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/Apple launches iTunes Preview for external browser linkshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/apple-launches-itunes-preview-for-external-browser-links/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/apple-launches-itunes-preview-for-external-browser-links/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/13/apple-launches-itunes-preview-for-external-browser-links/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is the kind of thing that probably should have been done a long time ago, but Macworld is reporting that Apple has launched iTunes Preview, a page that appears when you click an iTunes link (like this one) and your browser sends you over to iTunes. Previously, you just got that placeholder page that said "One Moment Please" and asked if you wanted to open the link in an external application, but with iTunes Preview, you get a nicely laid out page with information and reviews (and your browser still opens up the iTunes store).

Currently it only seems to work with music -- movies and television only get a small thumbnail, and applications get the same old gray page. But that'll probably change before long -- it's much smoother to see what you're clicking through to, and of course there's the added bonus for people who don't actually have iTunes installed. As MacWorld points out, there are actually no "preview" buttons on the page -- you can't listen to music there, only click through to the iTunes store. But like I said, it's better than a blank window and a browser popup asking for your permission. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see this grow a lot more in the future.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Apple launches iTunes Preview for external browser links originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applefeaturesinformationitunesitunes storeitunes-storeItunesStorelistenmacworldmoviesmusicpreviewreleaseMike SchrammFri, 13 Nov 2009 09:30:00 ESTiStopMotion now Snow Leopard happyhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/05/istopmotion-now-snow-leopard-happy/#commentsFiled under: ,

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

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

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

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]]>boinx-softwarebundlescompatibilityfeatureshggjapanesemacheistmarkersos-xsnow-leopardsoftwareupdateversion-2.1Mike SchrammThu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESTFive Gifts for the Mac AV Geekhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/audio-video-mac-geek-gift-guide/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/audio-video-mac-geek-gift-guide/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/30/audio-video-mac-geek-gift-guide/#commentsFiled under: , ,

'Tis the season to be buying. But what do you get for that special geek in your life?

I can't speak for your geek, but I know what I'm asking Santa for this year - I just hope he's a TUAW reader. Whether he is or not, maybe going through my list will give you an idea on how to max out your credit card spread some holiday cheer this year.


Dear Santa,

I've been a good boy this year. I've cut back on the booze, and they don't greet me by name at the strip club anymore. So instead of a stocking full of coal, could you find it in your heart to bring me one or more of the following items on the night before Christmas? I know it's a long flight to New Zealand from the North Pole, but you've got to admit, at least the weather down here is waaaay better than in Cleveland this time of year.

First of all, I'd like a shiny new 802.11n Airport Express. I like my Time Capsule (when it's not being a recalcitrant piece of junk), but the 5GHz wireless signal doesn't reach from my living room all the way back to my office. With an Airport Express, I'd be able to extend the wireless signal from my Time Capsule to the other side of the house and geek away in privacy. That way my wife won't have to grit her teeth every five minutes when the theme from Metroid goes off at 80 decibels and tells me I got a new e-mail. And since the Airport Express is 802.11n-enabled, I'd still be able to back up my data to the Time Capsule at a brisk pace.

I'd also like these Shure SE115m+ earphones. I've been using a set of Shure E2cs for about three years now, and I love them, but the one big advantage the SE115m+ has is the controls built into the cord that would allow me to pause, play, and skip through tracks on my iPhone. I'd also be able to take calls, and it even has a built-in microphone. Santa, if I had these earphones I'd be able to put those white earbuds that came with my iPhone into a drawer and never look at them again, and that would make me a very happy boy indeed.

You know how I like to shoot HD video, right Santa? But not those kinds of videos, because that would get me on the naughty list. My MacBook Pro does a good job of encoding video - it works pretty close to real-time - but if I had an Elgato Turbo.264 HD Video Encoder, it would go so much faster. Like 3-4 times faster. That way I could spend less time waiting for videos to encode and more time drinking helping old ladies across the street.

If I'd been a really good boy this year, like if I'd won the Nobel Peace Prize or employee of the month at TUAW, I'd ask for a bona fide guitar amplifier. But since I haven't been that good, I'd settle for a Zoom G2.1U Guitar Effects Pedal with USB interface. This thing will simulate all kinds of guitar effects for me, and it'll plug right into my MacBook Pro. So far playing my guitar through Garageband has been an acceptable substitute for a real, live amplifier, but the one thing I definitely miss is all my effects pedals. Garageband includes lots of neat software effects that simulate pedals, but you can't stomp on them to switch them on and off. I know - I've tried.

Last thing, Santa: if none of those other things will fit in your bag, could you just get me a big, fat iTunes gift card? I've got nearly US$120 worth of songs I want to upgrade to iTunes Plus so I can stop worrying about DRM nonsense on my previous purchases and get higher-quality music in the process.

Thanks Santa. Next year I promise to be more helpful and honest and say fewer naughty words about New Zealand's telecommunications companies.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Five Gifts for the Mac AV Geek originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>airport expressAirportExpresschristmaselgatofeatureshanukkahhggholidayholiday gift guideHolidayGiftGuideituneskwanzaashuresolsticezoomChris RawsonFri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 ESTCount The Beats: Hey DJ, play us a song...http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/count-the-beats-hey-dj-play-us-a-song/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/count-the-beats-hey-dj-play-us-a-song/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/29/count-the-beats-hey-dj-play-us-a-song/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Here in the UK, it's getting pretty chilly on the willy compared to a month ago, or so. The warm memories of the summer are slowly dwindling to the reality of earlier, darker evenings (the clocks have just gone forward) as well as tentative first visits from our old friend Jack Frost. Generally speaking, the cold grasp of winter is steadily fastening on us (or not).

But we are blessed with a few heart warming occasions over the winter season (Christmas, New Years Eve etc) that make the cold, well, a little less nippy on the bone. One of these such occasions is, of course, Guy Fawkes night (Remember remember the 5th of November...) And, to me, that means one thing, HOUSE PARTY! And what does a great house party need? An authentic DJ.

So when I heard my main man Dan the DJ couldn't make the party (or at the least lend me his decks) I turned to the next best thing, Sonorasaurus - the first complete deejay setup for the iPhone / iPod Touch.

At this point you may be wondering what a DJ app has to do with 'Count The Beats', or, in fact making music on an Apple platform, but it quite literally has everything to do with it. Come on, we all know that deejays are real musicians too, right?

Continue reading Count The Beats: Hey DJ, play us a song...

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Count The Beats: Hey DJ, play us a song... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>audiocount the beatsCountTheBeatsdjfeaturesguy fawkesGuyFawkesiphonemixingmusicMatt TinsleyThu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 ESTTips and tricks: Putting Things in your Dropbox makes syncing simplehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/tips-and-tricks-putting-things-in-your-dropbox-makes-syncing-si/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/tips-and-tricks-putting-things-in-your-dropbox-makes-syncing-si/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/10/tips-and-tricks-putting-things-in-your-dropbox-makes-syncing-si/#commentsFiled under: , ,

After several years of trying to figure out what task manager for Mac and iPhone worked best with my peculiar style of organization, I finally settled on Things from Cultured Code. The Mac application is easy to use, uncluttered, and can take advantage of many keyboard shortcuts, while the iPhone app [iTunes Link] gives me a portable version of the Things database to take on the road. While the iPhone app can do a local sync to a Mac, it still doesn't do over-the-air syncing, which I hope Cultured Code will add in a future release.

When I made Things my task manager, I needed to make sure that I could use the same database on both my desktop Mac and my MacBook Air, since the Mac version doesn't do syncing either. It turns out that one of the easiest ways to do this is to use the wonderful cloud storage application Dropbox to hold my Things database, and then point Things on both Macs to use the shared database.

Fortunately, a Brit by the name of Bradley Wright had already done all of the hard work and had written up some command-line instructions on how to do this. Brad does all the work in the Terminal; here, I'll describe how to do most of the work in the Finder with the exception of creating a symbolic link at one point.

Continue reading Tips and tricks: Putting Things in your Dropbox makes syncing simple

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Tips and tricks: Putting Things in your Dropbox makes syncing simple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Cultured CodeCulturedCodefeaturesMacsoftwaresyncingThingstips and tricksTipsAndTricksSteven SandeSat, 10 Oct 2009 20:15:00 ESTMac power tools: charge up your workflowhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/mac-power-tools-workflow-productivity/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/mac-power-tools-workflow-productivity/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/mac-power-tools-workflow-productivity/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I recently bought a new Mac, and I decided not to migrate years of cruft over to a pristine Snow Leopard install. I also decided to shed years of stale workflow and adopt a new way of doing things. Enter the power tools: software that augments the power and performance of OS X to do things faster and smarter. I'll examine some general system enhancements and look at a couple of powerful Mac/iPhone app combos that really work well together.

Step one was finding a replacement for my beloved QuickSilver. I had abandoned QS well over a year ago due to performance issues on most of my Macs, but after a nagging pain in my wrist surfaced, I realized I had to find more keyboard shortcuts. Enter LaunchBar, which fills in for 90% of what QuickSilver used to do for me. LaunchBar is one Ctrl-Space (configurable, of course) away from Spotlight searching, Google searching, application launching, math calculations and much, much more. LaunchBar is $25 around $35 per seat, and worth taking 15 minutes to learn the basics. Go ahead, hate me for giving up QS, but try LaunchBar before you hurl the insults.

Next I needed a better way to juggle 3 Gmail accounts. But I also needed a way to track the metric ton of inbox items that flow through those email conduits. The solution was the combination of MailPlane and Things. I had really dedicated my heart to Toodledo, but there's one trick I couldn't replicate on any setup (The Hit List included): when I get an email in MailPlane, I can select some text and press Shift-Ctrl-Opt-Cmd-0 and the Things HUD pops up and autofills the notes section with a link to the email itself. It is awesome. Not perfect, mind you, but a huge thing for me.

Read on for more power tools and tips.

Continue reading Mac power tools: charge up your workflow

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Mac power tools: charge up your workflow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>1passwordbusycalchoosydefault folder xDefaultFolderXfeatureslaunchbarmailplanepathfinderpower toolsPowerToolsquicksilvertextexpandertextmatethingstypinatorvoodoo padVoodooPadvoodoopad liteVoodoopadLiteyojimboVictor Agreda, Jr.Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:30:00 ESTiPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/iphone-and-exercise-what-apps-do-you-like/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/iphone-and-exercise-what-apps-do-you-like/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/08/iphone-and-exercise-what-apps-do-you-like/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the most part, I've been disappointed with iPhone fitness applications. I'm not talking about Nike+ but rather the third party apps found in the Health & Fitness section of the App Store.

Apps that track your routes tend to be battery-killers (not really their fault, more due to the way the SDK insists they work). The ones that create exercise playlists depend on time-exhausting Mac-based solutions that have to analyze your iTunes tracks for their beats-per-minutes, creating a heavy investment with a minimal payoff. Genius on the iPhone does a decent job, without that time commitment.

I don't quite get the food and exercise logging apps -- I find that it's simpler to do all that on my primary Mac, using a physical notebook (you know: paper, pen, old tech) when I'm on the go. As for the stretching and exercise guides, I find them awkward. I'd rather use a DVD or a Wii-based game (I adore Gold Gym's Cardio Boxing, for example) where I don't have to keep referring to a 4-inch screen all the time and the sound is clear, and the instructions are easier to follow.

So what am I missing here? What are the really good iPhone-based fitness apps? I feel like all the ones I've tried just keep missing the point: to make exercise better or funner([TM] Apple). Yes, they make exercise more portable, but do they provide a better win over Nike+, a bike computer or a garmin?

Please do chime in in the comments. Let me know what iPhone Apps I have been missing, and which ones will improve my exercise experience, whether in the home or on the jogging path. Surely, there have to be some winners out there, and I'd love to hear about which apps are working for you, and why.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iPhone and Exercise: What apps do you like? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStorebikingcoachingexercisefeaturesfitnessjoggingrunningtrainerstreadmillweightsErica SadunThu, 08 Oct 2009 15:00:00 ESTDear Aunt TUAW: Repurposing an old iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/05/dear-aunt-tuaw-repurposing-an-old-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/05/dear-aunt-tuaw-repurposing-an-old-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/05/dear-aunt-tuaw-repurposing-an-old-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dear Auntie T,

My father-in-law (long time reader) has the old original iPhone. He finally made the jump and got himself a brand new shiny 3G S. My mother in law wanted the old phone, and promptly took her SIM card out and popped it in the old phone. It should have worked. It did not.

It prompted her to connect to iTunes and then tried to get her to choose a data plan, which she didn't want. All she wants is the essential function of a cell phone with a nice iPod layered on top. Wifi would be nice. She couldn't be less interested in a data plan.

This used to be possible. Is it now not possible? A good friend of mine, somewhat recently did this very thing and had no problem whatsoever. He is happily chugging along with a data-free iPhone 3G. ATT is giving them grief over the phone and won't let her use the phone without a data plan, despite the fact that the iPhone, being the original one, is owned outright and is not subsidized in any way.

Love and kisses,

Lauren

Read on for Auntie's response....

Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Repurposing an old iPhone

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Dear Aunt TUAW: Repurposing an old iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ATTAunt TUAWAuntTuawfeaturesService PlansServicePlansErica SadunMon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 ESTIf 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/if-30-is-good-enough-for-apple-in-the-app-store-it-should-be-g/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/if-30-is-good-enough-for-apple-in-the-app-store-it-should-be-g/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/if-30-is-good-enough-for-apple-in-the-app-store-it-should-be-g/#commentsFiled under:

File this one under AYFKMWTS (are you freaking kidding me with this stuff?): a Gizmodo reader, aggravated with an unacceptably high rate of dropped calls on his iPhone, took it to a New York City Apple Store to have it checked for issues. The call dump statistics revealed a 22% drop rate on calls, which most of us would call "wicked awful" -- but not Apple and AT&T.

No, in this particular case the Genius told our hapless iPhone owner that he should count himself lucky, as Apple's baseline stat for dropped calls in NYC is a blistering thirty percent. Yes, almost one in three calls on an iPhone in the Big Apple will end with frustration, and that's just OK with everyone.

Well, not with us. Combined with the "five bars, no calls" dead zones and mysterious "call failed" issues, it must be said: this phone is not getting it done when it comes to the whole phone thing, at least on AT&T's network in the city that never sleeps. Or, for that matter, makes an uninterrupted cell call.

[via Engadget]

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)If 30% is good enough for Apple in the App Store, it should be good enough for dropped calls on AT&T, right? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>atTdropped callsDroppedCallsfeaturesgeniusiphoneMichael RoseWed, 30 Sep 2009 15:30:00 ESTRumor Roundup: iMac and Mac Mini due to refresh before October 9th?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/rumor-roundup-imac-and-mac-mini-due-to-refresh-before-october-9/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/rumor-roundup-imac-and-mac-mini-due-to-refresh-before-october-9/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/rumor-roundup-imac-and-mac-mini-due-to-refresh-before-october-9/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We have received countless tips about the availability of iMacs and Mac Minis, or lack thereof. AppleInsider posted earlier that Apple notified retailers that Mac mini orders will not be filled at the moment -- but soon. A later update states that the low-end Mac mini has been discontinued entirely, leaving us to believe that we'll be seeing a hardware upgrade shortly.

Several of our tipsters work for Apple Authorized re-sellers who are running very low on desktop supplies; there's even an Apple Store employee tip saying they have 4 iMacs in stock. When I worked at the Apple Store, there were always 40+ iMacs in stock. Having 4 in a store is just unheard of -- unless there's something in the works. The day of, or a few before, the announcement, we would always get a couple pallets worth of machines that were labeled "Do Not Open Until" with either a date or "notification from corporate."

Another tipster ordered a mini on September 18th, and received shipping information, but today received an email saying that their Mac mini order will ship on October 9th.

Lastly, an Apple Store employee "confirmed" the rumor of new machines being out this October to one of our readers. I have to speculate and say that the employee (who we won't name) is probably reading too many rumor sites. Apple does not tell their retail employees about product refreshes for this exact reason. It's too risky -- one careless employee could essentially steal all of Apple's ability to announce a cool, new product. We're pretty good at digging the information up anyways... but why make it easy for us?

We're hoping that these rumors don't amount to a minor speed bump... SD Card slots, Blu-ray, Cinema Display styled design -- If we don't see something new, we'll all be somewhat disappointed. We're also hoping for a MacBook refresh but that conversation has paled in comparison to the iMac and Mac mini rumors. We've been on the edge of our seats since Monday when the store went down twice. Each time gave us no fruit from the Apple tree, but we'll keep an eye out. Let us know if you hear anything else about it via our tips page or in the comments.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Rumor Roundup: iMac and Mac Mini due to refresh before October 9th? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuresimacimac refreshImacRefreshmac minimac mini refreshMacMiniMacMiniRefreshJosh CarrWed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 ESTForce Snow Leopard's Dictionary.app to reuse definition windowhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/force-snow-leopards-dictionary-app-to-reuse-definition-window/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/force-snow-leopards-dictionary-app-to-reuse-definition-window/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/30/force-snow-leopards-dictionary-app-to-reuse-definition-window/#commentsFiled under:

The Dictionary.app in Snow Leopard has been driving me nuts. If you use LaunchBar or Spotlight (or probably any other method of sending a word to Dictionary.app), it opens a new window. And then another. And then another. This might be handy if the window bar was updated to show the word that you had looked up, but it doesn't, meaning that the extra windows are just clutter.

Before 10.6, Dictionary.app reused the same window for each new definition. If you wanted to go back to a previous word, you could simply use the "Back" button. As we've heard countless times, Snow Leopard has been about subtle refinements, but this was a step backwards to me. I was surprised that there isn't a Preference setting to reuse the same window or open a new one.

In a fit of frustration yesterday, I posted a bounty on Twitter and asked Rob Griffiths to see if he knew of an answer. Rob is the proprietor of MacOSXHints.com which I consider essential reading for Mac users (I have even submitted a few tips of my own over the years). I knew if anyone could find an answer, it was Rob.

Well, it turns out they don't call him Rob "The Hints Guru" Griffiths for nothing. Not long after my cry for help, Rob figured out how to Force Dictionary to show definitions in one window. As you might expect, it involves entering a command in Terminal.app while Dictionary.app is not running:

defaults write com.apple.Dictionary ProhibitNewWindowForRequest -bool TRUE

Voilà! Dictionary will now revert back to the 10.5 and earlier behavior of using one window for all definitions.

Rob must truly be credited for discovering this gem, because (as of this writing) Google comes up 100% empty when looking for 'ProhibitNewWindowForRequest'. When was the last time you tried to Google something and came up completely empty? That doesn't happen often anymore!

Turns out that Rob used another tip from his site to find hidden preferences (something else which has gotten more difficult in Snow Leopard). It's the circle of life... or at least, tips.

Thanks again, Rob. Now where do you want me to send your Ferrari? (You'll have to read Rob's post to get that joke. It also explains how to undo this change if you decide you want to revert to the standard 10.6 behavior.)

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Force Snow Leopard's Dictionary.app to reuse definition window originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>defaults writesDefaultsWritesdictionaryfeaturessnow leopardSnowLeopardterminalTJ LuomaWed, 30 Sep 2009 10:30:00 ESTExclusive from 360iDev: OpenFeint 2.1 released, over 200 games in App Storehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/exclusive-from-360idev-openfeint-2-1-released-over-200-games-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/exclusive-from-360idev-openfeint-2-1-released-over-200-games-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/exclusive-from-360idev-openfeint-2-1-released-over-200-games-i/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This afternoon I had the opportunity to talk to Jason Citron and Eros Resmini of Aurora Feint, the company behind the OpenFeint social gaming platform. At 360iDev, Aurora Feint announced the availability of OpenFeint 2.1 to the developers on hand, as well as touting that over 200 active games using OpenFeint are now on sale in the App Store.

Citron noted that there are about 500 indie developers, like those in attendance at 360iDev in Denver this week, who are working on other gaming titles using the OpenFeint platform. OpenFeint 2.1 is available immediately for download at www.openfeint.com, and information on the open and free business model for the platform is on the site as well.

OpenFeint is being used in some of the top games in the App Store right now, including geoDefense Swarm (which debuted at #2 when it launched), Rope 'n Fly 2 (currently in the top 50), and Apple featured games Unify and Above & Beyond. The platform provides a way for developers to add social gaming elements to their work without reinventing the wheel, as standard APIs are used instead.

TUAW will have more news from 360iDev tomorrow, so stay tuned!


The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Exclusive from 360iDev: OpenFeint 2.1 released, over 200 games in App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStoredeveloperdevelopmentexclusivefeaturesiphoneipod touchIpodTouchopenfeintSteven SandeTue, 29 Sep 2009 19:30:00 ESTFive Apps for the Gastroenterologisthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/five-apps-for-the-gastroenterologist/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/five-apps-for-the-gastroenterologist/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/29/five-apps-for-the-gastroenterologist/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Sometime this summer a wiseacre commenter (we get a few) suggested we do a "Five Apps" for a variety of somewhat offbeat topics. One wasn't so far-fetched however: gastroenterologist. One could say that a gastro doc has about the same needs as any doctor, of course, and that's an easy out. So here are 5 apps that are great for gastroenterologists and possibly any medical specialist... Coming soon: 5 apps for the lemur owner.

Epocrates Rx - This free app looks up drugs and is updated weekly. Epocrates [iTunes link] has already been available for other mobile platforms for a while, this is a must-have for physicians, I would think. There's also a Pro version that is designed for medical professionals, and it requires a yearly subscription fee to work. It's $99 for one year, which is pretty reasonable for what this does -- which includes an amazing pill ID tool.

DocWrite - Another free app with a service you subscribe to, but this may appeal to more than doctors. DocWrite [iTunes link] is a transcription service that sends your ramblings securely and sends you back a complete transcription in PDF or Word. DocWrite has a web-based dashboard for your stuff, too, so you'll never be without those documents in text or audio.

PubSearch - PubMed is a massive database of medical research papers and PubSearch (free version) [iTunes link] is an iPhone app that'll search them. Yes, of course you need a subscription to the database (noticing a trend here?). PubSearch also has a Mac desktop app, although there does not seem to be any coordination between the two. I'd imagine something like sharing bookmarks would be helpful. PubSearch Plus [iTunes link] costs $1.99 and is really the more functional version as it will show full articles and use EZProxy (where supported).

Medcalc - A free medical calculator? Yep, Medcalc [iTunes link] includes a ton of formulas for doctors, plus a few indices and charts and whatnot to keep a handy reference for those who need it. This app seems to cover a lot of ground, although I'm not sure how much applies to the field of gastroenterology.

Mobile MIM for iPhone and iPod touch - Sadly, this has yet to be released. But I'm guessing it'll be at the top of many doctors' wish lists. MIMvista makes real-deal medical imaging stuff and the MIM app for iPhone was demonstrated at WWDC. The demo was astounding, showing how doctors could merge CT and PET scans right on their iPhone and make notes for later use. The app is pending FDA approval, with no release date or price set.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Five Apps for the Gastroenterologist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>5 apps5appsdoctorfeaturesfive appsFiveAppsgastroenterologyiphoneipod touchIpodTouchmedicalVictor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:00:00 ESTWin another big bag of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAWhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/09/win-another-big-bag-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/09/win-another-big-bag-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/09/win-another-big-bag-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

TechStyle has begun round two of their giveaway on Stylit.tv, and this one ends September 15. There are even more prizes in this bag, and TUAW readers need only enter a special promo code to get extra chances to win. Thanks to our friends at Stylit.tv, host Shira Lazar and the vendors who donated the loot.

On the next page you'll find the special code, a video of Shira at Macworld Expo (plus see us give away the two other bags of goodies at the event) and a list of what's in this giveaway.

Continue reading Win another big bag of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAW

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Win another big bag of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuresgiveawaymacworldtechstylevideoVictor Agreda, Jr.Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:00:00 ESTThe TUAW App Hub and a weekend of giveawayshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/the-tuaw-app-hub-and-a-weekend-of-giveaways/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/the-tuaw-app-hub-and-a-weekend-of-giveaways/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/the-tuaw-app-hub-and-a-weekend-of-giveaways/#commentsFiled under:

Last week we launched the TUAW iPhone app to much rejoicing (and a tiny bit of consternation). We also launched our App Hub, currently in beta. By that I mean that we're not quite done adding all the features we'd like to add, but we've put together what we think makes a compelling stop during your search for the Ultimate App. Or, at least a few good apps. We realize there are lots of places to get app info and reviews, and like Apple was to CD burning drives, we're a little late to the game in collating our data.

The App Hub isn't as powerful as Macworld's App Guide, for example. But our hope is that, over time, we can provide a useful resource for finding our reviews and news, and some handy time-saving links. Plus, soon there will be reviews on the App Hub which never make it to the front page of TUAW -- all in an effort to balance the Mac and iPhone sides of the house. There's lots more goodness planned for the future, as we'll slowly be peeling that beta label right off the wrapper.

To celebrate the Hub, the weekend (a holiday in the US) and the general awesomeness of you, our readers, we're starting something pretty cool: regular, frequent app giveaways right on the Hub itself. Chances are you won't see these on the main page. Instead, you'll need to hit the hub for the App Store Giveaway of the Moment. If you're a developer and would like to give away some promo codes, you can get in touch with us here.

We've got another couple of non-app giveaways going on too. In the meanwhile, enjoy the weekend!

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)The TUAW App Hub and a weekend of giveaways originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app hubAppHubfeaturestuawVictor Agreda, Jr.Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:00:00 ESTSnow Leopard: what's to love (or at least appreciate)http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/snow-leopard-whats-to-love-or-at-least-appreciate/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/snow-leopard-whats-to-love-or-at-least-appreciate/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/snow-leopard-whats-to-love-or-at-least-appreciate/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As you're probably well aware, Snow Leopard broke a lot of applications, some utilities, even some older hardware. For non-developers, Snow Leopard may seem to have more negatives than positives right now. That will change -- things will smooth out as everyone catches up -- but I thought I'd point out the things that have really made me happy in Snow Leopard. As I promised in my post on what Snow Leopard broke for me, this will be a cheery post. I'm not ignoring the multitude of comments on that post, which amount to a short novel on Snow Leopard breakage, I'm just trying to lighten the mood.

No more pesky font conflicts

I'm pretty good about managing fonts. I had some niggling conflicts with Helvetica Neue, though, that I just couldn't get to disappear. The first time Snow Leopard booted, it didn't just nag me about the conflict, it offered a new button to move the offending file to the Trash. Bam. No more font conflicts and no more searching for the culprits.

System Services


Services in Leopard are highly-evolved, and in my opinion, downright amazing. Sure, all of my existing custom services broke, and many services bundled with applications aren't functioning, but again, this will smooth out with time. The simple fact of the matter is that the Services menu now functions the way it probably always should have. You no longer have to go up to the Application menu, select Services and then navigate to the service you want in a confusing list. If you had a lot of services in Leopard, you know what I'm talking about. I could never remember the exact name of a service, and there was a 70% chance it wouldn't be in a subfolder named after the application. That's no good, and Service Scrubber could rarely hack through my jungle of services in order to shorten the list. Instead of all that, we now have Services which show up in a contextual menu (right click/control-click), and are contextually intelligent, showing only applicable services. Further, you can create your own services using Automator, and make them do anything you want. It's never been this easy, even with tools like ThisService.

Continue reading Snow Leopard: what's to love (or at least appreciate)

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Snow Leopard: what's to love (or at least appreciate) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuresSnow LeopardSnow-LeopardSnowLeopardBrett TerpstraFri, 04 Sep 2009 15:00:00 ESTWill Snow Leopard really make my computer any faster?http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/will-snow-leopard-really-make-my-computer-any-faster/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/will-snow-leopard-really-make-my-computer-any-faster/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/will-snow-leopard-really-make-my-computer-any-faster/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've seen the benchmarks. We've heard from the techno-geeks. According to Apple, Snow Leopard should result in some impressive speed gains, and hefty hard drive space recapture. But does this speed bump actually result in tangible benefits for the average user? Do you really get back a functional amount of hard drive space? I undertook an intentionally low-tech approach to find out, looking at the space on the drive, and using my iPhone's stopwatch function to time various functions before and after upgrade. I took measurements on two computers: a low-end, bare bones white MacBook used lightly as a secondary computer, and a higher-end MacBook Pro used heavily as a primary computer. The white MacBook was generally speedy and efficient before the upgrade, due to the fact that it had very little installed on it. However, the MacBook Pro was bloated and slow due to lots of programs, with problems magnified by years of hard drive image flashes over various computer upgrades, typical of the non-technical business user.

All start up times are true start up times. In other words, I didn't deem the computer to have "started up" until I had full, no-lag control of a fully-propagated desktop. Same went for the programs whose start up times I tested -- none were deemed started up until the program was responding to input and usable. I picked some common programs that I felt reflected typical use. I turned on auto-login to the primary account on both computers to gain timing accuracy. Not all the results are comparable between computers; certain programs were on one computer but not the other. But, in general, the task was instructive.

Continue reading Will Snow Leopard really make my computer any faster?

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Will Snow Leopard really make my computer any faster? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>benchmarkfeaturesmacbookmacbook proMacbookProsnow leopardSnowLeopardspeedupgradeLauren HirschFri, 04 Sep 2009 09:30:00 ESTOpenFeint introduces multiplayer, Flick Fishing goes Plus+http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/03/openfeint-introduces-multiplayer-flick-fishing-goes-plus/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/03/openfeint-introduces-multiplayer-flick-fishing-goes-plus/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/03/openfeint-introduces-multiplayer-flick-fishing-goes-plus/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The battle of the social gaming services on the iPhone continues. OpenFeint's latest weapon is multiplayer -- they're working on a way for games developers on the iPhone to quickly include multiplayer (it doesn't actually say real-time, so we'll assume it's the mix of ghosting and turn-based multiplayer that they talked about in their interview with us) in their games. They're asking interested developers to sign up to the open beta program, and they'll start rolling out the functionality soon. Even though it seems early in the process, it's a pretty cool idea, and it could definitely serve to set OpenFeint apart even more from the other services trying to attract developers to their social and multiplayer features.

Speaking of social features, Freeverse told us a little while ago that they were going to use ngmoco's Plus+ for their games, and apparently they've now integrated the popular Flick Fishing with the service. The additions allow for leaderboards, in-game achievements, and multiple profiles and saves on one iPhone, so you can compete with your friends on other iPhones or right there on your own. Flick Fishing was already an excellent game, and with the added social functionality of Plus+, it's worth heading back out onto the water to compete and compare your games with your friends.

As I've said before, having multiple companies competing for these social functions is turning out to be a real boon for consumers and developers alike. All of these services are able to bring out a lot of cross-game features that developers by themselves would have taken much longer to put together on their own.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)OpenFeint introduces multiplayer, Flick Fishing goes Plus+ originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>achievementsfeaturesflick-fishingfreeversegamingiphoneleaderboardsngmocoopenfeintplussocialMike SchrammThu, 03 Sep 2009 13:30:00 ESTFourteen ways to enjoy TUAWhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/fourteen-ways-to-enjoy-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/fourteen-ways-to-enjoy-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/fourteen-ways-to-enjoy-tuaw/#commentsFiled under: ,

We're always trying new things around here, from apps to web services to hardware and all kinds of novel ways to do what we do. We also appreciate the fact that many of you read us via RSS or even the iPhone. To that end, here's a list of the many ways to enjoy TUAW in all its myriad forms. If you think we're missing something spectacular, let us know in the comments.

Heeeere's TUAW, in reverse order of no particular importance:

#14 - TUAW on Facebook

We can't really ignore one of the biggest social networks in the world, can we? For weeks I teased the iPhone app on Facebook, and a few of you caught it. We've also been posting deals, newsy tidbits and videos on there. It's a good way to share items, but so far we've kept our RSS out of it. It's entirely likely that we'll put more teasers on Facebook in the future. Let us know in the comments if you'd like to see more or less Facebook interaction overall.

#13 - TUAW on Tumblr

This has been fun. It's so easy to share stuff on Tumblr that a few of us have simply let the bookmarklet do the talking. We see something cool or useful or worth a mention; within seconds it is on our Tumblr page. If you're looking for something a little off-the-menu at times, this is a good place to look.

#12 - TUAW on Flickr

On the right we have a little widget that shows the last three items on Flickr tagged "TUAW" -- so try it! Sometimes we run a "Flickr Find" post showing a crazy Mac setup, so don't be bashful about your workspace. We weren't. You can check out our TUAW rig Flickr pool here.

#11 - TUAW on Video

There's no shortage of TUAW video to choose from. From Blip.tv to Viddler to YouTube and our aggregator VodPod, there's quite the buffet. You can also do a search on Truveo and find our videos across many video sites.

#10 - TUAW on your iPhone

Oh, you haven't heard? TUAW has an iPhone app. In fact, we broke into the top 100 free apps the weekend we launched. Thanks for that, TUAW fans!

#9 - TUAW on Twitter

Of course we're on Twitter, you silly Billy. We have our primary Twitter account, where we'll share cool posts and other fun things, and our Ask TUAW account where you get to ask us Mac, iPhone, iPod and mystery-of-life questions (and hopefully get an answer).

#8 - TUAW on Kindle

What? Yes, we are on the Kindle. Life is strange that way.

#7 - TUAW on Stitcher and TalkShoe

In case you've been hiding every Sunday, we do a regular live Talkcast on TalkShoe. It's a hoot, and you get to chime in via phone, live each week. Once that show is "in the can" and uploaded to iTunes, etc. we also appear on iTunes and in Stitcher. That's handy, given the awesome Stitcher app.

Want to know more? Keep reading...

Continue reading Fourteen ways to enjoy TUAW

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Fourteen ways to enjoy TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookfeaturesflickrfourteen waysFourteenWaysiphonemobilersstwitterVictor Agreda, Jr.Wed, 02 Sep 2009 20:00:00 ESTWin a bundle of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAWhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/win-a-bundle-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/win-a-bundle-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/02/win-a-bundle-of-goodies-from-stylit-tv-and-tuaw/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


To celebrate the kickoff of their new show, TechStyle, the good folks at Stylit.tv are giving away a bundle of goodies. Not just t-shirts and tchotchkes, either, but a pretty massive haul of loot (see the list on the next page) gathered from Macworld Expo 2009. We met up with the Stylit.tv gang back in January to give away the first couple of bags of goodies at Macworld. But if you missed Macworld, now's your chance to take home a number of products seen at the show.

Before we get to the loot, we've got a special deal for TUAW readers. Stylit.tv goes to trade shows and glitzy events to get cool prize bags to give away. You pretty much just go to this page and enter to win. However, TUAW readers can enter a bonus code that'll give you 40 extra chances to win. The code is TUAW4EVER.

Only the first 500 bonus codes will give you this boost, so good luck! On the next page is the list of prizes you can win now and the premiere of TechStyle at Macworld. The current giveaway ends on September 8, but there is yet another starting after that with yet another big bag of goodies.

Continue reading Win a bundle of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAW

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Win a bundle of goodies from Stylit.tv and TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>dealfeaturesgiveawaymacworldstylit.tvtechstyletuawvideoVictor Agreda, Jr.Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:30:00 EST