-- now, finally, you can work your way down to a completely empty, icon-free desktop.
Oh, and I should also mention that Stacks aren't just static. Leopard comes with two stacks-- Documents and Downloads, and the Downloads stack will automatically fill out with anything you download from Safari, Mail, or iChat. No more downloading random files to the Desktop and using Expose to let you go find it. Now, just click open the Stack, and get access to everything you need without ever leaving the window you're working in.
Who will use it: Everybody! And Windows users in 2010, too, since it's almost guaranteed that Microsoft is already working on a way to get this into Windows 7.
Inside Mac Games reports that their sister site, Macgamefiles.com, has received a complete site redesign, its first since the site started up seven years ago. In addition to a whole new look, the site's got some extra new features, too, including lots of new Developer features-- devs can now have control over their own files, and check download statistics, as well as a few other profile-related features.
It'd be a real stretch to call the Mac games scene bourgeoning-- a few almost on-time releases from EA does not a market make. But kudos to Macgamefiles for serving up games and demos as long as they have. And giving developers that much more control over how their games are listed and presented is definitely an admirable move as well.
You TUAW readers have spoken loud and clear: Transmission is your favorite BitTorrent client. If you're nodding your head right now, you'll be happy to know that v0.8 of the cross-platform app has gone official, ushering in a boatload of new features and fixes for all OSes it works on, as well as some great Mac-only goodies. Before we get to the new stuff, however, I have to echo a warning on the main Transmission page: if you're in the middle of any downloads right now, finish them before upgrading; you could lose data if you jump the gun.
That said, let's talk about the shiny new changes. First up, here are the new feature highlights that everyone can enjoy:
Ability to selectively download and prioritize files
Torrent file creation
Speed and CPU load improvements
Better rechecking of torrents that have many files
And here are the new goodies just for Mac OS X users:
Overlay when dragging torrent files, URLs, and data files onto window
Ability to set an amount of time to consider a transfer stalled
I mentioned simple Safari downloads in my recent iPhone ringtones post. Several readers contacted me asking if I could give a step-by-step description how to do this trick.
The problem with downloading audio and video through Safari is that if you paste the link directly into the Address bar, the resources load into the Safari window. They don't download directly to disk.
The easiest way to handle this is by right-clicking (control-clicking) a music or video link and selecting Download Linked File from the pop-up menu. However if you get your URL outside Safari and don't have a link to right-click, that method won't work. In the ringtones example, the URL was copied from a text file.
To download a URL directly then, go into Safari and select Window -> Downloads. The Downloads windows open. Select it and paste your URL (Edit -> Paste or just type Command-V). The download begins immediately without having to open the file in an intermediate window and then save to disk.
This trick has been tested with Safari 3, and several people have told me that it works for them in Safari 2. Let me know in the comments how it works for you. I tried it out in Firefox and can confirm it does not work there.
Dave Watanabe has released v1.1 beta of Xtorrent, his excellent BitTorrent client. With this major x.1 release, Watanabe has included some significant new features like individual file selection, file prioritization, individual file completion status, and improved privacy options. Watanabe has updated Xtorrent's UI to help bring some of these features directly to the user, and I'm also noticing what I think are a couple of new preferences, such as the ability to individually toggle whether audio and/or video are added to iTunes after being completely downloaded. The new features are definitely welcome, and Watanabe is optimistic about some planned features down the road.
After trying far too many Mac OS X BitTorrent clients, I finally decided on Xtorrent and have been a happy owner. A base single user license costs $24, with the option to purchase lifetime upgrades for only $9 more.
Brandon sent us a great tip that I should have known was in Safari, but that I hadn't found yet. For you paranoids out there, the Safari 3 beta offers an easy way to clean up every single thing you've ever done, including the history, passwords, cookies, and even favicons and Autofill text. Under the Edit menu, there's a "Reset Safari" option which reveals a checklist that lets you hit the reset button on your browser. Firefox users like myself will notice that this was "gently lifted" from the Clear Private Data function under FF's Tools menu.
And it's not just for paranoid browsers out there-- the blogging engine here at TUAW, Blogsmith, is a great program but sometimes hiccups when the cache gets overwritten or pushed out of sync. When it does, the Reset options let me flush the cache in just a few clicks without losing any of my browser windows. If you ever run across a browser-based application that's not doing what you want, this is definitely an alternative to try before actually restarting the browser.
Of all the products Apple has been rolling out in the past few years, the Apple TV is easily one of the most debated. While I haven't seen any specific figures from Apple on how well or poorly the device is selling, Apple's first foray into the living room seems to be getting off to at least a decent start. Jobs made another uncharacteristic move in revealing upcoming plans to support YouTube next month. But could the Apple TV be a dud? CNN Money's Brent Schlender sure thinks so. In fact, Mr. Schlender goes so far as to take a jab at the Apple TV's development: "Apple TV is so Zune-like, you'd think Jobs was so busy with the iPhone that he outsourced the Apple TV project to the folks up in Redmond." He then follows with a list of the largest complaints against the device, which includes:
No DVD drive
The perceived requirement of an HDTV (though we know that to be not-quite-true) even though you can't buy full HD content from the iTunes Store
The fact that you can't shop the iTS right from the Apple TV despite its internet connection
The annoying conundrum with only being able to use images from one computer's photo library, even though most people's pictures are probably the one batch of HD-ready media that isn't rights-managed in any way and completely sharable over a network and amongst friends or even strangers
Schlender is quick to point out, however, that the one other device everyone expected to be able to shop online via its wireless connection - Microsoft's Zune - can't do that either.
Engadget is reporting that a rumored firmware update to Microsoft's Zune DAP (Digital Audio Player) could usher in wireless downloads from their Zune Marketplace digital media store. No word yet on whether these would be all-you-can-eat subscription downloads or purchases made via the Zune Marketplace's points system, but regardless: if Microsoft gets this out in the near future and Apple hasn't stepped up to the plate (possibly with wireless iTunes downloads to the iPhone), they'll be one of the last major players in the DAP market that hasn't snipped the chord on downloading yet. Mobile phones and services from the likes of Cingular, Sprint and Verizon are all enabling wireless downloads, with Sprint recently matching the iTunes price of $.99 per song.
While Microsoft doesn't seem to be causing any loss of sleep for Apple in terms of iPod sales just yet, wireless downloads is one of the undeniable holy grails that digital media lovers everywhere have been clamoring for since the rumor mongers first began posting their silly claims of 'wireless iPods any day now' many years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if the debut of this feature alone made at least a few potential iPod switchers finally make the leap to black, white and brown waters.
You know what that feeling in the air is? That's right! Apple has released a new security update. Security Update 2007-004. It seems to fix a slew of things, so I would suggest installing it as soon as possible.
Apple has refreshed the look of the OS X Downloads page. It is a much cleaner design, and highlights a number of RSS feeds (Top 20, Just Added, and Staff Picks). Listed on the right side of the page are the Top Widgets, and the top iTunes + iPod downloads.
Do we see shades of a possible new UI in Leopard? Only time will tell.
On Friday our friends at sister blog Download Squad began a new series titled 12 Days of holiday downloads, rounding up holiday and Christmas-themed downloads for both Mac OS X and Windows. Day 2 was posted today, and so far it looks like a neat series for those of you who like to get their Mac (and Windows PC) into the holiday spirit. Day 1 covered Snö, an app we've mentionedbefore, can create a snowfall on your desktop (though, as of this writing, Snö's site seems to be unavailable). Day 2 for Mac (today) covers X-MasTree, which we posted about a few days ago.
Frivolous, cycle-wasting apps? Sure. Fun, holiday spirit nonetheless? You bet. Stay tuned to Download Squad for the rest of their 12 Days of holday downloads series for more ways to get your Mac in the holiday spirit.
Today's edition of 'yes they did/no they didn't' is brought to you by Wal-Mart, the New York Post and Reuters. As we knew, Wal-Mart is the largest DVD retailer (at least in America), with 40% of the market. Obviously, a player with that large of a stake in the game might not be too happy when a music download service with as much momentum as the iTunes Store announces movie downloads, and the New York Post printed a piece confirming just as much. According to the Post, Wal-Mart returned "cases and cases" of DVDs to Disney after suffering a panic attack over word of the iTS. Never one to stop at throwing product back in just one client's face, Wal-Mart then went on to throw a temper tantrum at the Hollywood studios, "overtly threatened to retaliate" by ordering fewer movies if they shook hands with the iTS. One has to wonder what happens when Wal-Mart doesn't get ice cream for desert.
On the other side of this coin, however, Reutersprinted comments from a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, saying "we are not dissuading studios from conducting business with other providers." Setting aside the discussion of who competition truly benefits, a Disney spokeswoman also stated she was not familiar with the NYP claims, though Reuters failed to mention whether this spokeswoman has anything to do with the shipping department.
It's a twisted web these players are weaving, and we'll (do our best to) stay on top of who's saying what.
Like many of you, I'm sure, I've got a lot of music in my iTunes library and on my iPod. To lose it all would certainly be a bummer for me. A hard drive failure is one thing, but theft of my iPod and/or computer is another. This is where Nationwide Insurance is looking to step in.
While it's been easy to list things like records, CDs, tapes and even iPods themselves lost to theft on an insurance claim, the same hasn't been true of your digital purchases. Now, Nationwide is going to offer coverage for your iPod as well as the "...intangible assets" that live on its hard drive (or flash, as it were). From the article:
"Nationwide's cover is for any download - ringtones, games, films or music - wherever it is held, be that a phone, PC, laptop or music player. The important point is that the owner will have to prove they have paid for the download."
Proving that you made the purchase via iTunes may be difficult, unless you've been saving those receipt emails all along. Still, it's nice to see a company recognizing the value of those "intangible assets."
The rumors are flying even faster in the last couple days that movies could appear in the iTMS as early as September. We're hearing that Apple might have an event planned in San Francisco for Sept. 12th, where they could announce iTMS movies, or simply a $300 leather case for their $350 iPod Hi-Fi.
Curiously, Business Week is running an article about opposition against iTMS movies from Wal-Mart, of all companies (turns out they're the largest DVD retailer with 40% of the market). Business Week also mentions that Apple only has one studio signed on so far - Disney (of course) - though we aren't sure where they heard that (with studio CEOs dropping their own hints, it seems anything goes right now).
So where does this all leave us? Honestly, we're not sure. Rumors are flying, but Apple hasn't officially made any event announcements or so much as sneezed in one direction or another. We wish we had more to tell you, but for now, we'll just have to keep our ears open.
Feature: Stacks, which are what Apple is calling clickable icons on the Dock that fold out to show other clickable icons.
I mentioned simple Safari downloads in my recent 
Brandon
Apple just posted a bunch of software updates over at its 
Of all the products Apple has been rolling out in the past few years, the Apple TV is easily one of the most debated. While I haven't seen any specific figures from Apple on how well or poorly the device is selling, Apple's first foray into the living room seems to be getting off to at least a decent start. Jobs made another uncharacteristic move in revealing upcoming plans to 
Engadget is 
On Friday our friends at sister blog 
Today's edition of 'yes they did/no they didn't' is brought to you by Wal-Mart, the New York Post and Reuters. As we 
Like many of you, I'm sure, I've got a lot of music in my iTunes library and on my iPod. To lose it all would certainly be a bummer for me. A hard drive failure is one thing, but theft of my iPod and/or computer is another. This is where 
The rumors are flying even faster in the last couple days that movies could appear in the iTMS as early as September. We're 
