Archive for June, 2009
June 30th, 2009 at 10:00pm
Under Hot Apple News
Have you ever wanted to copy or convert your personal collection of DVDs for backup or easy viewing on your Apple TV, only to be thwarted by CSS encryption? I feel your pain, and so do the good folks at Metakine. Lucky for us, Fairmount is here to help, and it’s free!
CSS, or Content Scramble [...]
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By Bryan Schuetz
Continue Reading Fairmount: Convert Your DVD Collection
June 30th, 2009 at 08:47pm
Under Hot Apple News
Over at GigaOM Pro, Michael Wolf poses a really interesting question: When will television have its own App Store?
Today’s TV application marketplace is in a similar place today as Apple was in its pre-App Store state: lots of competing software platforms, a growing number of connected devices (but none dominant) and a fairly small number [...]
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By Josh Pigford
Continue Reading Will TV Ever Get an App Store Moment?
June 30th, 2009 at 06:34pm
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Fans of simple, traditional games will be pleased to know that Astraware continues to release old favourites to the iPhone platform. Following the success of its Board Games and Sudoku comes Solitaire, and it’s available for a limited time for just 99c / 59p. Now, Solitaire has to be one of the most crowded niches [...]
By Iphone Updates
Continue Reading Astraware launches Solitaire for iPhone
June 30th, 2009 at 06:34pm
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Skype arrived on the iPhone back in March, after a long wait, and was generally warmly greeted. However, there were still some things that you couldn’t do, and not all of them were a result of the networks crippling innovation. A few months on and the first major update to Skype has made it into [...]
By Iphone Updates
Continue Reading Skype for iPhone gets upgrade: now with voicemail and SMS
June 30th, 2009 at 02:33pm
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Section: Apple, Apple News, Steve Jobs
In a rambling, largely off-topic article, The LA Times reported this morning that Apple, Inc. co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs is spending a few days a week back in his office, according to Apple spokesman Steve Dowling. “He’s currently at work a few days a week and working from home the remaining days,” Dowling said. So…Steve’s keeping my schedule, which is cool. I wonder if his dog sleeps against his desk and if Steve has to deal with cheerleading practice going on down the street.
This news comes just a week after the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tennessee confirmed that Jobs had received a liver transplant. Obviously, it’s good news to Apple fanboys and Apple shareholders that Steve’s back on the job. But it’s better news to Steve and his family, and it’s great to see that he was able to return a few weeks sooner than expected.
Read [LA Times (but only if you want more conjecture on why Apple products are too expensive and unnecessary)] Via Cleveland Plain Dealer]
Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
By Kirk Hiner
Continue Reading Steve Jobs back at work
June 30th, 2009 at 04:33am
Under Hot Apple News
Section: Mac + Computers, Laptops, MacBook, MacBook Pro
Walt Mossberg has his official review of the new MacBook Pro batteries written and published, and his results and insight are very interesting. He makes some very good points regarding how well the built-in batteries in these machines will work for various users. He also describes the growing trend of laptop manufacturers to have built-in batteries, as research has shown that less than 5% of laptop owners purchase an extra battery anyway.
Yet, the most fascinating thing is what he found to be true of Apple’s batteries. He wrote:
I’ve been testing these two new Apple laptops, the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the 15-inch MacBook Pro, using my own harsh battery test, which I apply to all laptops I review. The results were excellent. These two new Apple laptops scored among the highest battery lives between charges of any laptop I have ever tested with a battery that fits entirely inside the machine’s dimensions, without sticking out of the back or bottom and adding weight.
If you ask me, that sounds like a pretty great performance for a battery. However, he wasn’t able to put Apple’s claim that the battery will charge 1,000 times before losing capacity to the test because that would simply take way too long. Also, Walt points out that one major downside to built-in batteries is that the whole machine must be sent in if there is an issue with the battery or it needs replacing.
Check out everything else he has to say in his review; it’s rather fascinating.
Via [All Things Digital]
Full Story » | Written by Josh Holat for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
By Josh Holat
Continue Reading Walt Mossberg on MacBook Pro’s sealed in batteries
June 29th, 2009 at 08:43pm
Under Hot Apple News
Its “fetching high-resolution screen and its portability make this an attractive notebook for professional designers,” reports Jonathan Rougeot (computershopper.com) of the new 17-inch MacBook Pro. In addition, Rougeot concludes, the new model’s “sleek design, impressive battery life, and reduced price will make this attractive even to less-demanding users who want a stylish laptop with a [...]
By Iphone Updates
Continue Reading New 17-inch MacBook Pro a Editors’ Choice at Computer Shopper
June 29th, 2009 at 07:57pm
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Section: iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Reviews
Category:Productivity
Seller: SplashData
Requirements: iPhone OS 2.1 or later
Compatibility: iPhone and iPod touch
File Size: 3.7 MB
Version Reviewed: 2.0
Age Rating: 4+
Price: $4.99
Being the geek that I am, I generally have a USB flash drive alongside my keys, wallet and iPhone. When I began testing FileMagic, it felt strange not needing a flash drive too; everything I needed was simply stored on my iPhone. With the majority of file types supported, you’re unlikely to come across any issues while transferring files, as long as you have a WiFi connection and the extra software.
Extra software, you say?
Unfortunately, FileMagic does require a small desktop application to connect to your iPhone. It’s free and is available for both Mac OS X and XP/Vista, but it’s a shame that you can’t access FileMagic through Finder, or Explorer on XP/Vista. This means that you’ll need the little desktop application installed on each computer that you’d like to transfer files to and from. This may cause an issue at work, if your internet access is restricted, and installing software is not permitted, but at home you should be fine. The desktop application is happy to run in the background, being around when you need it.
What about the iPhone app?
The iPhone/iPod touch application is very nice. It’s simple and easy to navigate, following the usual design layout of the typical iPhone application. While you can store pretty much any file type, a few of them will actually show/play on the iPhone itself. For example, you can view pictures, play .mp3, .aac and .wav files, watch .m4v movie files and read your Microsoft Word/Excel/Powerpoint files and PDFs. Very handy to familiarize yourself with material before you sync it to your work desktop to finish, for example. There’s no ability to edit these documents on the device, but reading them is simple, with the usual pinch-to-zoom feature we’re all used to.
Are my files safe?
You’ll be happy to hear that you can set a password to protect your documents from prying eyes. Unfortunately, the password cannot be specific to a folder, but rather the entire application. Once you’re in the app, you have full access to your files. When connecting to a desktop, you’re asked to confirm the connection on your device, so you’ll know if there’s anyone around you trying their luck on FileMagic. With FileMagic, your files are stored on your iPhone or iPod touch directly. There’s no cloud syncing available here, so you know exactly where your files are and who has access to them. Even if you lose your iPhone, MobileMe’s new Find My iPhone function should give you a helping hand to getting your iPhone, and important documents back.
What options do I have to transfer files?
You of course have the option to transfer files via the FileMagic desktop application and a WiFi connection, but with the latest update (2.0), you can also send and receive files to nearby iPhones also running FileMagic provided both devices are on the same WiFi connection. This could be updated to use Bluetooth on iPhone OS 3.0, but for now, you’ll need WiFi. You can also email files as attachments directly within the FIleMagic application.
Anything else?
If having the ability to store files on your iPhone or iPod touch wasn’t enough, there are a couple of other features that enhance FileMagic. On the desktop application, you can import your address book as a .txt file to then sync to your iPhone for safe keeping. You can also sync emails from your desktop to your iPhone if you’re unable to send them on your desktop, or you’re just collecting drafts for later use.
FileMagic is a great application from SplashData. It fills a whole on the iPhone very nicely, with a simple, clean iPhone app and a user-friendly desktop companion.
Let’s not forget. though, that Apple is expected to release its own file transfer application into the App Store, named iDisk. We don’t know too much about its release as yet, but it’s sure to be a solid application, providing a connection to your MobileMe iDisk (if you have one) and to your desktop computer, possibly directly into Finder or Explorer. If Apple pulls it off, other file transfer applications such as FileMagic may find it difficult to compete. But FileMagic has a solid feature set already, and will certainly be a worthy competitor to a possible contender from Apple.
If you’re in need of a simple solution to store documents, images, video and audio to have with you where ever you go, FileMagic from SplashData for your iPhone or iPod touch is an excellent solution, and is sure to fulfill your needs.
Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
By Ed Parry
Continue Reading Appletell reviews FileMagic for iPhone/iPod touch
June 29th, 2009 at 04:24am
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Section: Apple News, Retail & Apple Store, iPhone, iPhone
The launch for the iPhone 3GS seemed a little quiet at first, but the numbers seemed to tell a different story. AT&T reported that they sold “hundreds of thousands” on the first day, with that number growing significantly over the weekend. That said, I’m sure there are still lots of you out there trying to get your hands on one, whether it’s because you need an upgrade, or just can’t resist the latest device to come from Infinite Loop.
To simplify the process of finding an Apple store with iPhone 3GS stock, Apple have made stock information available on the website again. Once you’ve chosen your nearby store, you can view which models, if any, they have in stock. A quick check before you leave to pick one up may save you some time and disappointment, so it’s certainly worth a look to ensure you get your new iPhone as soon as possible.
Read [iPhone 3GS Availability]
Full Story » | Written by Ed Parry for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »
By Ed Parry
Continue Reading Looking for an iPhone 3GS? Check availability online.
June 28th, 2009 at 11:56pm
Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone
Filed under: WWDC, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
iTreadmill (App Store link) is a pedometer app for your iPhone or iPod touch. I spoke with the developer, who demoed the app for us at WWDC. It looks nice, appears to perform well, and features a respectable number of ways to customize and tune the [...]
By Iphone Updates
Continue Reading WWDC Demo: iTreadmill
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