Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The top gadgets at Macworld | iWorld 2012

The top gadgets at Macworld | iWorld 2012 -

Macworld | iWorld had some fantastic products. Ignoring anything that wasn’t actually shipping, since so many products never actually make it to market or do make it, but years behind schedule (Nighthawk anyone?), here are my top picks from the show ...

(Via TheAppleBlog.)

Expo Notes: iFlashDrive USB drive works on both iPad and Mac

Expo Notes: iFlashDrive USB drive works on both iPad and Mac - Expo Notes: iFlashDrive USB drive works on both iPad and Mac The iFlashDrive has a USB connector on one end that, when attached to a Mac or PC, acts like any other thumb drive. On the other end of the iFlashDrive is a dock connector that you attach directly into an iOS device.

(Via Macworld.)

Bang & Olufsen to debut (slightly) more affordable gadgets

Bang & Olufsen to debut (slightly) more affordable gadgets - The luxury consumer-electronics maker will soon release the Beolit 12 speaker for iPhones, the first product from its B&O Play sub-brand.

(Via CNET News.com.)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Will Apple put Siri in everything?

Will Apple put Siri in everything? -

Apple has wisely chosen to patent its voice assistant Siri, and the Patently Apple blog did what it does best: dug up the patent and dissected it.

The patent is long, detailed and goes into a lot of depth about how Siri works and could work, including as a personalized recommendation service for online shopping, as a travel booking service, and as part of a car navigation system or the car’s entertainment system. Clearly Apple would want to cover its bases when it comes to Siri and its potential future uses. But it doesn’t mean Apple is currently working on any of this. Still, it’s always interesting to get a look at what a secretive company is at least pondering.

(Via TheAppleBlog.)

Verizon reports $2B loss amid pension costs, iPhone subsidy

Verizon reports $2B loss amid pension costs, iPhone subsidy - Verizon reports $2B loss amid pension costs, iPhone subsidy Verizon reported a $2.02 billion fourth-quarter loss, mostly due to one-time charges of $3.4 billion for severance, pension and benefits, as well as increased subsidy costs for iPhone sales.

(Via Macworld.)

London to get more spectrum, Tube Wi-Fi for Olympics

London to get more spectrum, Tube Wi-Fi for Olympics - Two organizations are working to brace London's mobile data networks for the expected impact of the summer Olympics this year. Regulator Ofcom has planned to increase the amount of available wireless spectrum for 3G in the city. Among the efforts, it plans to borrow airwave access from government bodies like the Ministry of Defence, to exploit unlicensed bands, and to use frequencies going up for auction but which won't be used until 2013 ...

(Via MacNN | The Macintosh News Network.)

Intego publishes a 2011 Mac security overview

Intego publishes a 2011 Mac security overview - Following F-Secure's malware analysis for 2011, security company Intego releases its own security report for OS X.

(Via CNET News.com.)

Monday, January 23, 2012

With SOPA, PIPA stalled, meet the OPEN Act

With SOPA, PIPA stalled, meet the OPEN Act - With SOPA, PIPA stalled, meet the OPEN Act SOPA and PIPA may have been put on hold, but other legislation is looming aimed at combatting online piracy.

(Via Macworld.)

Are Expensive Batteries Worth the Extra Cost?

Are Expensive Batteries Worth the Extra Cost? - You pay more for name brand batteries, but are they worth the cost? Dot Physics blogger Rhett Allain gets out a voltmeter in the name of your wallet.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)

Solar flare blasts radiation storm toward Earth

Solar flare blasts radiation storm toward Earth - The burst of plasma from a solar flare is expected to reach the Earth's magnetic field tomorrow and potentially cause disruptions to satellites.

(Via CNET News.com.)

How to Use External Microphones in iMovie

How to Use External Microphones in iMovie -

If your movie sounds great it will make your screen images look even better.

There’s one element that makes it obvious you’re watching an amateur movie: the audio. Although nearly all camcorders or video recording devices capture sound as well as images, the quality is often very poor. Even HD camcorders that produce vibrant, high-quality clips are often let down by the low quality of the on-board mic.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

How to backup your Mac App Store apps

How to backup your Mac App Store apps -

The excellent ReadNow application, which allows you to easily read articles from your Instapaper and Read It Later articles on your Mac, has been pulled from the Mac App Store "...because of an infringement letter." Developer Michael Schneider added "[i]n my current situation I'm not allowed to provide any further information."

The good news is that if you have already purchased the app, you can still download it from the "Purchases" tab in the App Store.app even though the iTunes page for ReadNow now leads to the message, "Your request could not be completed."

However, as I waited for the Mac App Store to load on my iMac this morning, I found myself wondering "What would I do if I couldn't re-download it from the Mac App Store?"

Fortunately I have the app on my MacBook Air, so I could go to /Applications/ReadNow.app and then select File » Compress "Read Now" (or control+click the app and choose "Compress" from the menu).

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

How to Use Logitech Vid HD for Cross Platform Video Chat

How to Use Logitech Vid HD for Cross Platform Video Chat -

My daughter wants me to download Logitech Vid HD so that we can video chat with each other. She’s on a PC, and I’m on a Mac running 10.6.8. Will I have trouble with this program because I’m connecting to a PC? Or can I just use my iChat or Gmail account?

The Logitech Vid HD application has a Macintosh version as well as a PC version. If this is what your daughter will be using, it is possible for you to install the software as well (a free account is required) by downloading it from here. Unfortunately, this is the only way to connect with another Logitech Vid HD user as the service is incompatible with the host of other video chat services out there.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

App Showdown: Star Gazers

App Showdown: Star Gazers -

star gazers

Readers in the Pacific Northwest and certain portions of the midwest will understand: You hear of an awesome celestial event, set your alarm, wake at 3am, run outside, and it's all clouds as far as the eye can see. Galileo saw moons orbiting Jupiter with just his crummy telescope, but you can't even make out Orion with all the light pollution. Where the heck do you look when you want to even try to find a constellation? You look in the App Store, silly.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

What you need to know about SOPA and PIPA

What you need to know about SOPA and PIPA - What you need to know about SOPA and PIPA The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) have been making headlines, but what are they, exactly? Here are the facts.

(Via Macworld.)

Slideshow: Full-size headphones for Macs and iOS devices

Slideshow: Full-size headphones for Macs and iOS devices - Slideshow: Full-size headphones for Macs and iOS devices Get comfort and big sound without giving up the conveniences of an inline remote and microphone.

(Via Macworld.)

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Satellite Snaps Show North Korea's Nuclear Progress

Satellite Snaps Show North Korea's Nuclear Progress - Kim Jong Il may be dead, but his legacy in North Korea lives on through the nuclear program he left behind. New satellite images now offer a more detailed view of the work that went into North Korea's nuclear facilities in Kim's final years.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)

10 Apps for Tracking the 2012 Election

10 Apps for Tracking the 2012 Election -

If you've turned on the news anytime in the past few months, you already know that it's a never-ending stream of political rhetoric, election updates, and campaign coverage -- and it's not stopping anytime soon. The constant flow of news from the campaign trail can be hard to keep up with, especially when there seems to be a new Republican frontrunner every other week. Put down the remote, step away from the television, and grab your favorite iOS device. It's time to turn to some sources -- like these 10 apps -- that you can trust to keep you up-to-date on the things you need to know during this year's election cycle.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

4 Quick Tips for Using iCloud

4 Quick Tips for Using iCloud -

Solve problems and unlock iCloud’s hidden superpowers.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

Amazon: Time to start programming your e-books

Amazon: Time to start programming your e-books - The release of new Kindle tools to create books using HTML and other Web technology dramatically expands graphics and formatting options.

(Via CNET News.com.)

Survey shows Apple offers most-satisfying mobile shopping experience

Survey shows Apple offers most-satisfying mobile shopping experience - Respondents to a new survey gave Apple the highest satisfaction scores for its mobile commerce experience, with online retailer Amazon coming in second.

(Via AppleInsider.)

Monday, January 9, 2012

How to Use Documents in the Cloud

How to Use Documents in the Cloud -

iWork just got a lot more mobile

Besides contacts and calendars, your documents are some of the most important files in your digital life. With the iWork suite, and a trip to iCloud.com on your Mac or PC, you can keep them in sync across all your computers and iOS devices. Just log in, click the iWork icon, and then choose an iWork application at the top of the screen. Drag files associated with the application (including iWork ’09, Office, or .txt and .csv documents) into your browser to upload them to iCloud. You can also click the gear icon to upload files through a conventional Finder interface, and even search for documents. Once files are in the cloud, you can browse them by application, select and Control-click documents to duplicate or delete them, or download files on other computers in the their original formats (and alternates like .pdf). Documents stored on iCloud.com count against your storage limit, just like your other synced data.

(Via Mac|Life all.)

Friday, January 6, 2012

Apple to open mini stores inside Target

Apple to open mini stores inside Target -

Target is one of those stores that quietly carries a variety of Apple products. In between speakers and keyboards, you can find iPads, iPods and iTunes gift cards. Soon, you may find an Airport Extreme and maybe even a MacBook Air. This prediction is based on a report from AppleInsider, which suggests Apple may be opening mini-stores within select Target locations. These stores will be similar to the Apple shops located within Best Buy.

The report claims Apple will open these "stores within a store" in 25 Target locations. It's a small fraction of the 1,700 stores Target has nationwide, but it's a start. If the program is as successful as the Best Buy one, Apple will likely expand into additional Target locations. It'll help Apple extend their reach into areas that don't have a nearby Apple Store without the cost of building a new store.

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

WSJ: Eastman Kodak readying bankruptcy filing

WSJ: Eastman Kodak readying bankruptcy filing - A new report has rung an early death knell for once-mighty photography pioneer Eastman Kodak, claiming that the company is preparing a bankruptcy protection filing in case it is unable to sell off its digital imaging patents.

(Via AppleInsider.)

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

How Apple iBooks needs to compete with Amazon: KDP Select

How Apple iBooks needs to compete with Amazon: KDP Select -

Amazon has trailblazed; Apple has followed. Apple's iBooks program currently allows authors to self-publish ebooks. Authors create their own business built around iTunes Connect, just as they do for self-published apps.

So where does Apple have room to improve? What follows is the first of several posts about how iBooks can improve to better compete with Amazon. In this post, I discuss Amazon's exclusive KDP Select program and what Apple can do in response.

(Via The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW).)

Opinion: Why GoDaddy hasn't earned my forgiveness

Opinion: Why GoDaddy hasn't earned my forgiveness - Opinion: Why GoDaddy hasn't earned my forgiveness Now that GoDaddy opposes the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act, shouldn't up-in-arms customers return to business as usual? It's not that simple, PCWorld's Tony Bradley argues.

(Via Macworld.)

Apple to unveil next chapter in iBooks

Apple to unveil next chapter in iBooks - Smartphones saw their biggest holiday, you might be reading books and magazines on your next Wii U game console, and Apple has something up their sleeves later this month regarding publishing.

(Via CNET News.com.)

iOS, Android apps surpass 1 billion downloads in final week of 2011

iOS, Android apps surpass 1 billion downloads in final week of 2011 - The last week of the year proved to be the largest ever for both app downloads and device activations in the history of iOS and Android, according to new data from Flurry.

(Via CNET News.com.)

Monday, January 2, 2012

Twitterfight! Group Threatens Lawsuit Over Terror Tweets

Twitterfight! Group Threatens Lawsuit Over Terror Tweets - Ever since terrorists started using the internet, amateur crusaders, lawmakers and others have tried to fight back, pressuring technology companies to shut out the militants. So it was only a matter of time before the war on terrorist media went social.

(Via Wired Top Stories.)