Home / tuaw.com rss archive / September-04-2007


Microsoft releases Silverlight 1.0
Filed under: Software, Internet ToolsWe've blogged about Silverlight on TUAW before, and now Silverlight 1.0 is available. Silverlight is Microsoft's answer to Adobe's juggernaut, Flash. This cross platform browser plugin (it works with Firefox and Safari on the Mac) was built from the ground up with RIA's (that's Rich Internet Applications, or fancy webpages in non-geek speak) in mind. Silverlight can also stream high resolution video (up to 720p), and promises to offer the same experience on both Macs and PCs.Keep in mind that this is a Microsoft product, so in order to create Silverlight apps you have to code in .Net, but I'm more interested in using Silverlight apps (Netflix, I'm looking at you).Silverlight is free, and works with OS X 10.4.8 and above.Silverlight is set to auto-update, so if you want to turn that off keep reading.Continue reading Microsoft releases Silverlight 1.0Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Beatles: whatever
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, Odds and endsThe mood in TUAW's secret underground bunker is electric as thoughts of tomorrow's media event float in our heads. New iPods? Probably. Something unexpected? Perhaps. The Beatles in iTunes? Who cares?Yeah, I said it. We have been covering the Beatles in the iTunes Store saga for over 3 years here at TUAW (3 years this month, actually. Clearly it is a sign from the Universe!), and I must admit I have never understood what all the fuss is about. Sure, I like the Beatles which is why I already own all their music, and I am sure most other Beatles fans do as well. Furthermore, the Beatles aren't some small, no name band. You can walk into any CD shop (new or used) or log onto any online purveyor of physical CDs and buy any number of Beatles albums which is why I find it so perplexing that every single rumor involving the iTunes Store and iPods always has something about the Beatles tacked on. It is as if the rumor sites don't think...

Rumor: iPod networking in "The Circle"
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Rumors, Other Events, AppleOf all the rumors coming out around tomorrow's big Apple event, this one is the strangest: The Circle. Engadget has it on good authority (a.k.a. a French blog called "generation mp3") that Apple, in an ironic turn, will steal an idea from the Zune and start their own "social" concept, called The Circle.What exactly that entails, no one seems to know. Wifi sharing? Web radio? iPod-to-iPod connections? Steve will choose a new Lion King? Anything (and nothing) is on the table.While it would be nice to see a way to transfer music and video between iPods, a closed concept like "The Circle" seems un-Apple, and so of all the unsubstantiated rumors, this seems the least substantiated. I have no doubt at all that we'll see a new iPod, and it's turning out to be pretty likely that both a touchscreen and a new Nano are going to appear, as well as a CoverFlow interface in one or both. But "The Circle"? Don't hold your...

Reminder: You could be the next TUAW blogger
Filed under: TUAW BusinessJust a gentle reminder that September 7th is the deadline to apply to be TUAW's next blogger (sounds like a really lame reality show, doesn't it?) and it is rapidly approaching. Send the following: A brief bio 3 samples of posts written in TUAW's style. One should be a review of something, another an opinion piece, and the third can be whatever strikes your fancy (existing blog posts cannot be used, this has to be new material) Your current Mac setup Your contact infoTo apps-at-tuaw-com in plain text (no attachments, please). Also please recall that since we are, like, totally unfair and stuff you must be over the age of 18 to apply for a position at TUAW (which, by the way, is a paid gig. Pretty sweet, huh?). We're in the market for some generalists as well as specialists, so if you have something to say, or some information to share, we want to hear from you.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mass-media mess-up: NBC doesn't get the iTunes store
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Video, iTunesWithin the last week, news that Apple and NBC had failed to renew their agreement for TV show distribution via the iTunes Store is undoubtedly big news. An NBC Universal spokesman has been quoted by the New York Times as claiming that the iTunes Store's raison d'etre "[The iTunes Store] is designed to drive sales of Apple devices at the expense of those who create the content that make these devices worth buying." In some regards, it is a fair point: Apple needs content to offer so as to allow it to continue marketing and developing new iPods. But at what price? Setting a price at resale, or retail for that matter, and then raising it is not only unreasonable, but generally not accepted by us, the paying customer. In an age where we routinely put up with the demands of the networks and labels, and their interesting ideas on DRM, in order to legitimately obtain content online the prices that Apple touted as NBC's preference...

TUAW Talkcast #5: In with the new, farewell to the old
Filed under: PodcastsLast week's TUAW Talkcast, recorded live, featured the debut of TUAW's new team members Jason Clarke, Lisa Hoover and Nik Fletcher, and the swan song of our departing colleague David Chartier. It clocks in at 40 minutes and 28 MB. You can pick it up from our RSS & iTunes feeds, via direct download here, or via download and streaming over at Talkshoe.Since we've got a little Apple event tomorrow, we're going to be doing another Wednesday night talkcast on 9/5; since we want extra time to discuss the new goodies, we're moving it up one half-hour to 9 pm ET. Follow the link to Talkshoe for the schedule.For the weeks to come, we are thinking about alternate times and dates for the talkcast, either to allow participants from far-flung timezones or to permit everyone to use free nights and weekends on their cellphones when they call in. You can answer the polls below, or comment here to provide your input.View PollView PollRead | Permalink&am...

Picnic file synchronizer released
Filed under: SoftwareWe last mentioned Picnic when the beta was released in June; now Objectpark software is shipping version 1. Picnic is a utility designed to allow you to synchronize folders you specify between two Macs on the same local network. By using Bonjour it requires little or no setup. Unfortunately, I see two major downsides to Picnic. First, it seems rather expensive. Each machine/user requires a license which are $29.95 each (though there are discounts when ordering multiple licenses, e.g. $55 for two). Compare this to the similar Martian Slingshot at $29.99 for use on all your personal computers. Second, it only works over a local network and not the Internet (though I suspect you could hack it together with Hamachi or another VPN solution).A demo of Picnic is available for download.[via MacNN]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

iPhone Coding: Using the Slider
Filed under: How-tos, iPhoneIn terms of application development, the iPhone's UISlider is pretty standard. It works like nearly every other slider you've ever programmed. It offers a drag-able thumb control that moves between a minimum and maximum value. As its dragged, the slider produces events that you can redirect to your main application.Continue reading iPhone Coding: Using the SliderRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Googlephone OS with Webkit based browser?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Rumors, iPhoneThere have been rumors circulating the 'net about a supposed Googlephone OS. Now well-known blogger Om Malik claims to have found have discovered five facts about the mythical beast. One of the most interesting is the possibility that the Googlephone's web browser will be based on WebKit, the renderer at the heart of Safari on both the desktop and the iPhone. In the end, though, it seems unlikely that the iPhone itself will be much threatened by the Googlephone even if it does appear, since the latter looks to have a much more conventional UI and qwerty thumb-board based interface. Nonetheless, given how closely Apple and Google seem to be working these days, it would be interesting if Google were enter into direct competition with Apple in the smartphone space. In the end, though, this more about Google and Microsoft, where a possible Googlephone OS would butt heads with Windows Mobile 6, and perhaps presage the long-rumored Google...

iStat menus 1.1 released
Filed under: Software, FreewareWe last discussed iStat menus back in June and now the Australian company iSlayer has pushed out version 1.1, adding a variety of new features. Most important perhaps is the re-designed preference pane interface and calendar. There are also a variety of new graphs and breakdowns, as well as some a new sources and some Leopard-only features and improvements. While I've always been a fan of MenuMeters and MenuCalendarClock for similar functionality, iStat menus looks very intriguing, especially given the large number of possible data sources it can monitor.iStat menus remains a free download from iSlayer.[via Macworld UK]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Louisville, KY Apple Store opens this weekend
Filed under: Apple Corporate, RetailKentucky's very first Apple Store will open on Thursday, September 6th - Not Saturday the 8th, as previously reported. Kind of makes you even more eager for Wednesday's announcement, doesn't it?The store is located at 7900 Shelbyville Road in Louisville, on the lower level near Macy's. You can get full travel directions here.As usual, the first 1,000 visitors will receive commemorative T-shirts and a special opening day giveaway will feature very nice prizes. If you visit the store on opening weekend, please send us your stories and photos.Thanks, pseudoSAMpson!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

PodWorks now works with your iPhone
Filed under: iPod Family, Software, iPhonePodWorks is one of those apps that you don't know you need... until you need it. This $8 app allows you to copy music from your iPod to your Mac. 'Wait', I hear you saying, 'isn't that what happens when I connect my iPod to my Mac anyway? You're dumb, this post is dumb, and so is this app.' Hold your horses, my impatient rhetorical device! PodWorks allows you to copy music from your iPod to any other Mac without having to sync it to iTunes.I'm sure you're aware that Apple, and the major content producers, imagine the iPod/iTunes relationship thusly: Buy an iPod (or iPhone). Buy lots and lots of music and videos from iTunes Sync your iPod/iPhone with one iTunes library Reach nirvanaIt is true that as of late Apple has allowed you to use the iPod to transfer music purchased from iTunes from one registered machine to another, but PodWorks let's you transfer any song from your iPod to your Mac. But that's not all! The most recent...

Beta Beat: MobileChat iPhone AIM Client debuts
Filed under: Beta Beat, iPhoneGallery: MobileChatStop the presses! Today brings not just one iPhone IM beta--but two. The MobileChat iPhone AIM client just showed up on Installer.app. It lacks Apollo IM's run-in-the-background features but it brings an attractive client with both talk bubbles and Away/Available message control. The gallery that accompanies this post allows you to see the software in action. It's pretty basic but its undeniably slick looking. I don't quite get the half-a-parrot-head as an icon though.Thanks to everyone who wrote in.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

iPhone was the best selling smartphone in July
Filed under: Apple Financial, iPhoneNumbers released by iSuppli show that the iPhone outsold all smartphones in the month of July. Further, it outsold all "feature phones" with the exception of the LG Chocolate (which it tied). All told the iPhone represented 1.8% of handsets sold in the US in July. The numbers breakdown also show that 25% of iPhone buyers switched to AT&T. Based on these numbers iSuppli estimated that Apple will move 4.5m this year and (somehow) estimates worldwide shipments of 30m by 2011. In any case, it's abundantly clear that the iPhone is well on it's way to being a major success in the most profitable part of the market. Of course, it's hard to know how well the sales numbers will hold up once the initial rush has passed, but if Apple continues its iPod trend of improving features and lowering prices I suspect we'll be talking about amazing iPhone numbers for quite some time to come.[via electronista]Read | Permalink |&n...

Kottke: iPhone, Wiimote, Newborn accelerometer smackdown
Filed under: Humor, iPod Family, Odds and ends, iPhone Babies. Wiimotes. iPhones. Sure, they're all cute but how do they perform in an intense gadget-to-gadget comparison for the best accelerometer? Last month, Jason Kotkke put them to the test. The iPhone was the first to fail. A slow or oddly-angled landscape-to-portrait reorientation was enough to throw its accelerometer out of the running. That left the Wiiremote-Baby smackdown. Sure, the Wiimote showed great flexibility registering tiny movements but it lost out to the baby's Moro reflex, the bit where babies who think they are falling throw out their arms to the side. The baby won on both cuteness and fussy startle reaction.[Via Digg]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Beta Beat: Apollo IM leaves alpha, enters beta
Filed under: Beta Beat, iPhoneGallery: ApolloIMOn the iPhone front, the Apollo Instant Messenger application has left alpha and debuted this morning with a usable beta. This new beta works well enough that you can carry on multiple conversations and it feels like real software rather than a proof of concept. There are still several missing features. As our gallery shows, the buddy info feature isn't quite there yet and you still cannot add buddies on the fly--that feature should appear soon as Apollo IM integrates libpurple functionality. Also as you can see, the little red badge that tells you how many unread messages you've received (a la SMS and Mail) isn't working quite right yet. Quibbles aside, this is a big step forward for native IM.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MarsEdit 2.0
Filed under: Software, BloggingI've been blogging for a little over seven years now (I am as shocked as you are, believe me. You would think after all this time I would be better at this!) and many things have changed. Used to be the only way you could write a post for your blog was in a browser window. You would fire up Blogger (or Diaryland, as the case may be) and plunk your entry into a very simple form (no categories, no trackbacks, no Markdown. It was a simpler time, my friends), hit a button and there it would be for all the world to see. That is as long as your browser didn't crash, which tends to happen at the most inopportune times.Luckily, those dark days are over and we have fantastic apps like MarsEdit to compose our posts in. Oddly enough, MarsEdit 2 was just released by Red Sweater Software (wacky, huh?). Version 2.0 ushers in a completely revamped user interface that follows the UI trends of a mature OS X (the number of floating palettes are sharply down, and...

Adium update fixes memory leaks and Safari bugs
Filed under: Internet Tools, Open Source, Software UpdateThe folks behind Adium, the fantastic free and open source instant messaging client for Mac, have released a recommended upgrade that fixes 26 bugs and a bunch of other issues. Update 1.1.2 resolves a memory leak while viewing tooltips and AIM mobile contacts now display correctly. Several issues when using Safari 3.0 Beta have also been fixed, and libpurple has been upgraded to 2.1.1 to add limited MSN support. If you're disappointed that the upgrade doesn't offer any cosmetic changes, you could always dress up the dock duck on your own.Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mailplane 1.51 adds iMedia browser and support for more languages
Filed under: Internet Tools, Software UpdateA new update for Mailplane, an email client for Mac that's dedicated to Gmail, was released today. It sports a handful of bug fixes, integration with the Mac address book, and support for six new languages. An "iMedia browser" was added that allows users to drag and drop pictures, music, and movies right into an email without opening the associated iApp. You can even create a new Gmail account right inside Mailplane, and if you download a lot of files via Gmail, you'll also like the new feature that cleans up the download window at the touch of a button.Though Mailplane is still in private beta, you can apply to be a tester.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The ultimate tech conference giveaway: an iPhone
Filed under: Internet Tools, iPhoneTechnology conferences are fine places to pick up vendor swag and free gifts -- after all, if you're going to travel across the country or across the ocean, a little token of appreciation is certainly in order -- but the web productivity and collaboration Office 2.0 Conference, starting this Wednesday, has taken the notion to a delightful extreme.Every paying attendee to San Francisco-based O2con (press and bloggers are not included, darn it) will receive an iPhone 4GB model along with the $1500+ conference ticket; the iPhone will be used to manage conference contacts, schedule meetings with other participants, view schedules, chat & tag photos, and generally serve as a guide to the event. This grand experiment will result in a gaggle of more than 500 simultaneous iPhone users in the same place, on the same WiFi network. The conference app will be running on the Etelos web engine/CRM platform, seen here (bonus points to Etelos for captionin...