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Filed under: Video, How-tos, iPhone, iPhone 101

How to make iPhone videos sparkle with iMovie

If you read my recent post about taking movies with the iPhone 3GS, you probably noted that I talked about the lack of editing capabilities on the iPhone with the exception of trimming the beginning and ending of your videos. What if you want to edit your movies, add titles or effects, or combine a bunch of short iPhone video clips?

Several of the comments left by TUAW readers asked the same question, and it's so easy to do that I decided to whip up a quick tutorial showing how this works. You probably have a tool on your Mac that can do the job for you with just a few clicks, drags, and menu selections. iMovie is the perfect easy tool for creating full feature films (just kidding) from individual scenes shot with the iPhone 3GS video camera. Here's how to do it.

Continue readingHow to make iPhone videos sparkle with iMovie

Filed under: How-tos, iPhone, First Look

The TUAW how-to guide to iPhone 3GS video recording and editing

It seems like everyone who's purchased an iPhone 3GS at this point has had a different reason for buying one. For some people, it was all about getting a faster CPU; for others, it was their first 3G-and-beyond smartphone.

My personal reasons for spending my hard-earned bucks to buy a 3GS were to take advantage of the higher-resolution (3 megapixel) autofocus camera, since I love taking photos with my iPhone, and to shoot video with my phone. Phone video is nothing new; I had it three years ago on a Palm Treo 680. But the ability of the 3GS to not only record video, but also allow limited editing before sharing the video in a number of ways, really made me want to get a 3GS immediately.

In this TUAW First Look, I describe the recording and editing processes in detail, and then give you my impressions of how good or bad the 3GS video capabilities are. I also provide a comparison with video taken by a T-Mobile G1 Android smartphone.

Continue readingThe TUAW how-to guide to iPhone 3GS video recording and editing

Filed under: Software, Cool tools, Mac mini

Mac mini and Dropbox: Getting it done

Yesterday I wrote about my love of the Mac mini. So dependable and unobtrusive, it's the Honda Civic of computers. In the post, I briefly described how we use Dropbox to send routinely-updated Keynote files to the mini. A few of you wrote to ask for details, so I decided to share that information here on the blog. We use two pieces of software: Dropbox and iCal.

Dropbox


Here's the setup. First, the Mac mini is connected to the projector in the Projection Room above the theater via DVI. Every day, it runs a slideshow before the orientation film. That slideshow contains sponsorship information, museum news, etc.

It's updated once a week or so by someone in the art department (we'll call her "Janie"). Janie's desk is a couple hundred yards and two buildings away from the Projection Room. The Keynote file lives in a Dropbox folder that both Janie's PC and the mini can access. Of course, we don't want Janie editing the slideshow while it's running before a room full of guests. That's where iCal comes in.

iCal


We stop showing the film at 4:00 PM and Janie arrives for the day at 9:00 AM, so we set up two repeating iCal events.

The first event launches the slideshow in the morning. Every weekday at 8:45 AM (doors open at 9:00), there's a repeating iCal event with an alarm set to open the slideshow where it lives in Dropbox. Note that the show has been set to run at launch and loop indefinitely in Keynote.

What about updating? Easy. We stop running the slideshow at 4:00 PM and Janie leaves for the day at 5:00 PM. A second repeating iCal event has an alarm that runs the following super-simple Applescript:
Tell application "Keynote"
quit
End tell
The script does just what you expect -- it kills Keynote. This runs at 4:05 PM each weekday, and frees Janie to spend 10 or 15 minutes updating the file from her PC just before she goes home. The next morning, the first iCal event re-launches the slideshow and the cycle repeats.

That's how two free pieces of software (iCal and Dropbox) combine with an inexpensive, consumer level one to create a simple and effective solution to a problem. Best of all, it doesn't require a computer science degree or even a week with a giant manual. The iCal events and script are invisible to Janie. All she knows is, "I open the folder on my PC, change the slideshow, hit Save and I'm done." Sure, we could have dumped it on a central server, set up some sort of FTP voodoo that would have given Janie a headache, etc. But why? If the simple solution works, use it.

If you try something similar, let me know how it goes. Thanks to everyone who asked about this.

Filed under: Accessories, Odds and ends

Earbud speakers from 4 business cards?



I happened to catch this interesting hack on core77 and tried it for myself. You take four business cards, cut them up to interlock, leaving enough space for your earbuds to nestle inside, pop it open a bit and voila -- instant speaker cones for the tiny music makers. My MacBook Pro's headphone port recently became stuck in the line-out mode (the Cylon light is glowing and yes, I've tried to slide the little switch), and until I can get it to a shop I'm using these as my "speakers." Obviously the primary use would be for iPods, or anything without a built-in speaker.

Does it work? Hey, it's better than nothing. But don't expect to hear much if the noise in your area is anything north of murmur. The decibel boost is negligible, and the amplification is somewhat directional. It works well if you have an ample belly to rest the speakers upon when lying on the couch, as I do. A neat exercise in creative thought, all the same. If anyone can figure out the exact pattern the designer used, post a link in the comments.

I snapped some pics of me trying to replicate the design. I wound up altering it a bit, although my final speaker cone locks the headphones in quite firmly and can stand up in a variety of ways. It is narrower than the original, which doesn't help amplification. Check the gallery for details. Oh, and be sure to check out the neat iPhone earbud winder made from paper.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Freeware, UNIX / BSD, Apple

Tweets (and whatever else you want) on the desktop with GeekTool


Mat posted a while back about the magic of GeekTool -- it's an app that allows you to run Unix scripts and show logs in a good-looking pane right there on your desktop. Mac OS X Tips recently did a post about how to put your iCal events up there using a script called iCalBuddy, but industrious reader Ben G. has taken this even a step further, and sent along a link to a similar script called twitterbuddy, which -- as you may have guessed -- will send your latest tweets to GeekTool.

As a result, he's got the desktop you see above -- both tweets and iCal events sitting in a transparent pane on top of his desktop background. It will require a little Terminal tripping, but it's pretty easy to do. Just install and set up GeekTool the way you like it, and then make sure the buddy scripts are installed. From there, you can create a New Entry in GeekTool, and run whatever commands you want. It's incredibly flexible, too, because it'll put any Terminal commands you can throw at it right there on your desktop. If you're looking to fill in some of that unused Desktop space, give it a look.

Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW

Ask TUAW: Preventing automounting, Exchange support, printing selections, and more

For this edition of Ask TUAW we've got questions about preventing an external partition from automounting, printing text selections, getting email from an Exchange server, syncing the Address Book with Google contacts, and more.

As always, your suggestions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!

Continue readingAsk TUAW: Preventing automounting, Exchange support, printing selections, and more

Filed under: iLife, Multimedia, Video, Holidays

So you just got a camcorder -- now what?

All day on December 25, TUAW presents "Now What?" We've got first steps and recommendations for all the gifts you (hopefully!) found under the tree today. Happy holidays!

Did Santa leave you a camcorder for Christmas? If he did, you probably did what most people do -- ripped open the package, slapped a battery pack on it, and started recording the fun. Hopefully you're reading this post before you've succumbed to that temptation, so you can avoid issues later on. Here are some hints to make your future as a filmmaker as trouble-free as possible.

1) Read The Manual. Most people tend to toss out the manual with the wrapping paper, but for something as complex as a camcorder it's a good idea to keep and read the manual. Sure, with a point and shoot camcorder like a Flip Mino you can get away with giving the camcorder a quick charge and then going to town recording the kids bouncing off the walls in a sugar-induced frenzy. But if you were really good and Santa got you a high-end HD camcorder with a powerful zoom lens, image stabilization, and other cool features, you'd better learn how to use them.

Continue readingSo you just got a camcorder -- now what?

Filed under: How-tos, Holidays

So you just got a digital camera -- now what?



If you're one of the lucky people who got a digital camera this Christmas, congratulations and welcome to the fun and exciting world of digital photography. But now that you have your shiny new camera and are holding it in your eager hands, what's next? Fortunately, I've been in your shoes and can offer the following tips to hopefully make your new camera easier to use and more fun to play with. Let me help get you started on the road to taking some great pictures.

Memory Cards


Digital pictures can be quite large when it comes to file sizes; modern cameras can chew up plenty of megabytes with each shot. Consequently, the meager capacity of the compact flash (CF) or secure digital (SD/SDHC) memory card that came with your camera just isn't going to do the trick for very long. So, one of the first things you are going to want is a larger card, or cards, to store your pictures.

I tend to stick to memory cards from Sandisk or Lexar and opt for several medium-sized cards, such as 2GB, instead of just one big one. This way, in case disaster strikes and a memory card fails, which they sometimes do, all of your not-yet-downloaded pictures are not on just one card and are instead spread across several of them.


Continue readingSo you just got a digital camera -- now what?

Filed under: MacBook, Holidays

So you just got a MacBook -- now what?

A couple days before Christmas a year ago, I walked into a local Apple reseller and without hesitation told the salesperson I wanted a MacBook. It was my first brand-new Mac ever, and I couldn't be prouder of my little machine. While I was sitting in Barnes and Noble writing this post, an older lady sitting next to me leaned across the table to her companion. "I got my grandson one of those for Christmas," she said, pointing at my MacBook.

If you're reading this, you've also just received a MacBook for Christmas or Hannukah, or have recently purchased one. So, what do you do with it now? You need accessories, of course! Some of the best ones to get are:

A case
There's all different cases for the MacBook, from simple sleeves that you can use to cushion your MacBook when you place it in another bag to hardshell cases to roller cases and backpacks. My current pack is the InCase Nylon Backpack ($99.95 USD), which has more pockets than you will know what to do with and is extremely comfortable. InCase also manufactures a number of sleeves and smaller cases. Other respected brands include TimBuk2, Brenthaven, and many more.

An extra power adapter
After an incident where I accidentally left my MacBook power adapter at a friend's house 100 miles away and had to purchase an extra, I've found that having two power adapters has been one of the best decisions I ever made. I keep one adapter at home, and the other stays in my backpack. I'm never caught anywhere without a power supply.

Continue readingSo you just got a MacBook -- now what?

Filed under: Audio, Gaming, iLife

Use Rock Band drum controller with GarageBand

Here's a fun tip from Mac | Life that describes how to use the Rock Band drum controller with GarageBand.

In fact, they describe two set-ups; one cheap and one less so. The cheap setup requires GarageBand, the Rock Band USB drum kit and either the GamePad Companion, JunXion (trial) or the Xbox 360 Controller Driver if you've got the Xbox kit.

The pricier rig requires a paid version of JunXion ($95). After some simple configuration, you'll have a fully functional electronic drum kit with virtually no lag. Very cool indeed.

If you set this up, let us know how it goes.

Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, iPhone 101

iPhone 101: Geocaching with an iPhone 3G

Geocaching.com
Geocaching is a sport / hobby in which you wander about with a GPS and try to find caches, small hidden containers with swag and a logbook inside. One of the first things I looked for in the App Store was a geocaching application that would let me a) look up caches near my present location, b) tell me when I'm getting close, and c) let me log my finds on Geocaching.com.

Well, nothing is available yet. But don't let that stop you from going out and doing a little cache hunting! See how you can go caching with nothing more than an iPhone 3G in your hand after the break.

Continue readingiPhone 101: Geocaching with an iPhone 3G

Filed under: iLife, How-tos, Tips and tricks, iTunes, TUAW Tips

TUAW Tip: Make iPhone ringtones with GarageBand


An earlier post about PocketMac Ringtone Studio for iPhone reminded me of how I put together ringtones for my iPhone. I just fire up GarageBand and iTunes, do a little quick magic, and out come the ringtones I want.

This doesn't work with protected files such as those you've purchased from the iTunes Store -- hell, Apple wants you to spend $0.99 for the tune and another $0.99 to turn it into a ringtone. The method described here works very well turning those CD snippets that you've ripped into iTunes into ringtones. Follow along after the break for the step-by-step.

Continue readingTUAW Tip: Make iPhone ringtones with GarageBand

Filed under: How-tos, iPhone, iPhone 101

iPhone 101: Headphone issues

Recently, my iPhone was having issues. Specifically, it thought headphones were inserted when they weren't. I first noticed the problem as I was typing and didn't hear that familiar "click" that normally accompanies a key press.

I thought I had accidentally toggled the ringer mute button (which I seem to do often), but no, it was set to ring. I inserted some headphones and heard everything - the clicks, music, etc.

I placed a call and tried turning the speaker on and off to no avail. Next, I rebooted the phone. No dice. I connected it to my Mac and performed a sync with iTunes and still, there was no sound.

I reset the phone by holding down the power button and the home button. Still, there was no sound without headphones. At last, I got a can of compressed air and gave a couple of short blasts into the headphone port. That did it! The phone must have been interpreting the junk that had collected in there over the past year as headphones.

A simple solution that, hopefully, will save you some time.

Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Video, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, Leopard

How to create your own Toast DVD menu style

A while back reader Michael Coyle was nice enough to send us this write-up on how to customize Leopard's Guest account, and just recently he sent along another guide that you might not need right away, but will come in handy when you really need it. He's got an in-depth look at how to create a custom menu style when authoring a DVD in Toast Titanium 8.

As he says, the default styles that come with the application are a little less than formal, so if you want to create a professional menu for the DVD that fits your needs, this will show you how. As far as I can tell, the style is just a Photoshop file with various layers for the DVD to use as a menu (selected, frames for videos and the border around them, and so on); so the trick is finding the right layers to edit and leaving everything else alone (so nothing breaks).

If you've got some DVD authoring in your future, and plan to use Toast to get it all done, there you go.

Filed under: Features, How-tos

Mac Automation: notes on your iPod

Many iPod users run into this challenge: we are always carrying our iPods, so we want to use them to help us remember things. Well, using Automator, we can easily address this issue. In this how-to, I will walk through creating iPod notes very easily (and all without opening a text editor).

For this how-to, you will need the following Automator actions loaded into a new workflow:
  • Ask for Text
  • New iPod Note
  • Update iPod

Read on for the next steps.

Continue readingMac Automation: notes on your iPod

Tip of the Day

Holding the Command key (aka the Apple key) and pressing Tab will cycle through your open applications. It's easier to Cmd-Tab if you are Copy (Cmd-C) and Pasting (Cmd-V) to and from various applications.


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