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tuaw.com rss archive / September-05-2007
Bye bye, HiFi
Filed under: iPod Family, Retail, AppleAs many of our readers have noted, the iPod HiFi is no more. Goodbye little (big?) Apple speaker, we knew ye not very well. The original release of the thing was a "bit of a letdown" in the first place, and the combination iPod dock-slash-speaker system never really took off. Anyone who was willing to spend that much on a speaker already had one that was better, or didn't listen to tunes straight from their iPod at home anyway.Not that it was a bad device-- I have a friend that bought one, and it sounded great and worked perfectly in her apartment. But it looks like Apple's $349 boombox didn't make the cut today-- it's off of the online store, and likely gone from the retail stores as well. Bye bye, Apple HiFi.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
See the new iPod Nano in action
Filed under: iPod Family, AppleThe newly refreshed iPod nanos no only sport a new look, but a new version of the iPod UI (as does the iPod Classic). This might not be obvious a first blush, so Apple has posted some demo movies to clue you in. The first shows off CoverFlow and the second is focused on the 'Extra' functionality in the iPod nano.What do you think of the new look of the UI?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ask TUAW: External Front Row, iSight mirroring, booting from an external hd and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAWIt's time again for Ask TUAW, our weekly feature where you ask the questions and we make up the answers... er, I mean carefully research and determine the optimal solutions. This week we'll be tackling questions about using Front Row on an external display, mirroring on an iSight, multiple external displays on a MacBook, timezones in iCal, booting from an external hard drive, and more!As always readers' suggested answers are most welcome! Please leave your questions for next week in the comments.Continue reading Ask TUAW: External Front Row, iSight mirroring, booting from an external hd and moreRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple intros ringtones for iPhones
Filed under: Apple, iPhoneWe mentioned in our cheap ringtones post that Apple will soon be entering the ringtone business, but I think it deserves a post all by itself. iTunes will shortly be updated, and one of the new features will be the ability to create 30 second ringtones from any of 1 million 'ringtone ready' songs from the iTunes Store (the available ringtone songs are marked with a little bell). Click on a ringtone ready song in iTunes, use the new ringtone editor to create a 30 second clip of the song (including setting the duration of the gap during the loop), and your ringtone is ready. Ready for you to buy it that is. $.99 is what it will cost you to get that ringtone, which is in addition to the cost of the full track (though if you already own the track you can just buy the ringtone).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Reminder, live talkcast tonight at 9 pm ET
Filed under: TUAW BusinessAre you excited about the new iPod lineup? Irate over the iPhone price drop? Eagerly waiting to hack your new iPod Touch? C'mon down and tell us all about it in tonight's live talkcast -- we'll have most of the crew on hand and we can't wait to take your questions and mull over the day's announcements. Shoot on over to Talkshoe to register for the show; you can listen in via the Talkshoe client or call in by VoIP, Skype, Gizmo/Xmeeting, or plain old phones.Wednesday nights aside, we're still working on alternate times and dates for the talkcast, so let us know which times work best for you. You can answer the polls below, or comment on this post to provide your input.View PollView PollRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPods all run video out
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, Multimedia, VideoI completely missed one of the biggest changes made to the various iPods today-- they're now all capable of video out. Apple is selling Component and Composite video cables right now, and listing them as compatible with the new Nanos, iPod Classic, iPod Touch, and even the iPhone.Does that mean video out is being added to the iPhone via a software update? If it's been available on the iPhone before, I've never heard of it. Then again, the composite video cable is listed as compatible with iPod Video, so this ability has been around at least since earlier this year, even if the quality isn't very good.But the iPod Touch's bigger screen does mean a better resolution. Are you willing to spend $50 for the cable just to watch your iPod on the big screen? Might come in handy for sales presentations and the like, but there are so many other ways to stream things to your TV at home that it doesn't seem like that big a draw to me.Note:...
Apple and Starbucks, sitting in a tree
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, iTSThe most surprising announcement to come out of this afternoon's press conference was Apple's partnership with Starbucks. The new iPods and WiFi iTunes store were always possibilities. The Starbucks deal was unexpected.My initial reaction was amusement: Well, that's a silly thing! But now I get it. They've turned something that costs Starbucks money into an opportunity for profit.Consider music videos. Five years ago, there were pricey ads that consumers got for free and generated no income. Yes, you may argue that they influence the sale of albums and concert tickets, but in and of themselves, music videos weren't making money.Now Apple sells videos in the iTunes store. People pay to watch the advertisements. Retail chains pay a fee for the music they pipe into their stores. Just like the music videos, Apple has created a profit opportunity for Starbucks (and themselves, of course).Still think it's silly? Imagine when ten retailers...
Apple posts video of today's media event
Filed under: iPod Family, Other Events, AppleDid you miss all the excitement today? You can now replay it on your very own computer. Apple has just posted the video of today's event (which they call a keynote for some reason) on Apple. You'll need QuickTime to enjoy Steve wow us with new iPods, but that isn't a shock now is it?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
The Beatles don't go on
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, Rumors, Steve Jobs, AppleWell the one rumor that I thought was least likely (that the Beatles were a no go at this morning's event) turned out to be true. There is still no Beatles music available on the iTunes store, either in the WiFi store or otherwise.Not that Steve didn't taunt us. Over and over again, he threw down hints the whole time-- he played "Give Peace a Chance" as a ringtone (joking that it was for when NBC called), played Lennon to demo the new WiFi store, and played Paul McCartney to bring the chairman of Starbucks on stage. Heck, the name of the event was "The Beat Goes On." He knows we want the Beatles (even if Scott doesn't), and he played with our emotions all day.But when "One more thing..." came out, it was the Starbucks deal and KT Tunstall performing. And we're left with no idea when (or if ever) we'll be able to buy Apple recordings in Apple's online music store.Permalink | Email this |&nbs...
So long, 4 gig iPhone, we hardly knew ye
Filed under: Apple, iPhoneThe 8 gig iPhone is a big hit, it would seem, and now cheaper than ever. What of the 4 giger? Well, a quick look at the iPhone's updated tech specs makes it plain for all to see, the 4 gig iPhone is going the way of the dodo. Engadget points out that you can still get your hands on a 4 gig model for $299, while supplies last.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple on track to sell one millionth iPhone by end of September
Filed under: Apple, iPhoneI think this iPhone thing is going to catch on. Apple has stated, in a press release about the iPhone price drop, that they are on track for selling 1 million iPhones by the end of this month. This is not a shock as we knew they were selling well, but hopefully this means that pundits won't try and spin the price drop as a sign that the iPhone isn't doing well.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple screwed you: So now what?
Filed under: iPhoneThe $200 price drop isn't going over well with readers. So here are a few TUAW tips for how to handle this situation: Returns. If you're within the first 14 days of purchase, you're golden. Go back to the store and raise hell. You may still be charged a $40 restocking fee--theoretically you shouldn't be for exchanges--but otherwise, you're good to return. Apple's official policy states "Should Apple reduce its price on any shipped product within 10 days of shipment, you may contact Apple Sales Support at 1-800-MY-APPLE to request a credit of the difference between the price you were charged and the current selling price." Price Guarantees. The American Express Best Value Guarantee will refund the difference in price for items purchased within 60 days. Other pricematch credit cards include Citi Diamond, American Express Rewards Gold, and American Express Starwood. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/200_price_cut_Apple_Screwed_You_Here_s_what_you_can_do'; ...
iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store
Filed under: iTS, AppleApple unleashed a slew of new things today, and one of the most important things (to me) is the new interface for the iTunes Store, the iTunes WiFi Store. As you might expect, the iTunes WiFi Store lets you browse and purchase music directly from your iPod Touch or iPhone (over WiFi). All music purchased from the iTunes WiFi Store will sync back to your iTunes library (sweet!).Sadly, it seems this is limited to audio only, no video. Oh, and no word on if you can subscribe to podcasts via this interface (that would be insanely cool).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPod is now officially a Classic
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Multimedia, AppleWhile the iPod Touch will probably get all of the attention today, the iPod isn't going anywhere. Apple has rebranded it the iPod Classic, made it thinner, added more memory, put the CoverFlow interface in it, and turned it into a lean, mean music playing machine.But the best reason to buy the iPod Classic over the Touch is actually inside: it's the memory. The Touch only reaches a disappointing 8gb and 16gb, and for any respectable music fan, that just doesn't cut it. Fortunately, the Classic has room for everything in your music collection, and then some: $249 for the 80gb model and $349 for 160gb. Sure, a shiny interface and a WiFi connection are nice and all, but if all you're looking for is a way to carry all of your CDs in your pocket at once, the iPod Classic (in silver or black) is what you're looking for.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPhone Ringtones On The Cheap
Filed under: Hacks, How-tos, iPhone digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Stop_Don_t_pay_0_99_for_those_iPhone_ringtones'; The Steve may want you to cough up $2 for an iTunes track + ringtone but TUAW is watching out for your wallet. You already own the song. Use it the way you want. Here's a quick round-up of the ways you can save money on ringtones: SendSong: This utility lets you pick any song from your iTunes library and use it as a ringtone. Free iTunes Previews: See TUAW's guide to downloading iTunes previews and then use one of the following tools to install them. Remember that you may have to rename the extensions from .m4p to .m4a. Windows Ringtones: Use iBrickr (free) or iPhoneRingtoneMaker ($10). You pick the song, they install them. Mac Ringtones: On the Mac, grab a copy of iFuntastic (free, but a wee bit unstable) or iToner ($15). These too turn your audio into free ringtones. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple posts iPod Touch guided tour
Filed under: iPod Family, AppleContinuing the grand tradition of the iPhone guided tours, Apple has posted an iPod Touch Guided Tour. Get an eyeful of the new snazzy user interface without leaving your desk!This guided tour isn't hosted by the iPhone guy though, so say hello to the iPod Touch guy!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple lowers price of 8 gig iPhone to $399
Filed under: Deals, iPhone digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/8GB_iPhone_price_cut_to_just_399'; There's really no excuse any more. You can now buy an 8GB iPhone for just $399, take it home, activate it, and use it with a prepaid card or existing AT&T account. If the unlocks prove to be working, add TMobile into that equation. What are you waiting for? Is this news enough to get you to buy an iPhone? Let us know in the comments.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple announces iPod Touch: iPhone without the phone
Filed under: iPod Family, iPhoneToday, Apple introduced the iPod Touch. It's essentially an iPhone without the phone part, and without the speakers and built-in microphone. $299 buys you an 8GB sytem, complete with all the iPhone-like touchy goodness you've come to know and want. $399 buys you a 16 GB model with the same embarrassing name.The iTouch includes built-in WiFi so you can use Safari and YouTube on-the-go as well as make purchases from the iTunes Store. (the iPhone will offer the same ability later this month). Its main button bar offers direct access to Music (great icon), Videos (ugly icon) and Photos (same old icon), as well as the new iTunes WiFi store.The iPod Touch will ship "later this month".Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
New iPod Shuffle lineup comes in colors (again)
Filed under: iPod FamilyAmong all the updates to the iPod lineup today, this one might have gotten lost in the... well, I'm not gonna say it, but you know what I mean. It would seem that January's iPod Shuffle color choices were so nine months ago; the new Shuffles are stumbling in with a somewhat more subdued, 'pro' palette and adding a Product (RED) version that sends a contribution to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.The new Shuffles are retailing for $79 and include 1 GB of flash storage. Get them before they change again!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple announces new iPod Nanos
Filed under: iPod Family, AppleThe swirling rumors of new iPod nanos have turned out to be turn, and they look just like all those leaked photos pictured which is to say... stubby. The new body makes room for a 2 inch color display with the highest pixel density that Apple has ever shipped. The nano uses that screen to sport an overhauled UI for the iPod which includes CoverFlow and 3 bundled games. Apple claims you'll get 24 hours of audio playback or 5 hours of video. The iPod nano comes in two capacities: 4 gigs for $149 which will be available in silver and the 8 gig for $199 which will come in a number of colors.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iTunes: Free Wednesday
Filed under: iTS, Features, DealsWelcome to this week's edition of iTunes: Free Tuesday featuring a new collection of free singles and videos from around the world. Each week we send out mythical deal finders to the furthest corners of the Earth to find and retrieve iTunes freebies from all the International stores. Here's what's new today.Continue reading iTunes: Free WednesdayRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple Store down
Filed under: Odds and ends, AppleIn a shocking turn of events, Apple has taken down the Apple Store in advance of today's media event. I wonder what Apple's web elves are busily updating... only time will tell.Thanks to everyone for sending this in.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Metaliveblogging the "Beat Goes On" event
Filed under: iPod Family, Other Events, Steve Jobs, AppleThe reporters are there. The Apple Store is down. The rumors have been spread. And now it's time for the Apple Event you've all been waiting for.We're not actually there (I'm in my cozy apartment in Chicago's beautiful Wicker Park), but we are watching everyone who is there, and we'll be metaliveblogging everything we see. Here's who we're watching: MacWorld, Engadget, MacDailyNews, the Mac Observer, Ars Technica, Slashgear, The Utility Belt, The Apple Gazette, and Stuff. So why press F5 on all those windows when we'll do it for you for free, and provide entertaining comedy all the while?The liveblog starts right after the jump, and stay tuned for updates. Today is all about iPods (and maybe even the Beatles), so let's do it.Continue reading Metaliveblogging the "Beat Goes On" eventPermalink | Email this | Comments
Secure Your Mac: a new TUAW series
Filed under: TUAW Business, SecurityMany in the Mac community feel as though OS X, and Macs in general, benefit from some special aura of security. It is true that there are no known viruses for OS X in the wild, but that doesn't mean that we Mac users can let down our guard. We live in an age where more and more of our personal information stored on our computers, one nice, tidy present for any would be identify thieves. Once some ne'er do well gets their hands on your Mac, you could very well be in deep, deep trouble. I know you don't think it could happen to you, but neither did the folks who left their machines at this Apple Store for servicing.We at TUAW feel it is our duty to help you help yourself, and protect your Macs. Today we are introducing a new series called 'Secure your Mac' in which we will offer up tips, tricks, and howtos all designed to help your Mac stay safe in our troubling times. Some of these tips will be rather straightforward, and others might be entirely...
Not one but three new Apple stores
Filed under: Retail, AppleApple is heading out on a store-opening spree in the next few days (hopefully populated with brand new iPods). If you're in Louisville, San Jose, or Boston, here's three new places you can hang out with Geniuses and play with the iPhone. As Dave noted yesterday, the store at Oxmoor in Louisville, KY has a grand opening scheduled on Thursday at 6pm. Los Gatos, CA, just south of San Jose, is cutting the ribbon at that same time. And the store at the Natick Collection in Natick, MA (which our readers have actually voiced a need for-- Apple is listening!) opens Friday morning at 10 am.Remember that dude who's going around to visit every Starbucks? I'd bet visiting every Apple Store would be a much more fun (albeit more expensive) trip. How come no one's done that yet?Thanks to everyone who sent these in!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
School days: Mellel & Scrivener
Filed under: Software, EducationIt's that time of year again, academicians. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be highlighting products, tools and techniques to help students and teachers launch into the school year with style and ease. We pointed out Planbook last week, which should make lots of lesson planners happy; I'm going to cheer the hearts of language students with the news of an update to Mellel, the polyglot word processor for Mac, and also point to Scrivener, a powerful project management environment for writers in academic and creative settings.As Mat mentioned back in March, Mellel is a word processor that keeps the needs of academic writers clearly in focus. First off, it's got the best language support I've ever seen, including full right-to-left script support; it even lets you write in Syriac, which makes my friend Adam extremely happy (he's a scholar of the medieval church, and apparently the correspondence of the day was generally carried out in Syriac...
Apple Stores selling seven times the iPhones, and it's no wonder why
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Retail, Apple, iPhoneIn addition to all the big numbers from that iSuppli report, there's one more fun little stat that's come out about the iPhone's sales: Apple Stores outsold AT&T stores by a factor of seven to one.Is anyone surprised by that at all? I've actually had the experience of shopping for an iPhone in both an Apple Store and an AT&T store (whenever I see either, I always stop, trying to psych myself up enough to finally buy one), and there's no question why Apple Stores are selling so many more-- there's almost no sign of the iPhone in AT&T's stores. While they have all of their other phones on display, the iPhones are kept in the back, and all I saw out front was a brochure. When I asked if they had them, the saleswoman didn't even have a model to show me.In sharp contrast, anyone who walks into an Apple Store can pick up and play with an iPhone for as long as they want, which technique do you think sells...
Google Desktop updated to 1.1
Filed under: Software, Cool toolsGot search? The Mac version of Google's desktop search tool was recently updated to version 1.1, adding support for nine languages (ausgezeichnet! ) and improving performance. My personal most-annoying bug, and the reason I stopped using Google Desktop -- the 'accidental double-tap of the command key that activates GD, when all I wanted to do was switch applications' -- is on the hit list and appears to have been squashed.GD is available as a free download from Google and does require Mac OS 10.4. The update process will require a reboot and reindexing your drives to support the new languages; however, Google has changed the architecture of the search utility so that future updates should not require rebooting. The full change list is in the rest of the post.Continue reading Google Desktop updated to 1.1Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
NBC shows leave iTunes but join Amazon's Unbox
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, Internet ToolsHere's a quick recap of the NBC/Apple tussle, for those who are tuning in late: NBC says Apple is mean and won't renew their contract ('These shows are my toys and I'm going home!'). Apple says NBC is a stupidhead, and NBC's shiny new shows won't be available in iTunes ('How are those toys now? Taste a little better with the salt from your tears, NBC?'). NBC and Amazon become BFF's. NBC no longer makes eye contact with Apple when they meet in the hallway between classes.That's right, NBC's upcoming season of shows may not be available via iTunes (pending contract negotiations), but they will be available at Amazon Unbox. What's Amazon Unbox you ask? It is ok not to recognize it, since few people actually use it (and even fewer Mac users, since it is PC only). Unbox is Amazon's video download service that allows you to rent or buy movies and tv shows which you can then play back on authorized devices (rentals can play...