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1) Vlingo 2 adds more voice power to iPhone
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/04/vlingo-2-adds-more-voice-power-to-iphone/
Filed under: iPhone, App ReviewIn the burgeoning market for iPhone voice recognition apps, the free Dragon Dictate clearly holds the top spot. In fact, this paragraph was dictated using DragonDictate (with some minor edits after the fact). However, the application doesn't always shine when it comes to getting your text quickly and easily into different places where you might want to use it. You can send an e-mail or a text message if you want to, but you can't update your Facebook status or send a Twitter message without copying and pasting. Performing a search requires an entirely separate app.
To make your dictation process easier -- at least when it comes to getting your text to go where you want, when you want -- there's the latest update to the Vlingo app, which we first reviewed last June. Vlingo 2.0 is trying to up the ante for text recognition by putting all the 'next step' [...]
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2) Put yourself in the picture with PixyMe
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/put-yourself-in-the-picture-with-pixyme/
Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App ReviewDo you remember the personalized movies that had been showing up in your email a while back? The one that sticks in my mind was a 'get out the vote' video the Obama campaign sent out a month before the presidential election. The story told by the video was that Obama lost by just one vote and it was you, whoever you are. You name was smoothly integrated into about a dozen places in the narrative. It was a real attention getter.
PixyMe (US $1.99) brings a static version of this technology to your iPhone or iPod touch. This beautifully designed and rendered app lets you incorporate any name or short phrase seamlessly into an eCard or postcard, appearing as though it were part of the photograph. The resulting personalized photo can be either emailed, sent to Facebook, saved in your photo album, or sent as a high-quality physical postcard to any [...]
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3) AT&T: iPad will be a "Wi-Fi driven product," 3G won't be an issue
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/atandt-ipad-will-be-a-wi-fi-driven-product-3g-wont-be-an-issu/
Filed under: Internet, iPadIf I ran AT&T, I would leave the subject of whether or not the network could handle the iPad's extra 3G traffic demands completely out of the picture, saying something like "we hope so," or "we'll wait and see on how popular it is." But Randall Stephenson, AT&T CEO, seems to be tempting fate.
First, he promised that AT&T could handle any demand placed on its network by Apple's iPad, and now he's suggesting that it won't be that bad anyway. In a Reuters article, Stephenson suggests that the iPad will be a "Wi-Fi driven product," and that "there's not going to be a lot of people out there looking for another subscription."
That may in fact be true, and while I'm almost willing to offer him the benefit of the doubt that the majority of browsing on the iPad will be done via Wi-Fi, I also doubt that those who elect to go with 3G won't be using the heck out of [...]
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4) (Not) live from New York -- it's TUAW TV Live!
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/not-live-from-new-york-its-tuaw-tv-live/
Filed under: Video, PodcastingTUAWloha, everyone.
It's time for another chapter in the ongoing technical soap opera known as TUAW TV Live. This afternoon's show, beginning at 5 PM, has content to dazzle and amaze you. To avoid any broadcast nightmares this week, Steve will be doing the show solo in order to keep things simple.
As noted in an earlier post, today's topics include, but are not limited to:
iPad availability (when and how many)
A couple of Mac application demos
Some fun videos
A hands-on look at the LaCie Network Space 2 NAS
Discussion of the topics you want to talk about in the chat tool
We now return you to our previously scheduled show, already in progress. Click the Read More link to view the show and interact with the chat tool.
TUAW(Not) live from New York -- it's TUAW TV Live! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 [...]
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5) Boston creates app to report road problems
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/boston-creates-app-to-report-road-problems/
Filed under: Software, Freeware, iTunes, iPhone
Since moving to LA, I haven't quite had to deal with the potholes that Spring in Chicago usually brings (not that roads are any better out here, but at least they don't have to deal with all of the freezing and thawing). But despite the yearly flat tires and ruined alignments, Chicago hasn't gone quite as far as Boston, where the city government has developed not one but two apps to enable its citizens to report on potholes and other city issues.
Citizens Connect is an app developed late last year by the city that enables locals to report graffiti, potholes, broken streetlights, and other urban issues in the Boston area, and now they're working on a new app, nicknamed BUMP (for Boston Urban Mechanic Profiler), that will automatically transmit road conditions to a central database using the iPhone's accelerometer and data connection. That [...]
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6) Y Combinator is seeking iPad app developers
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/y-combinator-is-seeking-ipad-app-developers/
Filed under: iPadY Combinator is a relatively famous tech startup firm, a company that invests in startup companies on a regular basis, both to encourage innovation and of course to pick up a tiny share of the equity. Their latest RFS (or Request For Startups) has them asking specifically for companies interested in iPad applications, and the reasons for this interest are pretty intriguing. They say straight off the bat that they don't think the iPad is just bigger iPhone or another tablet computer -- they believe that "the iPad is meant to be a Windows killer. Or more precisely, a Windows transcender." Apple, they say, believes this as well, but rather than take on Windows face first, they've chosen to sideswipe them through the tablet platform. Consumers will pick up an iPad, and almost won't even notice that they're slowly using it more and more while neglecting their more [...]
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7) Valve teases a Mac release of Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress 2
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/valve-teases-a-mac-release-of-half-life-portal-team-fortress-2/
Filed under: Gaming, Software
Even I was dubious about the rumor the other day of Steam coming to the Mac, but now here's something straight from Valve hinting that it might actually happen. MacRumors got an image of Half-Life's Gordon Freeman via email... with an Apple logo on his chest. MacNN got another picture, this one showing turrets from Portal and Team Fortress 2 parodying the "I'm a Mac" ads. And Shacknews got a third, with the Heavy from TF2 eating a sandwich shaped like an Apple logo in a parody of the iPod dancing ads.
Oh Lordy. Looks like Valve is planning to make a Mac announcement, and while it might not be quite as far-reaching as bringing the whole platform over, they might as well start with all of their blockbuster games. It's also possible that this is related to the secret message hunt going on the PC version of Portal, which itself seemed to be hinting at an [...]
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8) Daily Deals for March 3, 2010
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/daily-deals-for-march-3-2010/
Filed under: DealsWe wrote about blog app Blogo a while back and now it's on sale for $12.95. If you're in the market for a Mac-based blogging tool, give it a try.
If you missed Macworld then you missed Sennheiser selling their headphones for 50% off. But these Sennheiser PXC-310 noise-cancelling headphones for $179 (with free shipping) may ease the pain.
Earlier today we wrote about an iPod dock with a "bed shaker," but these Memorex Minimove iPod dock speakers won't likely shake you out of bed. Still, for under $30 it's a good deal if you're looking for a cheap dock to put in a spare room.
Those are all the deals for today, courtesy our friends at DealNews.TUAWDaily Deals for March 3, 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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9) Voalté One iPhone and iPad apps streamline healthcare communications
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/voalte-one-iphone-and-ipad-apps-streamline-healthcare-communicat/
Filed under: iPhone, iPadWe've posted about the use of both the iPhone and iPad in the healthcare industry before, and there are a number of apps that have been developed to take advantage of the iPhone in hospitals and clinics. One of our readers pointed out that Voalté, a company that specializes in hospital paging and communications, has had a free iPhone app available for over a month.
The free Voalté One app works to integrate VoIP calling, text-messaging, and all of the alarms and alerts from patient monitoring systems onto an iPhone or iPod touch. Of course, there's more to using this than just installing the app on an iPhone -- the company designs and builds communication systems for hospitals -- so deploying an iPhone or iPad-based solution isn't exactly "free."
Screenshots found in the App Store show the app being used by a nurse to designate available or busy time, sending [...]
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10) Apple releases ProKit 5.1 update
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/apple-releases-prokit-5-1-update/
Filed under: Multimedia, Software UpdateStep right up for an update for ProKit apps. According to Apple:
"This ProKit Update fixes issues with user interface software resources that are shared by Apple's professional applications. The issues addressed include:
Corrected an issue with improper scrolling behavior.
Resolved memory leaks for improved performance.
Addressed layout of interface elements in certain application alert windows.
The update is recommended for all users of Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Aperture, Final Cut Express, Soundtrack, Logic Pro and Logic Express."
Installing the software doesn't require a re-boot and should show up in your Software Update window. Or if you'd prefer to install manually, you can download it from Apple's support page.TUAWApple releases ProKit 5.1 update originally appeared on The [...]
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11) Coming up later today -- TUAW TV Live
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/coming-up-later-today-tuaw-tv-live/
Filed under: Video, PodcastingBe sure to catch the latest episode of TUAW TV Live with your host Steve Sande, starting later today at 5 PM ET (2 PM PT) here at TUAW.com.
Barring any unforeseen catastrophes (Steve is wrestling with a server problem at this point), the show will last about an hour and will cover a variety of topics:
iPad availability (when and how many)
A couple of Mac application demos
Some fun videos
A hands-on look at the LaCie Network Space 2 NAS
Discussion of the topics you want to talk about in the chat tool
Come back to TUAW later today and we'll start up the livestream and chat about ten minutes before the start of the show.TUAWComing up later today -- TUAW TV Live originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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12) Rupert Murdoch confirms WSJ for iPad
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/rupert-murdoch-confirms-wsj-for-ipad/
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Multimedia, Rumors, iPadRupert Murdoch has confirmed, in a Q & A following his announcement of a New York 'metro' section for the Wall Street Journal, that an app for the iPad is under development (WSJ story here, behind the paywall). There's an iPhone app available now, and it's expected that the iPad version will expand upon it, with attention being paid to the iPad's big screen.
What's most interesting about this story is the extreme secrecy with which Apple is handing the process. it seems that WSJ developers do have access to a pre-release iPad, which Murdoch confirms is "kept under padlock and key." Not only that, but an Apple employee turns the key every night to confirm that the iPad is where it should be -- locked up tight, safe and sound. Not even preferred developers have earned Apple's full trust.
Apple paranoid? We can't imagine such a [...]
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13) The saga of the Apple stair comes to a $9950 end
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/the-saga-of-the-apple-stair-comes-to-a-9950-end/
Filed under: Retail
Ten days ago we reported that eBay seller heylookitskibbe was auctioning a stair from the staircase from the Fifth Avenue Apple retail store in New York. Shortly after our report, the stuff hit the fan.
Heylookitskibbe turned out to be former Apple employee, Mark Burstiner. The stair, made by Seele GmbH exclusively for Apple, was being replaced by Seele employees when Burstiner asked if he could have it. They gave the 250 pound stair to him, which he kept for a year before auctioning it. When Seele GmbH saw the news that the stair was on eBay they claimed ownership of the stair and demand that the auction be taken down and the stair returned to them. Burstiner removed the auction but refused to return the stair, claiming that it had become his property.
Yesterday we reported that, despite the legal threats, the auction was back on eBay. The auction has now come [...]
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14) Virgin America dumps Flash over lack of iPhone support
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/virgin-america-dumps-flash-over-lack-of-iphone-support/
Filed under: Internet, iPhone
As the smack down between Apple and Adobe continues, Virgin America has dumped Flash from its website because of the lack of iPhone support. Virgin's new website, which launched Monday, replaces Flash with HTML to give users the ability to check in via their iPhones in the future. Virgin plans on moving their new site to HTML 5, once it's cleared standards ratification at the World Wide Web Consortium.
Virgin's Chief information officer Ravi Simhambhatla told The Register: "I don't want to cater to one hardware or one software platform one way to another, and Flash eliminates iPhone users. This year is going to be the year of the mobile [for Virgin]."
While Apple has left Flash out of the iPhone since it debuted in 2007, things stayed relatively civil between Apple and Adobe. That all changed when Apple unveiled the iPad and decided to leave Flash off [...]
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15) Macheist arrives. Again.
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/macheist-arrives-again/
Filed under: AppleThe latest MacHeist countdown has finished and, after a few tense moments as they got their ducks in a row last night, the new bundle is ready for sale.
This year's "nano bundle" includes the following apps at an incredible discount:
MacJournal
RipIt
Clips
CoverScout
Flow
Tales of Monkey Island
Rapidweaver
That's more than US$260 worth of software for a mere twenty bucks. Note that Tales of Monkey Island and Rapidweaver are the "Unlock Apps." That is to say, they'll become available once certain sales milestones have been reached; Monkey Island will go on sale once 50,000 bundles have been sold, and Rapidweaver after that.
I tend to buy software as I need it or as I realize that I've been using it for a while without sending off some cash to the developer. When participating in these "event" sales, I tend to forget that I ever downloaded the stuff, often [...]
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16) iPhone gross profit margins nearly 60%
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/iphone-gross-profit-margins-nearly-60/
Filed under: Apple Financial, iPhoneBernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi issued a 13-page report last week in which he estimated that the iPhone's gross profit margins were an astounding 57.8%. Those margins tower above Apple's competitors with RIM estimated to have 43% profit margins, Nokia 33%, Motorola 32%, and HTC 31.7%.
Sacconaghi believes that the iPhone's high gross margins could change Apple's business model as the iPhone's share of Apple's overall revenue stream grows from 30% in FY09 to an estimated 45% to 50% in FY11.
Philip Elmer-DeWitt over at Apple 2.0 notes that while the Street generally assumes Apple's profit margins will decline over the next few years, Sacconaghi believes they will increase due to a few key points:
iPhone prices are actually increasing. In Q3 2009, the average wholesale price was $588. In Q1 2010 it's risen to $638.
Buyers are still more than [...]
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17) Found Footage: Apple designs in 3D
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/found-footage-apple-designs-in-3d/
Filed under: Hardware, Retro Mac, Graphic Design
Transparent House, a San Fransisco-based 3D design and visualization studio, has created this stunning video that showcases some of Apple's best designs over its 34-year history. Ground-breaking products from the Apple I in 1976 to the iPad in 2010 are shown.
What makes this video so impressive is that everything in it is entirely 3D generated. The animation was done using 3Ds Max and V-Ray render and only took about 10 days to complete. Check out the video below to see if your favorite Apple product made the list.
Anatomy of Apple Design from Transparent House on Vimeo.
[via Mashable]
TUAWFound Footage: Apple designs in 3D originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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18) iLuv iPhone dock includes "bed shaker"
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/iluv-iphone-dock-includes-bed-shaker/
Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone
The iLuv iMM178 shares a lot in common with many iPod docks available in the market today:
Play and charge your iPhone or iPod -- check.
Alarm clock scheduling based on full-week, weekdays and weekends -- check.
Alarm clock with customizable sounds -- check.
Alarm clock that vibrates to wake you up -- wait, did I read that wrong, or did that say that this alarm clock will vibrate to wake me up?
That's right, folks. The iLuv iMM178 (couldn't they have thought of a more friendly name?) is equipped with a corded "bed shaker" that, as its name suggests, will vibrate in tandem with your alarm. As the iLuv iMM178 wakes you up to The Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations," it can also literally give you some good vibrations of its own with its bed shaker. iLuv suggests that the bed shaker be placed underneath your pillow.
In addition to these niceties, the iLuv [...]
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19) I have seen the future, and it's SSD
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/i-have-seen-the-future-and-its-ssd/
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, First Look
On the Macworld show floor, I didn't really see one specific product that blew me away. What I did see, however, is the next big concept that's going to not only blow all of us away, but it will change the way we relate to our computers. It's the SSD (solid state drive) and it's almost ready for prime time. As we've mentioned before, an SSD is a high performance storage device that has no moving parts. These drives can contain DRAM or EEPROM memory, a CPU, a memory board and a battery card (more details here). Having no moving parts, they can move data much quicker than an HDD (hard disk drive) which uses quickly spinning platters with magnetic surfaces.
I got to play with what's being sold as the quickest SSD on the market, courtesy of Other World Computing. Their new Mercury Extreme Enterprise SSD drives start at US $229 for 50 GB and top [...]
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20) Redeye mini puts ThinkFlood's IR transmitter in a smaller, cheaper package
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/redeye-mini-puts-thinkfloods-ir-transmitter-in-a-smaller-cheap/
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
ThinkFlood released the Redeye in December of last year, which is a little unit that hooks up to your iPhone and, working with a separate app, turns Apple's handheld into universal IR remote. Our own Brett Terpstra liked the device, but said the unit was a little costly and could probably use a few tweaks. ThinkFlood has apparently made those tweaks, however, as they've now announced the Redeye mini, a smaller (and cheaper) form of the IR device. This one doesn't use the dock connector at all -- it's a tiny little unit that just plugs into your headphone port, and then can control any IR remote device with a free app.
The price is only US$49, much cheaper than the earlier device ($188). If you've been looking for a cheap and easy-to-use IR hookup for your iPhone, the Redeye mini might be just what you're waiting for. The [...]
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21) iPad to hit stores on Friday, March 26th?
http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/03/ipad-to-hit-stores-on-firday-march-26th/
Filed under: iPadThe Examiner is reporting that the iPad will go on sale in the US on Friday, March 26th. They cite "inside sources" with confirmation from an Apple Store manager in Southern California who wishes not to be identified. Daryl Deino, the post's author, claims that internal Apple Retail training will begin on March 10 with commercials starting on March 15. The commercials will emphasize the iPad's ebooks and iBookstore capability.
While Deino states that his sources say the March 26th date hasn't been officially set and is only "very likely" it would allow Apple to hit their end-of-March shipping goal and follow in the likes of other major Friday launches like the iPhone and iPhone 3GS. Deino's sources also state that the 3G iPads won't go on sale until April or May and that people who line up for the WiFi iPad will receive a "special gift."TUAWiPad to hit stores on [...]
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