Dazzling Satellite Views of Vast Moon Crater - Aristarchus, one of the brightest features on the moon?s surface, can easily be spotted with the naked eye. Going one better, NASA?s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped this spectacular image as it swooped down to just 16 miles above the lunar surface.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Favorite Mac Gems of 2011 - 
We've given you the Eddy Awards and App Gems Awards. It's time for recognizing our favorite Mac Gems of 2011.
(Via Macworld.)
Top iOS Apps of 2011 - 
With the year coming to a close, we here at MacNN decided to compile a list of our favorite iOS apps. The list is presented in no particular order and reflects some of the games and tools that kept us more blissfully occupied in 2011 ...
Casio intros first watches with Bluetooth LE 4.0 - 
Casio Japan, known for its calculators and wristwatches, has just introduced the first watches with Bluetooth LE (low energy) onboard, making it compatible with Bluetooth 4.0 cellphones like the iPhone 4S. The G-Shock GB-6900 will synchronize the current time from paired handsets and will display incoming call names or numbers, e-mails, and text messages on its display. Users can also switch handsets into vibration mode without touching them ...
Stephen Hackett:
iCloud may become a direct competitor of Dropbox’s, but the purposes of the services are different at this point.
Dropbox’s main usage is to sync files; iCloud would have users sync data, hiding the individual files from the user interface.
Perhaps not a bad definition of a post-PC device: one with no user-visible file system. Dropbox is very much a PC technology, conceptually, because it is all about the file system. That’s why we nerds love Dropbox on our post-PC devices — it gives us some PC-like control. Sometimes we want files.
(Via Daring Fireball.)
New York Times mistakenly tells millions their subscriptions were cancelled - An e-mail sent to New York Times's subscribers telling recipients that their subscription had been canceled was believed to be fake. But the NYTimes now says it was simply a mistake.
(Via CNET News.com.)
How to Set Up Your Gmail Accounts as Push Email -
Tired of being late to the party due to email messages that arrive belated on your iOS device? With push email, you can be notified the second an email arrives. Read on to find out how to set up a Google Apps accounts that supports push email by using the Microsoft Exchange features in iOS. We'll show you how to convert your existing IMAP Gmail accounts into IMAP Push accounts.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
New year's resolution: A clean Mac - 
Simple ways to banish grunge, dirt, and dust bunnies from your computer and peripherals.
(Via Macworld.)
Dropbox testing automatic import of photos, videos - The online file-sharing service has added a new option to its latest test build that would automatically import images and videos to your cloud-based Dropbox storage.
(Via CNET News.com.)
1Password: The best iPhone utility app in TUAW's Best of 2011 - 
If you just got a new iPhone for Christmas, there's one handy utility app that you might want to purchase right away. It's 1Password for iPhone (sale priced at US$5.99) from Agile Bits Solutions, and it was named the best iPhone utility app in reader voting in TUAW's Best of 2011 awards.
The app is a favorite of the TUAW staff, and it's obvious from the voting that 1Password is used faithfully by many of our readers as well -- the app pulled in 49.7 percent of the votes, thoroughly trouncing the other nominees in this category. It actually comes in two flavors -- the iPhone-only version linked to above, and the universal 1Password Pro (currently on sale for $8.99) that synchronizes with 1Password on Mac and iPad.
Apple had the runner-up in this category. Find My iPhone (free), an amazing app that has reunited many lost or stolen iPhones with their owners, nabbed 32.3 percent of the votes.
Congratulations to Agile Bits for their win, and thanks to all of the TUAW readers who took part in the nomination and voting process for the utility category in the Best of 2011.
Who owns your Twitter account? Check out this lawsuit - A Web site is suing a former employee for allegedly "misappropriating" a personal Twitter account and its 17,000 followers.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Fifty essential apps for new iOS device owners - 
If you're the proud new owner of an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you might be wondering which apps you should add to your brand new iOS device. We asked our app experts, and they came up with 50 apps that cover a wide array of areas and interests.
(Via Macworld.)
New year's resolution: A backup plan - 
Make a New Year's resolution you can keep: Start backing up your Mac. And we're going to make it as easy as possible.
(Via Macworld.)
Space post office postmarks letters from orbit - China's new Space Post Office offers a direct digital link to the postal beyond.
(Via CNET News.com.)
FedEx apologizes for monitor-tossing courier - The company expresses remorse via video for its deliveryman's tossing of a Samsung monitor over a gate. It doesn't reveal, though, whether he was fired.
(Via CNET News.com.)
How to Locally Backup Your Mac -
Local backups copy files to an external drive that’s connected to your Mac, then stored in your home, office, or even hotel room. These backups have two main benefits: speedy data transfers and bang for your storage buck. Many drives 1TB and larger cost roughly $100 to $200, delivering plenty of room for multiple versions of all your documents. The tradeoff is that local backups are just as susceptible to theft, accidents, and natural disasters as your Mac (don’t tell it we said so).
(Via Mac|Life all.)
5 Simple Ways to Reclaim Disk Space -
Sometimes, there are applications on your Mac that devour up all that precious disk space, leaving you with not much storage for documents, music, and other applications. These apps sometimes do so without any indication, which can be frustrating when you're in desperate need of a few extra megabytes. Read on to find out how to reclaim that disk space and keep those apps from occupying your Mac.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Apple's Work on Wearable Computer Concepts Includes Wrist-Wrapping iPod with Siri - 
The New York Times reports on Apple's and Google's efforts to develop wearable computers with the aim of augmenting their existing mobile product lines. In addition to peripheral devices that could communicate with a user's iPhone or iPod, Apple is said to also being looking at ways to make the device's themselves wearable, moving beyond the current iPod nano's wristwatch-like functionality when paired with third-party wristbands.
Apple has also experimented with prototype products that could relay information back to the iPhone. These conceptual products could also display information on other Apple devices, like an iPod, which Apple is already encouraging us to wear on our wrists by selling Nanos with watch faces.Last year, Apple hired wearable computing expert Richard DeVaul to work on prototyping concepts in a secret lab under the direction of Jony Ive. DeVaul spent only 18 months at Apple, however, before moving on to Google where he is presumably working on similar projects.
A person with knowledge of the company’s plans told me that a “very small group of Apple employees” had been conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices.
One idea being discussed is a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist; people could communicate with the device using Siri, the company’s artificial intelligence software.
Google promises to release 'tablet of the highest quality' in 6 months - Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has teased that his company plans to release an Android-powered "Nexus" tablet within the next six months to take on Apple's market leading iPad.
(Via AppleInsider.)
RIM now worth less than Apple's App Store alone - Research in Motion's struggles in the smartphone market have driven its stock price so low that the company is worth less than the estimated value of just Apple's App Store.
(Via AppleInsider.)
Video: Drone Watches Last U.S. Convoy Leave Iraq - Video: Here's a drone's eye view of the final U.S. military convoys to leave Iraq. Over eight years after the U.S. began one of its most controversial wars, a flying robot loitered overhead to watch the military cross the Kuwait border.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
A few of our favorite things: Power accessories -
This holiday season, we’ll be running a series of weekly features called “A few of our favorite things,” where we round up some gift suggestions based on the gear that has passed through our offices either for review purposes or through personal purchases. We’ll tell you what we think is the best gear out there, for a variety of product categories and budgets.
Shopping time is almost up for this year’s holiday season, but shipping deadlines have yet to elapse completely, and stores will still be plenty busy. In this week’s installment of our ongoing series, we’re looking at power accessories for Apple devices that could make great last-minute gifts and/or stocking stuffers.
Best backup battery: Just Mobile Gum Plus. There are a lot more solid options in this category than there were, say, a couple of years ago. But the Just Mobile Gum Plus wins for a number of reasons, including its high capacity (4400 mAh, enough for up to three charges for your iPhone), good looks and small, easily pocketable or stowable design. The Gum Plus is $69.95 plus shipping.
Best iPhone battery case: Mophie Juice Pack Plus. The iPhone battery case market is likewise crowded, but there are a few that have stood the test of time, and the Mophie Juice Pack Plus is one of them. Even considering the unfortunate recall that happened this year with its iPod touch model, the Juice Pack Plus is the best-in-class when you’re looking for something for your iPhone 4 or 4S extra battery life needs, because of its 2000 mAh capacity and pass through volume and sleep/wake controls. The Juice Pack Plus retails for $99.95.
Best charging adapter: PlugBug. The PlugBug from twelveSouth is a clever and invaluable add-on for people with a variety of Apple mobile devices. It’ll help convert your MacBook adapter so that it can also do double duty and charge your iPhone or iPad at the same time from the same outlet. Plus it can act as a standalone iPad charger and comes in an eye-catching red design that makes it harder to miss when you’re doing that final visual sweep of your hotel room. At the Apple store online, the PlugBus is $34.95
Best charging cable: The Magic Cable Duo. Innergie’s clever little cable with in-line, swappable 30-pin Apple dock connector and micro USB is able to charge pretty much any modern mobile device, including the above-mentioned Mophie Juice Pack Plus, as well as any Apple iOS gadget. The Magic Cable Trio adds mini USB to the mix, but we’re willing to bet that for most up-to-date gadget geeks out there, the Duo will cover all the necessary bases. The Magic Cable Duo sells for $19.99 on its own.
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
4 reasons Apple should make a 7-inch iPad -
News of a rumored smaller iPad made the rounds on Friday as Asian supply channels indicate a 7.85-inch Apple tablet will arrive in late 2012. Apple essentially owns the consumer tablet market at this point, outselling all Android tablets combined by a sizable factor, depending on the sales numbers you look at. With such success for the iPad already, why should Apple even bother with a smaller slate?
There are several reason to consider such a device, even with the iPad as the top tablet. Let me preface those reasons with a baseline thought, however: I’m not suggesting the iPad isn’t a great tablet in its current form. It’s a breakthrough product that has created demand for a market that hasn’t had any since the first tablet PC was introduced in 2001. I have an iPad 2, and it offers a superb experience, but in a limited fashion. That leads me to the first of my reasons ...
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
Walter Isaacson reportedly to expand Jobs biography -
Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson spoke recently at a meeting hosted by the Commonwealth Club of California, and said that he very likely will add an addendum to the already 630-page biography of Apple's co-founder. "This is the first or second draft" of the book, he reportedly said. "It's not the final draft."
One obvious place the book could expand, according to Isaacson, is on the period after Jobs' death earlier this year, and the response around the country and the world from nearly everyone associated with Apple. Isaacson also says he's thinking about doing a more annotated version, including more details on the life Jobs shared with Isaacson over the last few years.
Isaacson also talked a little bit about Jobs' input on the book -- he specifically asked to help design the cover, and Isaacson was happy to oblige. And Isaacson says that during all of his research and their talks, the one thing Jobs really wanted him never to speak about was philanthropy; Jobs obviously wanted that part of his life to remain out of the public eye. But that didn't stop him, Isaacson remembers, from poking a little fun at Bill Gates' famous giving: "Bill Gates was better at philanthropy because he didn't care about making great products," Isaacson quotes Jobs as saying to him.
Twenty-one overlooked iOS accessories - 
We can't review every iOS accessory we receive, but we don't want to let the good ones go unappreciated. Senior editor Dan Frakes takes a look at some of the year's best under-the-radar add-ons for iPhones, iPads, and the iPod touch.
(Via Macworld.)
10 Easy Ways to Extend the Life of Your Old Mac -
With every hardware release Apple announces, upgrading our hardware becomes increasingly tempting. Alas, a new MacBook Air does not come cheap. With the holidays imminiently approaching, it's even more important to save some pennies so we can give to others. These 10 tips will help you boost the performance of that Mac you're thinking about retiring, and hopefully keep you appreciating what you already have.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Weather Underground releases iPhone app - 
Weather Underground was the first online weather service, but until now it didn't have an iPhone-specific app. That will all change soon when the Weather Underground app arrives on the App Store.
The developers of the app provided TUAW with a pre-release version of the software, which is expected to be approved by Apple shortly. We'll update this post with links to the application on the App Store as soon as it's available.
The free app takes advantage of official weather stations as well as the huge network of over 23,000 personal weather stations around the world. What this means is that users have the ability to get current weather readings for much closer locations. For example, there are four National Weather Service stations in the Denver area, none of which are closer than about 8 miles from my office. The Weather Underground app provides a list of stations that are closer -- two of them are about a mile away.
The Weather Underground's website displays weather information on an interactive weather map called WunderMap(R). The iPhone app includes WunderMap and a number of overlays that can be toggled on or off, including animated radar, satellite, webcams, and severe weather updates.
App Gems: Hall of fame apps - 
Some apps are perpetual contenders for our annual App Gems Awards. To recognize their ongoing excellence, we've created the App Gems Hall of Fame and inducted five mobile offerings into our inaugural class: 1Password Pro, Flipboard, Instagram, Instapaper, and MLB.com's annual At Bat offering.
(Via Macworld.)
Behind the Scenes of Apple's 'Think Different' Campaign - Forbes publishes a lengthy guest post from advertising executive Rob Siltanen, one of the primary contributors to the development of Apple's famous "Think Different" advertising campaign that helped turn the company around following Steve Jobs' return. In the piece, Siltanen details the process of pitching the campaign to Jobs and his work on the "Here's to the Crazy Ones" script.
Siltanen was inspired to write the post following the publication of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs, which repeats the oft-cited claim that Jobs himself was responsible for much of the "Here's to the Crazy Ones" text and ideas.
Steve was highly involved with the advertising and every facet of Apple’s business. But he was far from the mastermind behind the renowned launch spot. In fact, he was blatantly harsh on the commercial that would eventually play a pivotal role in helping Apple achieve one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in business history.Siltanen goes on to describe how he and other representatives of the high-profile TBWA/Chiat/Day advertising firm were surprised that Jobs required them to pitch to win the contract with the then-struggling Apple. In dreaming up concepts to pitch to Jobs, the one that stood out was the "Think Different" tagline paired with photos and videos of famous creative thinkers. Jobs liked the campaign but initially worried that it would appear too egotistical. Within seconds, however, Jobs changed course and brought the firm on board to carry out the idea.
We played the spot once, and when it finished, Jobs said, “It sucks! I hate it! It’s advertising agency ****! I thought you were going to write something like ‘Dead Poets Society!’ This is crap!”Jobs eventually changed his mind again, and the "Think Different" campaign quickly marked a turning point for the company even as it was still trying to develop new products to execute the dramatic turnaround.
Clow said something like, “Well, I take it you don’t want to see it again.” And Steve continued to go on a rant about how we should get the writers from “Dead Poets Society” or some “real writers” to write something.
iOS-controlled Top Brewer coffee maker is a thing to behold - 
Rejoice, o ye iPhone and iPad-toting coffee addicts with fat wallets! Just when you thought that there was nothing new under the sun to create the perfect cup of joe, Scanomat brings the Top Brewer to the market.
The Top Brewer is a high-end coffee machine that uses an iOS app to control brewing. Most of the hardware for the brewer is hidden under a countertop, meaning that all you see is a spigot, a drain, and a touch panel for those times when your coffee jitters have caused you to drop your iPhone.
The Top Brewer was demonstrated at the recent HOST hospitality show in Milan, Italy, where many top baristas gave the coffee-brewing juggernaut top ratings. Those who own more than one Top Brewer can control multiple machines simultaneously via the app's favorites screen. It gives you control all of your machines in one view, so you can be churning out a variety of drinks with a few taps, conducting a team of invisible baristas.
This may be the start of something big. Perhaps your local coffee shop will install a team of Top Brewers and let you order your coffee drink just the way you like it from your iPhone or iPad while you stand in line to pay for the beverage. There's no price tag for the Top Brewer yet, but it's probably going to be targeted at high-end homes and to the hospitality industry.
For months prior to the Kindle Fire announcement, pundits were quick to label it “iPad killer.” However, Google has more to fear than Apple: the 7-inch device further fragments Android with a slick new UI that completely disguises (and improves upon) the search giant’s mobile OS, while the $199 price tag slyly kneecaps the search giant’s own tablet partners. This is not an iPad killer–but it doesn’t have to be. Kindle Fire is the newest weapon in Amazon’s content strategy, mixing music, video, and apps with a familiar brand that ties neatly into an ever-expanding ecosystem.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
I don't travel a lot, but I do have a MiFi which I use during the frequent power outages that seem to plague the area where I live. To help monitor my connection and the battery life of my MiFi, I use a Mac utility called Mi-Fi Monitor. It resides in the menu bar and displays both a battery level and a signal strength indicator pulled from your MiFi hotspot. All it takes is a quick glance to make sure your MiFi is charged and connected to your mobile broadband connection.
You can click on the Mi-Fi Monitor app if you need more information about your connection. The app will tell you the amount of data you've used in this current session, the network to which you're connected and the connection type. As you can see from my screenshot above, I have a stable, but slow Verizon Wireless connection where I live.
The app works with the Novatel MiFi hotspots including the MiFi 2200 which is what I use, the LTE 4510, and the WiMAX 2082. It'll also work with the MiFi 2352/2372 for AT&T. If your device isn't listed or you're not sure it will work, you can contact the developer and he will help you run a 30 second test that'll check to see if your MiFi is compatible this software.
Mi-Fi Monitor is available for US$0.99 from the Mac App Store. If you own a supported device, it's well worth the buck to be able to monitor your MiFi from your Mac.
10 Must-have Apps for Mac Newbies -
The Mac App Store has grown tremendously over the past few years. After all, you can only get your Lion update as a digital download. But Mac newbies may feel incredibly overwhelmed by all this new stuff. Hey, Windows wasn't exactly a cake-walk either. With these ten apps, new Mac users can get better situated with OS X. Read on for the handy list.
Apple TV Set-Top Box Predicted to Sell 4 Million Units, Grab 32% Market Share in 2011 - 
Market research firm Strategy Analytics today reported on the release of its new research report covering "connected TV players" such as the current Apple TV and Roku boxes. According to the report, Apple is predicted to reach sales of four million Apple TV units for 2011, leading the way in a rapidly-growing market with a 32% share.
“Apple is leading this nascent market, which it still considers a ‘hobby’.” says Jia Wu, Senior Analyst at the Connected Home Devices (CHD) service. “As Apple prepares for its expected launch of smart TVs in 2012, rival platforms must accelerate their development plans to keep Apple from running away with the connected TV business, as it has done in smartphones and digital music.”The report also notes that Apple TV users tend to spend more money on TV shows and movies than users of other set-top connected TV players, with 30% of Apple TV owners reported have rented content compared to 20% of owners of other devices.
Hitachi GST begins shipments of 4TB hard drive - 
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies said Monday it began shipments of its first 4TB, 3.5-inch hard drive, targeted at the PC market.
(Via Macworld.)
Four Facebook security tips to stay safe in 2012 - 
Facebook users need to take extra precautions and exercise better judgment to ensure their accounts -- and their personal information -- stay safe. Here are four ways to do so.
(Via Macworld.)
How to pick the right iPod - 
Which iPod (or iPhone or iPad) is right for you or the target of your holiday generosity? We run down your options.
(Via Macworld.)
'Steve Jobs' Tops Amazon's List of Best-Selling Print and Kindle Books for 2011 - Last week, we noted that Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs had become Amazon's top-selling book of 2011, a feat all the more notable due to the fact that the book was not released until late October.
But that ranking only encompassed print sales, and with digital books now representing a majority of book sales at Amazon, rankings including Kindle e-book sales need to be included in order to generate a more complete picture of overall book sales.
Amazon has done just that today, releasing its list of best-selling books of 2011, and Isaacson's Steve Jobs once again topped the list.
“After the year of recommending books to our customers, it’s always fun to see what books really resonated with them,” said Chris Schluep, Senior Editor of Books, Amazon.com. “We chose ‘Steve Jobs’ as one of the Top 10 best books of the year, and even though it was published in October, the sales have been phenomenal in both formats. And we’re really excited that Kindle Direct Publishing authors have taken two of the top spots this year for book sales overall.”Amazon's list includes all books that were published as first editions in 2011 and includes only paid sales. Highlighting the growing influence of digital books and their impact on publishing, Amazon notes that both The Mill River Recluse (#4) and The Abbey (#9) are independently-published books made available only via Kindle e-book.
The top 10 best-selling books overall are:
1. “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
2. “Bossypants” by Tina Fey
3. “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard
4. “The Mill River Recluse” by Darcie Chan
5. “In the Garden of the Beasts” by Erik Larson
6. “A Dance with Dragons” by George R.R. Martin
7. “The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain
8. “The Litigators” by John Grisham
9. “The Abbey” by Chris Culver
10. “Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle)” by Christopher Paolini
No, the Kindle Fire isn't doomed - The honeymoon for Amazon's tablet is over, but history suggests that there's a strong chance the company will get it right over the long haul.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Amazon readying Kindle Fire update to address criticisms - With Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablet drawing criticisms from consumers and reviewers alike, the online retailer has revealed a software update will arrive in a couple weeks to address some user complaints.
(Via AppleInsider.)
Apple Posts a Beatles iTunes TV Ad: Covers -
Review: Amazon Kindle Fire - 
After ignoring the tablet market for several years and dismissing color screens as inappropriate for e-book readers, Amazon has finally decided to expand its Kindle lineup to include a proper tablet. The Fire is aimed directly at Barnes & Noble's new Nook Tablet, though both devices are attempting to pull a bit of market share away from Apple's dominant iPad. In our full review, we compare Amazon's tablet to its direct rival and more expensive alternatives...
Yellow Submarine book on iTunes for free - 
The iTunes store is giving away copies of a Yellow Submarine e-book from the Beatles, as featured on the main page of the store. The book, which is dedicated simply "For Steve," tells the tale of the 1968 movie in form of a children's book, with clips from the film, animated illustration and a read-along feature using actor Dean Lennox Kelly. The book is a free download...
Apple posts beautiful Beatles animated video - A new ad promoting the Fab Four's music on iTunes is a beautiful combination of classic Beatles imagery and creative animation. Whether or not you ever buy any of their songs through Apple, it's worth a watch.
(Via CNET News.com.)
NASA: Anyone seen all the moon rock we've lost? - Space agency declares that over 500 pieces of moon rock and other space substances are unaccounted for.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Amazon Kindle Fire continues to heat up the market - Online activity from Amazon's new tablet is at a record high, according to ad network Chitika, and shows no sign of slowing down.
(Via CNET News.com.)
How to Optimize Your Mac with Onyx -
In the mood to do some housekeeping on your Mac? Onyx for your Mac can do it all, for the low, low price of free! Free is wonderful, and especially when it comes to keeping your system fresh. Onyx has been around for awhile now and with every new iteration it just keeps getting better. You can use for tasks like drive verification, system maintenance, and getting rid of extraneous files. It's been updated for Lion, so let's take a look!
(Via Mac|Life all.)
How to Properly Back Up Your Photos -
Your digital photos may be the most meaningful zeroes and ones you own -- after all, you can’t get back the moments they capture. The good news is you can keep those memories safe without keeping them hidden on a hard drive. But first, make sure they’re backed up to that hard drive by including your iPhoto Library (Home > Pictures) in your backup routine. We don’t want you losing a single shot of your Chihuahua in her Halloween costume.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Rogue Amoeba launches Piezo, a simple audio recorder - 
Mac software maker Rogue Amoeba has launched a simple, lightweight audio recorder called Piezo.
(Via Macworld.)
Unpublished Jobs interview on iTunes Music Store emerges - 
Time magazine reporter Laura Locke has posted a previously-unseen interview she did with Apple CEO Steve Jobs in 2003 on the day he unveiled the iTunes Music Store. In it, Jobs passionately defends the company's use of the sometimes-misinterpreted "Rip. Mix. Burn." ad campaign, denigrates the pre-iTunes download experience, and expresses some uncertainty over whether consumers would embrace the then-nascent iTunes store over piracy ...
Kepler 22-b a top target in restarted SETI alien search - Air Force helps fund restart of search for extra-terrestrial life.
(Via CNET News.com.)
'Mythbusters' misfires cannonball into neighborhood - A test involving live cannon fire for the popular TV show "Mythbusters" went awry when a cannonball blasted through a nearby neighborhood. KPIX-TV in San Francisco aired this report.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Twitter looks back at the top topics of 2011 - The company is continuing its year in review with a look at some of the events and hashtags that shaped discussions on the service this year.
(Via CNET News.com.)
How to Capture Meeting Notes with Minutes.io -
Most people don’t like being stuck with the task of taking down meeting notes (often referred to as “minutes”), mainly because you're either writing them down on a piece of paper or typing them out in Microsoft Word, only to have to go back, reformat, and then send them out to the appropriate persons. Even writing that sentence makes the task sound droll. Boring!
Luckily, a new web app is here to help. Ta-da! In this post, we’ll show you how to capture and send meeting notes through the free Minutes.io service.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
EFF asks vendors to stop opposing jailbreaking - 
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has asked the U.S. Copyright Office to exempt tablet and video game console jailbreaking from DMCA provisions, and asked vendors to stop opposing the practice.
(Via Macworld.)
'Steve Jobs' Becomes Amazon's Best-Selling Book of 2011 - As predicted by Amazon following its release, Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs has become the retailer's best-selling book of 2011. The milestone is a remarkable one given that the book did not debut until late October.
The 27th Annual Editors’ Choice Awards: Software - 
The Macworld staff reveals our top software picks of the year.
(Via Macworld.)
Kepler 22-b: NASA confirms another Earth? - One day, a trip to the newly discovered planet Kepler 22-b might replace a winter vacation in Florida.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Kobo gives away free e-book per month to new buyers - 
Kobo is trying a unique strategy to lure readers away from Amazon, Apple, and Barnes & Noble by promising regular free e-books. Anyone who buys a Kobo Touch and first uses it on or before March 31 gets a free e-book each month. The publishers include Harvard Business Review Press, e-Reads, F+W Media, Gooseberry Patch, and New Word City, as well as four independent authors ...
Kindle - There is no better way to read e-books than on the stunningly simple Kindle app.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
A few of our favorite things: iPhone camera accessories -
This holiday season, we’ll be running a series of weekly features called “A few of our favorite things,” where we round up some gift suggestions based on the gear that has passed through our offices either for review purposes or through personal purchases. We’ll tell you what we think is the best gear out there, for a variety of product categories and budgets.
For our second edition of the series (which is a bit late thanks to last week’s U.S. Thanksgiving holiday), we’ll be looking at gear and software to make your iPhone the best camera it can be. Apple already helped out quite a bit by improving camera-related hardware with the iPhone 4S, and software with iOS 5, but these add-ons will definitely up your game.
Best iPhone tripod mount: The Glif. iPhone photography is a challenge at night, and if you want to snap shots of yourself that don’t look like Myspace profile pics, it can be tricky. The Glif is an elegant solution to this problem that has no moving parts, works exactly as advertised, and takes up virtually no space in your kit bag. Plus, Studio Neat, which created the Glif, now also offers two accessories that make your Glif keychain-compatible, and also keep a tighter grip on the iPhone should you be using the device in acrobatic circumstances. If you’ve got an iPhone 4 or 4S, the $20 Glif or $30 combo pack including all its accessories is a great deal.
Best iPhone camera app: Camera+. This app manages to keep upping its game, staying ahead of the redundancy Apple’s improvements to its own software have inflicted upon other third-party software. Camera+ consistently adds new filters and features, and its ability to stabilize shots and use the iPhone 4 and 4S LED flash as a fill light are amazingly useful. Camera+ is $0.99 on sale in the App Store now.
Best remote monitor solution: Camera for iPad. This is an old app designed for use with the iPad before the iPad 2 gained a camera of its own, and lets you remotely control an iPhone’s camera from your device. It’s still really useful if you’re trying to take studio shots with the iPhone however, since you can use it as a remote viewfinder while doing self-portraits or adjusting lighting, for instance. $0.99 in the App Store.
Most anticipated accessory: Belkin LiveAction remote. Belkin has a series of accessories coming out under the LiveAction brand, but the remote shutter control is easily the best. It works over Bluetooth and will let you snap photos from a distance, meaning less camera shake, and easier shots with you in them. It also lets you switch from photo to video mode with a dedicated on-device button. Coming in mid-December, for $49.99.
Best add-on for DSLR video/photographers: iPhone Hot Shoe Holder. If you don’t take photos that often with your iPhone, but you do use your DSLR for snapping pics and shooting video, this iPhone hot shoe adapter can be a welcome companion. Like the Glif, it’s a simple, one-piece design that hugs your iPhone and lets it slide in the hot shoe on top of your camera used for flashes and other accessories. You can then use it to display teleprompter text when shooting video, or use it in tandem with a light meter app. It’s $25 for one in either black or clear plastic.
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
Apple says it dumped Carrier IQ software in iOS 5 -
Apple admitted on Thursday that it has used and supported in the past the CarrierIQ software that has the mobile tech world up in arms for its ability to track information on users’ smartphones. Apple says the software is opt-in only for its customers and it hasn’t used it for tracking keystrokes or messages. The company says it stopped supporting this software “in most” of its products with the latest version of its iOS mobile operating system. Now, after complaints regarding the level of detail the software can record about a user — and questions being asked by U.S. lawmakers — Apple says it will remove the software from all of its mobile devices through a software update.
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
How to Prepare for Lost Devices -
As important as it is to back up your data, software is only half the story when it comes to digital disasters. Hardware can go bad, or even get stolen, and there’s no way to keep a backup of a shiny new MacBook Pro. Or is there?
All new or refurbished Macs, iPhones, iPods, and iPads come with 90 days of free technical support and a one-year warranty, but an AppleCare plan extends that to three years for Macs and two years for iOS devices. Plans range from $59 to $249, and the out-of-warranty cost of a single repair can make that investment worthwhile overnight. But don’t feel rushed to decide if AppleCare is right for you. Your device is eligible for the service until the end of its original warranty.
(Via Mac|Life all.)
Macworld Buying Guide: External desktop hard drives - 
Mac's hard drive near capacity? Time to add more storage. Here's our guide to help you buy a new external desktop hard drive.
(Via Macworld.)
Rolling Stone offers Beatles Album Guide as iOS app - 
The editors of Rolling Stone magazine have created an app that offers a critical and visual guide to The Beatles. The Beatles Ultimate Album-by-Album Guide goes through all 13 official classic albums and includes audio samples of each song, along with both classic and rarely-seen photos. Vital statistics and trivia facts along with behind-the-scenes stories and celebrity appreciations round out the app, which sells for $10 ...
Kindle Fire already headed for No. 2 in the tablet biz - Research firm IHS iSuppli is already making the call after only two weeks on the market. The low-cost tablet will have surpassed rivals and come in behind the iPad.
(Via CNET News.com.)
Use your iPhone headset as a camera cable release -
Professional photographers know that to take the best photos with the least amount of camera shake, they need to use a tripod mount and a cable release. That combination takes the movement of your body out of the equation when you're shooting photos. Now Cycomachead over at the Macworld Mac OS X Hints forum has figured out that every iPhone running iOS 5 comes with a cable release -- the headset.
You know how Apple added the ability in iOS 5 to use the volume up button (that plus sign you see in the photo above) on your iPhone as a shutter button for the Camera app? It works with the headset as well -- just plug in the headset, bring up the Camera app (or third-party Camera+ app), and when you squeeze the volume up button on the headset, you'll take a photo.
Cycomachead also notes that he can take bursts of photos more easily with the "cable release," and that some Bluetooth headsets can also be paired and used as wireless remotes for taking photos.
For iPhoneographers, using something like a Glif to hold the iPhone steady on a tripod and then using the headset as a cable release can result in some very steady shots. If TUAW readers are able to get their Bluetooth headsets to work for wireless shooting, please let us know what model headset you're using in the comments.
Hands on with Path 2.0: What Facebook should be -
The original Path, an iPhone-exclusive social network designed around exclusive, photo-centric sharing to a very limited audience, proved a tad underwhelming in my opinion. But version 2.0, available Wednesday, is more than just lipstick on a pig. It’s a complete overhaul, and one that looks, feels and behaves like a much better, more useful piece of software.
(Via TheAppleBlog.)
Digital Holdout Ray Bradbury Brings Fahrenheit 451 To E-Readers - Very few new e-book editions warrant their own press releases. But only one novel about the end of printed books has sold ten million copies in print alone.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
Refurbish an iPod Touch - When a new iPod Touch is released and you're jonesing to plunk down your hard earned cash at the local Apple Store, what do you do with your current model? The iPod Touch is the perfect hand-me-down gadget. But before you pass it on, here are a few things you can do to spiff it up.
(Via Wired Top Stories.)
NetSpot helps you optimize your Wi-Fi networks - 
NetSpot is a remarkable aid in laying out even a small-home Wi-Fi network, using a Mac laptop as your wireless-survey tool.
(Via Macworld.)
Opinion: Kindle Fire versus iPad 2 - 
The Kindle Fire is a terrific Kindle, but a weak tablet. Why would Amazon invite a comparison to the iPad?
(Via Macworld.)
Camino updated to 2.1, adds offline mode - 
The volunteer Camino Project has released a final version of Camino 2.1, a free, open-source web browser that has been without a major update for almost exactly two years. Released just two months after the last minor update, the new version updates the Gecko rendering engine to v1.9.2 (as used by the Firefox 3.6 browser) and adds further support for web standards, a new auto-complete feature, better plug-in compatibility and more ...
