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1) Macworld 2010: Interview with Roland Saekow of BearExtender n3
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/macworld-2010-interview-with-roland-saekow-of-bearextender-n3/
Filed under: Macworld, Video, Interviews
At the TUAW booth on the Macworld show floor the other week, I was fortunate enough to interview Roland Saekow, the developer of the BearExtender n3, a product that replaces your Airport card giving any wireless network a much wider wireless range. The best part is that is sells for US $49.97, about one third the price of its competition.
Roland and BearExtender n3 were nice enough to do a TUAW givaway that ended last week. The contest garnered over 600 comments from entrants, a huge number, which speaks to the general interest in the product.
Roland has a fascinating story to tell, and you can see and hear him tell it by clicking on the 'Read More' link to watch the video it in Viddler. To see it on your iPhone or a Bluetooth-enabled iPod touch, you can click on this YouTube link.
We apologize for the poor audio sync.TUAWMacworld 2010: [...]
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2) Macworld 2010: iFixit.com
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/macworld-2010-ifixit-com/
Filed under: Macworld, Hardware, Interviews
One website that must reside in nearly every Machead's bookmarks collection is iFixit. They provide detailed, step-by-step repair guides (and parts) for nearly every Mac, iPod or iPhone fix you can think of. Their instructions are always clear and thorough enough to make even the most daunting repair possible. If you lack those special tools, they've got those, too.
They're also known for being among the first to take apart brand new Apple hardware. When I sat down with Kyle Weins from iFixit during Macworld Expo, he revealed that who gets the privilege of the first teardown is determined by the flip of a coin. He also talked about the site's history, current offerings and of course the iPad. You can watch the full interview after the break.
TUAWMacworld 2010: iFixit.com originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 22 [...]
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3) OnLive demos Crysis on iPhone, expects to go to iPad
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/onlive-demos-crysis-on-iphone-expects-to-go-to-ipad/
Filed under: Gaming, Software, iPhone, iPadOnLive was at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas last week, where they showed their game streaming software running on the iPhone again. This time they had Crysis going, and apparently the demo ran "fast and smooth." The way they do it is to run the game and render it all on a fast computer somewhere, and then stream video to the iPhone while streaming controls back to the game itself. Of course a demo is just a demo, and actually running a game like that out in the real world is much tougher.
But OnLive is convinced they can do it. And that's not all -- they also made mention of running their app on "tablets," which is a roundabout way of hinting that they'd like to do the same for the iPad. Now that is an intriguing opposition -- you wouldn't even need processing power for games on the iPad if you can run the software. If OnLive sets it up so you [...]
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4) Macworld 2010: Twicular's Grocery Pal
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/macworld-2010-twiculars-grocery-pal/
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPad
When I was young, my mother spent Sunday mornings with grocery store flyers, a pen, and a pad of paper. Once she had identified the best weekly deals, she'd send my dad to buy some items from Grocery Store A, some from Store B and so on.
Barclay Jiang has devised a convenient, contemporary solution to the same problem. His free app for the iPhone and iPod touch, Grocery Pal, uses GPS (or Wi-Fi location) to find all of the grocery stores in your area (you can adjust the range of search) and downloads the current sales. From there, you can generate a shopping list, sort the results by store and hit the road. It saves a lot of time and is quite convenient.
We spoke with Barclay at our booth at Macworld Expo about the app, his inspiration and his thoughts on the show. Check out the video below for the full run-down, or grab Grocery Pal from the App [...]
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5) Did a Pennsylvania school district use iSight to iSpy?
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/did-a-pennsylvania-school-district-use-isight-to-ispy/
Filed under: Hardware, Video, Odds and ends, MacBookThe FBI and lots of parents want to know if school-issued MacBooks were used to spy on students at a suburban Philadelphia school.
Earlier today, a federal judge was asked to stop the school from destroying any records or logs from the 2,300 laptops that were used by high school students that attended Harriton High School in the Lower Merion School District.
The district admitted that it activated the iSight cameras to find more than 40 missing student computers. Officials claim that the district is no longer turning the cameras on remotely.
Meanwhile, other lawyers are pursuing a potential class-action lawsuit against the district. The FBI is investigating if the school district broke any federal wiretapping or computer intrusion laws.
The district noted that students must sign a release when they get the laptops, but the release [...]
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6) Apple ranks third in BusinessWeek customer service survey
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/apple-ranks-third-in-businessweek-customer-service-survey/
Filed under: Hardware, Retail, Apple
Apple has nailed down the number three spot on BusinessWeek's fourth annual customer service awards, falling in right behind LL Bean and insurance company USAA, and way above companies like Amazon and Dell. The awards were based on survey results from a few different places, and Apple scored an A+ in both Quality of Staff and Efficiency of Service thanks to its Genius Bars and helpful Specialists inside Apple Stores.
Of course we've heard the occasional horror story, but in general, Apple Store employees are beyond helpful, which is probably why BusinessWeek says that 66% of those surveyed would "definitely recommend" Apple products, and 58% said they would "definitely repurchase" the next time they needed something.
Apple's influence is also found elsewhere on the list -- USAA, number two on the list, has had a lot of success with its iPhone [...]
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7) Ngmoco picks up $25 million in funding, buys Freeverse
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/ngmoco-picks-up-25-million-in-funding-buys-freeverse/
Filed under: Gaming, Software, Apple, iPhone, App StoreTechCrunch is reporting that iPhone game company Ngmoco has just picked up $25 million in another round of fundraising, which they used to buy out Freeverse, one of the most storied Mac game developers (and recently, iPhone game developers) on the block. The two companies were already close -- Freeverse went with Ngmoco's Plus+ network for social connections in its games, including Flick Fishing and Moto Thunder -- but this buyout would put Ngmoco in charge of their whole catalog. Ngmoco CEO Neil Young says that he plans to take all of Freeverse's currently paid games and convert them all into the free-to-play model that Ngmoco has grown so comfortable with.
It's a pretty bold move -- Ngmoco is seriously investing in this model (even to the extent where they'll cancel planned games unless they can squeeze them into the model), and [...]
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8) TV networks continue to resist iTunes price cuts
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/tv-networks-continue-to-resist-itunes-price-cuts/
Filed under: Multimedia, Video, iTunesApple has been courting US TV networks recently in a bid to get them to drop episode pricing from its current level of $1.99 down to $0.99. The New York Times reports that, predictably, many TV networks are resisting Apple's push for lower episode prices, even though iTunes's initial $0.99 per song price point is arguably what made purchasing digital music palatable to consumers.
Music sales through the iTunes store have fallen off recently, at least partially because of record labels' demands for a price hike to $1.29 per song for popular tracks. Meanwhile, though TV shows have been available for download in the iTunes Store since 2005, only 375 million shows have been downloaded in that time -- compared to nearly 9.5 billion songs downloaded over the same period. With a reported 125 million iTunes Store accounts, that equates to an average of 76 [...]
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9) Rob Griffiths leaves Mac OS X Hints
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/rob-griffiths-leaves-mac-os-x-hints/
Filed under: Tips and tricks
I have to admit that I don't always use them, but I do always enjoy reading the hints over at Mac OS X Hints -- there probably isn't a more eclectic or helpful mix of random hints about how to use your Mac or iPhone available on the Internet. So I was saddened to read today that editor Rob Griffiths (who always adds in his confirmations and other testing on the various hints posted) is leaving the editor's position. He's moving on to join Peter Maurer at Many Tricks, where he'll handle the business aspects of the company. He mentions that they're working on "some good stuff in the pipeline, especially for the upcoming iPad."
As for Mac OS X Hints, the site is owned by Macworld, so it will continue to run under the oversight of a new editor, who will have the benefit of Griffiths around for training as long as necessary. But it will be a little bit of a [...]
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10) NYT: Chips like the A4 could cost $1 billion to design
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/apples-a4-ipad-chip-estimated-to-have-cost-1-billion-in-randd/
Filed under: Hardware, Apple, iPad
Apple may have finally gotten the chip they wanted with the iPad's A4, but a little freedom from contracting with other chip makers didn't come cheap. In a piece about how to make silicon chips, the New York Times estimates the cost to put a chip like the A4 together at a whopping $1 billion. And that's just for a design -- actually making a state-of-the-art factory to create the chips will run you a cool $3 billion. The NYT is just estimating for all companies here -- especially with Apple's purchase of PA Semi, they probably got the design for a relative song, and they're working with contractors to actually make the chips, rather than building their own factories. So $1 billion is a higher estimate than evidence would make you suspect.
For Apple, though, whatever the purchase price is, it was worth it -- watching Jobs talking about this chip and [...]
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11) Are you choking? Yeah, there's an app for that, too.
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/are-you-choking-yeah-theres-an-app-for-that-too/
Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touchOn the list of "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes" apps, this one takes the cake... and chokes on it.
The free I am choking app could save your life if you are choking on food and can't speak. If you have your iPhone in hand and can avoid panicking, then you can launch the app, wave your iPhone frantically in front of someone who is nearby, and hope that they can a) read English, and b) follow the instructions in the app to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on you.
tweetmeme_url = "http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/are-you-choking-yeah-theres-an-app-for-that-too/"
tweetmeme_source = "tuaw"
Actually, this is no joking matter -- about 3,000 adults die every year from choking on food. Of course, you'll need to have the app downloaded and installed on your iPhone or iPod touch before this happens. As [...]
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12) Dear Aunt TUAW: Why GPS?
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/dear-aunt-tuaw-why-gps/
Filed under: Apple, iPadNormally readers write directly to Aunt TUAW using our tips line or feedback form. But today, we're switching things up a bit. Instead, Auntie is responding to a comment left on her last post about whether you should buy the Wi-Fi only iPad or wait for the 3G version. That's because Aunt TUAW has a bug up her sleeve about GPS and its role on the iPhone, the iPad, and its tie to social media. Without further ado, here's today's "letter" and Auntie's response.
Dear Aunt TUAW,
I'm on Facebook, but why do people need to read Facebook updates when they're traveling? Whatever happened to looking out the window at new places? And geez, how about a simple paper map?!?
If I have to go somewhere new, I print out a Google map before the trip or bring the old Rand-McNally. I may be weird, but look at all the dough I saved. :-)
I live in northern New Mexico with [...]
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13) Customize your collage with Shape Collage
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/customize-your-collage-with-shape-collage/
Filed under: Software
I'm a big fan of Zykloid Software's Posterino, a Mac app that allows you to create elegant collages. Similarly, you can use Shape Collage to create a collage. However, as implied in the app's namesake, you can also customize the shape of your collage to one of the many included preset options, as well as your own customized shape. One example would be pictures of hundreds of shoes in the shape of the Nike swoosh logo -- you get the picture.
While the app is billed as "free," the free version stamps a watermark that, while small and light, is nonetheless noticeable. US$25 removes this watermark, and adds the ability to export to an Adobe Photoshop PSD (where you can manipulate photos).
Shape Collage was created by developer Vincent Cheung, and is available for download here.TUAWCustomize your collage with Shape Collage originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple [...]
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14) Danish newspaper fakes iPad on front page
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/danish-newspaper-fakes-ipad-on-front-page/
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, MultimediaAs the newspaper industry struggles to find its way in an increasingly digital world, publishers, writers, and so on are reconsidering their business models. Danish newspaper Information makes the case for going digital crystal clear by filling its entire front page with an image of the iPad (at right).
The supporting article (translated into English here) details how local free newspapers are killing the paid competition, and makes the case for online distribution and micropayments. It's an idea we've seen before, but it is still untested on a large scale.
As for consumers, interest in go-anywhere, read-anytime digital newspapers, magazines and books is high. According to the Association of American Publishers, e-books grew at a compound annual rate of 58% between 2002 and 2008. The Kindle and Nook have also performed well for Amazon [...]
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15) Looking forward to Macworld Expo 2011, despite John Dvorak
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/looking-forward-to-macworld-expo-2011-despite-john-dvorak/
Filed under: MacworldOK, I'm the first to admit that I didn't feel Macworld Expo had much of a future without Apple. After all, I was the guy responsible for the graphic that showed a gravestone with "Macworld Expo 1985 - 2010: Rest In Peace" engraved on it (my apologies to Paul Kent of IDG World Expo for that...). But even in that post, I still ended on a note of hope about the show. Many of our readers, however, agreed in an informal poll that the show had seen better days and that without Apple, Macworld Expo 2010 would be the last stop.
Longtime PC Magazine writer John Dvorak took the decidedly negative path in a recent post titled "Macworld Expo's Iffy Future." Based on a single quick walk through of the Expo captured on video, he concluded that the show is dead: "Last one? I think so."
After spending a few days at Macworld Expo 2010, I have exactly the opposite opinion to [...]
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16) Turn that old Mac into a functioning clock
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/turn-that-old-mac-into-a-functioning-clock/
Filed under: Hardware, Odds and ends, iMac, PowerMac G5, Mods
Let's say you have a Mac collecting dust in the corner of your garage. Rather than succumb to your spouse's demands and send the old friend to computer heaven, why not re-purpose that Mac into something both functional and beautiful?
Cult of Mac points us to one enterprising hardware modder who has converted the base of his iMac G4 into a round wall clock. Take a look above on the left for the final result of his Dremel-sourced endeavor. This Apple fan from Japan was also kind enough to post photos of his DIY adventure [Google Translate link]. Check out another image below; the aluminum really pops on the dark wall.
Additionally, it seems that the inspiration for the iClock came from another Japanese modder who converted his PowerMac G5 into a functioning timepiece as well. Seen at the top on the right is the completed [...]
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17) Wired: Steve's six sneakiest statements
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/wired-steves-six-sneakiest-statements/
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, Odds and ends, Steve Jobs, iPadSteve Jobs' ability to enchant and persuade is often referred to as the "Reality Distortion Field." It's this power that convinces people who own 2 or 3 iPods that they need just one more.
He's also made some convincing statements that his company later contradicted in grand fashion. Last week, Brian X. Chen compiled six of the biggies at Wired's Gadget Lab (reprinted at CNN), including one of our favorites: "There are no plans to make a tablet," Jobs once told Walt Mossberg. "It turns out people want keyboards ... We look at the tablet, and we think it is going to fail."
Brian also listed Steve's insistence that Apple won't make a cell phone and that "...people don't read any more."
Of course, part of Steve's purpose here is to misdirect market watchers, customers and competitors from his company's plans. But [...]
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18) Microsoft wants to give you a MacBook Pro
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/microsoft-wants-to-give-you-a-macbook-pro/
Filed under: Software, Odds and endsQ. "What's the perfect gift for a long-term commitment?" A. A MacBook Pro tinted the color of an Office for Mac icon.
Microsoft is running a pretty cool giveaway right now called Mac Office Loves You. The prize is none other than a 2.53Ghz 15" MacBook Pro with custom PMS cover and a copy of Office 2008 for Mac.
To enter you must be a registered account holder of Twitter.com. You can enter one of two ways:
Follow @officeformac, or
Retweet @OfficeforMac and include the hashtag #officeformac. Only one retweet will be counted per person.
Two winners will be selected, each one getting a MacBook Pro and Office. The contest is open to the US and Canada (except Quebec). Only two entries per person will be accepted.The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on February 25, 2010.
What's the reason for the giveaway? Just because, apparently. "Microsoft Office [...]
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19) TUAW review and giveaway -- BookArc from Twelve South
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/02/22/tuaw-review-and-giveaway-bookarc-from-twelve-south/
Filed under: Accessories, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook AirIt's no surprise that TUAW bloggers like the products from Twelve South. They're made only for Macs, they have excellent quality and the company always sends us items to give away to our readers. We've previously had giveaways for the BackPack, BassJump, and now we're giving away a stylish BookArc.
The US$49.00 BookArc takes advantage of the ability of Apple's MacBooks (Air and Pro included) to work as a desktop machine when the screen is closed and the computer is connected to an external mouse, keyboard, and monitor. You could just lay your MacBook on the desktop, but then it takes up valuable real estate. How about if you could just position your laptop vertically so it takes up a minimum amount of your desktop? That's what the BookArc is all about.
Like the other products from Twelve South, the BookArc is attractively [...]
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