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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Hardware, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, iPhone, SDK, iPod touch

The Wolfenstick app can send and recieve data through the iPhone audio port


This is interesting -- Alex Winston, Ltd. has come up with what they call the Wolfenstick, a little iPhone app that can control Wolfenstein 3D Classic with a second iPhone through the audio port. Obviously this isn't a very practical setup, as buying a second iPhone just to control games on the first one probably isn't in anyone's interest. But it does open up a whole slew of possibilities for how a connection like this might be used -- as you can see in the video above, not only are controls and the accelerometer able to be transferred, but even game and app information can be sent across the cable.

Of course, the 3.0 update casts a nice large shadow across ideas like this -- we know for sure that there will be more hooks for accessories to work with apps on the iPhone, so having to go through the audio port may end up being more of a novelty, as it'll likely be much easier to go through the connector on the bottom of the iPhone. But if you want to play while the unit is charging (or just want to connect two iPhones with nothing more than an audio cable), there's definitely some promise here.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, How-tos, Tips and tricks, iTunes

How to move your iTunes library (more safely than I did)

I should say, even before I start this post, that I've moved my iTunes library from one installation of iTunes to another, and what I did was just copy everything in the /Music/iTunes folder from one Mac to the other. But that's the transfer equivalent of parallel parking a semi and stopping when it "feels right" -- it worked for me, but I wouldn't recommend it for anyone else. I also have almost no iTunes purchased music in my library, and that's likely not the case for anyone else.

Fortunately, for people who don't enjoy playing Russian Roulette with their iTunes library transfers (and don't want to buy the software for it), here's a quick and easy guide to how to transfer everything over properly, and make sure that all the little hooks and crannies line up correctly in the new installation -- specifically, iTunes keeps an XML file that tracks where everything is, and you've got to change paths (using a quick find and replace) on all the tracks in your library. iTunes will then use that XML file to backup its own records, and then you're hunky dory.

What I can't find, according to this guide, is what damage I may have caused to my system by just hauling everything in and starting up iTunes -- I checked the Location key on both my new Mac and the old one, and the Locations are completely different, without me ever changing them. Either way, even though I throw around my libraries with abandon (look Ma, no backup!), you'd probably much rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks, Robert!

Filed under: iPod Family, OS, Software

VM2Go - manage Parallels machines, run them from an iPod and more

One of the signs that you've 'made it' as a 3rd party (besides, of course, having great sales) is when other 3rd parties develop tools and apps that work with your app. In this vein, VM2Go from BriteMac (which we covered when it was in beta) is apparently the first 3rd party utility that allows you to manage your Parallels virtual machines, move them to an iPod, USB thumb drive or external hard drive and even run them from these devices. Various other tricks up VM2Go's sleeve include backing up VMs to DVD and a clean deletion of VMs and any associated desktop aliases that point to them.

VM2Go offers a trial download that runs 20 times, though we can't figure out a purchase price as of this writing since their eSellerate store is currently down.

Filed under: Software, Productivity, Internet Tools, Universal Binary

Dragster - drag and drop file management and transfer with a twist

Ambrosia Software, those crazy kids with the Snapz Pro X and WireTap Pro, have unveiled the latest trick up their sleeve in the form of Dragster, an interesting approach to drag and drop file management and transfer. This utility, as you can see, lives in the Dock and is more or less like a drag and drop command center, allowing you to specify a number of locations you frequently need to move or send files to, such as remove servers, specific folders and more. These locations pop up when you drag items over Dragster's dock icon, allowing you to take care of your business right then and there, instead of rooting around in the Finder or tediously connecting and reconnecting servers. One feature I find a bit more interesting than its Dock icon abilities is the Contextual Menu that offers the same functionality. To me, this seems a bit easier to use and more efficient than dragging icons all around the display.

Either way, try it out for yourself. A demo is available, while a license costs $19. Dragster, as most other new applications these days, is a Universal Binary.

Filed under: Hardware, iPod Family

iLounge reviews USB transfer device

iLounge has posted a review of Hitch, a sort of USB middle man device that allows transferring files between two USB devices, including iPods. The Hitch is apparently a little slow, taking 6 seconds to transfer a 4MB song, but hey: it beats needing a computer to do it if you're a chronic swapper borrower, or if you're getting into the 'I bought a new iPod and I need help to move over all my music' business.

There is one catch with the device specific to the Mac community though: it can't read HFS formatted iPods. Still, I figured this was worth posting, as not all of our readers are 100% Mac users all of the time (and yes, it's ok. We won't hold it against you). Plus, if we can help get the word out on such a handy device, maybe enough Mac users *ahem* could send an email to Sima Products, the Hitch's manufacturer, and make a request for some HFS love.

Filed under: Audio, Hardware, Software, Cool tools, iTunes

Get your iTunes music onto other devices with Thrupp


While I've been a happy iPod owner since the very first 5 GB model, I realize that we live in a world with plenty of other devices that can play music. Fortunately, a company by the name of "utsire" realizes this as well and has created Thrupp, a handy utility for sending your iTunes music (sans iTMS purchases) to virtually any other MP3 player that can be mounted as a drive in the Finder, including music phones.

Thrupp is smart too, as it not only can convert AAC songs to MP3 for your device on the fly in the background while you work, it can also display all file sizes and free space, letting you keep an eye on exactly how much space each song is going to take up. Now I haven't grabbed a copy since I don't have any music playing devices besides an iPod, but Thrupp's screenshot looks like it can display your entire iTunes music library as well as your playlists, making it easy to track down just the songs and albums you want.

Overall this looks like a good app for all those non-iPod devices out there. A demo is available, and a full license is $14.95.

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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