AuntieT
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Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me find a better alarm
Dear Aunt TUAW, Why do all iPhone alarm clock apps have to simulate an old and unattractive 7-segment display? Or the old, cheap, unattractive flip-clock display? I understand the gee-wiz factor of emulating these classic displays, but aren't we way past that point? I would love to see a simple, attractive and reliable alarm clock app for the iPhone without 7-segment or flip displays. Does such an app exist? Thank you! Your loving nephew, Pete L. My Darling Pete, Auntie is right there with you on alarm clocks. Auntie is so over mornings. Just let her sleep in or bring the caffeine right to her, along with roses and a tasteful continental breakfast, as she rises to a well-designed iDevice app's summons. After receiving your letter, Auntie set out on a hunt for beautiful clocks. Thanks to many of her electronic nephews and nieces, she tracked down the following suggestions that offer alternatives to the humdrum. Emerald Observatory (US$0.99) offers a stunning clock that's full of astronomical information without sacrificing a clock or a daily alarm. Observatory was the single-most recommended application in Auntie's search. The presentation includes the phase of the moon, the current time, sunrise and sunset times and much more. Night Stand HD ($1.99) offers some handsome analog displays as well as those 7-segment and flip presentations you're looking to skip. Clockus ($0.99) puts a mechanical spin on 7-segment output with elements that flip and adjust to show the time. Art Clock Van Gogh (free) provides a beautiful take on waking up. It has a criminally small audience (only nine ratings to date), and offers over 50 impressionist backgrounds. Unfortunately, the highly recommended Pencil Clock from Paz Interactive seems to have disappeared from the store -- but the screen shots that Auntie has been able to track down show that it really had a fabulous and non-traditional take on time. Hopefully one of these apps will strike your fancy and help you transition away from the boring 7-segment/flip-clock run-of-the-mill alarm apps. Love & hugs, Auntie T. Thanks to gonzopancho, NienorGT, pTracker, josh_m, Consumer_NeXT, mssres, rosskimes, zyafa, LucasTizma, jeffmc, and everyone else who tweeted suggestions...
Dear Aunt TUAW: Installing new betas borks my production Xcode
Dear Aunt TUAW, Every time I install a new Xcode beta these days, it kills my production Xcode and I can't submit to App Store. What gives? I thought you said that Xcode installs could live side-by-side in separate folders! Your loving nephew, Scott McA. Dear Scott, Although you can use separate folders for each installation of Apple's IDE, many of the tools used to create and submit packages live in the /usr/bin directory. And, when it comes to a shared folder like /usr/bin, the rule is last-installed-wins -- your subsequent Xcode installation will overwrite the older versions of the tools in that folder. To get around this you can disable the UNIX Development install option on the "Installation Type" screen of the Xcode installer. This option, which is enabled by default, adds command-line development tools onto the shared install volume. Unselect it during your beta install, and you should be able to skip the development tools re-install when you use the older Xcode version. Auntie adds that qualifying 'should' because a good fresh install of a release Xcode almost always fixes any problems left around by a beta install, even if you pick all the right options while installing. Hugs and good luck, Auntie T.
Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I make iTunes forget my apps?
Dear Aunt TUAW, The "Purchased" area added to the iPhone "App Store" will show you every app you have ever bought, including the accidental purchase you've made. I love that I can re-download anything I have bought in the past, but there are a few apps I want to permanently remove (throw-away) from my "purchased" area. I just feel as though I am no longer in control of what I own. Do you see Apple ever giving consumers the option to completely remove apps? Best wishes, Sean Dear Sean I really don't see this happening as it would introduce a whole new category of customer requests on the iTunes customer service staff, and require the infrastructure to support those requests. If it did happen, Auntie imagines that it could work like this. Imagine right-clicking an app in iTunes. In addition to the "Get Info" and "Show in Finder" options, iTunes could offer to "Remove from purchase history." Once selected, iTunes would ask for confirmation: "Are you sure you want to do this? We will send you a link so that you can re-enable this feature later." iTunes would remove any errant purchases from your history, like the copy of "iFartz: Supreme Flatulence" that Auntie downloaded while on a late-night liniment binge. Or, even easier, Apple could add more controls to the iCloud side of things, offering an iCloud config that lets you choose what apps to offer and what apps to forget. And it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you could keep violent games and other apps meant for adults out of your kids' iPods. "iFartz: Supreme Flatulence" is probably going to follow Auntie around forever. Warmly, Auntie T.
Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I deal with voice latency?
Dear Aunt TUAW, Why is VoIP so freaking awkward? I really like using Google Voice with Safari but then I always end up talking over the guy I'm calling to. What gives? Love, Denny Dear Denny, It's called latency, and it happens with all kinds of computer telephony solutions like Google Voice and Skype, as well as with iOS voice chat apps. What it means is that you're talking in their past. It takes time for your voice signal to make its way to the other party, and theirs to you. Historically, this was mostly an issue for intercontinental or satellite calls, but the march of technology has delivered it to calls you make across town as well. The lag in calls can vary from mere milliseconds up to a second or more, in bad cases. Google Voice in particular seems to have trouble with latency; traditional VoIP services may do better (assuming nothing's wrong with your network connection). By comparison, plain old telephone service has latency of about 45 milliseconds. You can find out exactly how much lag you're dealing with by using a simple trick. Ask the person at the other end to mirror you as you slowly count to 10. Tell him or her to count along at the same time. You'll hear the differential between your numbers and theirs, to get a sense of how far apart you are. There are ways you can deal with the latency problem with VoIP. Here are a few suggestions that might be able to help. Identify Let your partner know that VoIP is in use as early in the conversation as possible, and that there may be lag involved. Switch to Wired Using a Wi-Fi connection can exacerbate latency. Try plugging in directly and see if that helps. You may also want to test a call while connecting your computer directly to your cable or DSL modem to see if your router is making it worse; most router manufacturers have specific configuration tips for handling VoIP traffic. Avoid Active Listening Many people show they are paying attention by interjecting feedback into a conversation like "yes" and "I know!" VoIP disrupts the normal flow of conversation by introducing an unnatural rhythm. If you're saying "yes" or "I know" while someone is speaking, rather than in natural pauses, your conversation is going to stumble over itself. Proactively set VoIP-aware talk patterns Using phrases like "go ahead" and "Okay, now you..." help transition between one speaker and the other, creating a smoother discussion pattern in a latency-burdened channel. Also, don't be afraid to monologue to get your point across -- normal back and forth discussion patterns are at their weakest with VoIP. Offer alternatives It's fine to say "Can I call you back on my cell?" when latency significantly hinders communication. So, that's what Auntie has to suggest. Surely she has missed a few obvious suggestions. Add yours in the comments! Hugs, Auntie T.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me pick a shopper card app
Dear Aunt TUAW, My wallet is full to bursting -- and not with cash. (Don't try pulling a Soupy Sales on this nephew.) I've got too many shopper cards, library cards, etc. Help me empty my wallet of cards -- and if you don't mind, fill it with cash instead. Your loving nephew, Fnulnu Dear Fnulnu, (And, yes, Auntie knows what that stands for.) Auntie isn't about to send you money, so she's skipping the filling-with-cash part. Cheeky! She does, however sympathize about the shopper cards. All of us now carry more and more IDs around that stretch our wallets to their limits and our patience as well. She's reminded of a great scene from Neil Gaiman's American Gods, where the hero tried to argue with a ticket agent that an expired driver's license was worthless for driving but perfectly valid for identification purposes. Good book. Auntie is most familiar with two iPhone Apps, CardStar and Key Ring Reward Cards. Both are free. CardStar is ad-supported, and Key Ring seems to be monetized by referrals. Both are fairly badly designed, with annoying GUI quirks, and Key Ring requires that you register -- so your personal information is almost certainly being used to fund the app. It is, however, the slicker and easier-to-use of the two. Auntie qualifies "easy to use" because both apps have significant issues. For example, Key Ring never seems to have assumed that you might want to enter a pile of IDs all at once. You have to keep going back to a main menu to get to "Add Card" again. CardStar (first mentioned here) offers buttons that seem to have been tested on the computer rather than on actual devices -- its Cancel and Next buttons are so close together that Auntie always hits the wrong one. On the iPhone, developers need to remember that the human finger is bigger than a mouse cursor and space items accordingly. Key Ring is superficially prettier and offers a much more complete set of retailers. Both apps allow you to enter vendor names manually, but CardStar's entry method (you have to edit "Title," halfway down the page, not "Merchant" at the top) is poorly designed. Key Ring also automatically offers you coupons related to your vendors, so it's got some smart marketing happening. Neither app really wins Auntie's heart. She really would like to see either or both developers hire some good GUI talent and work on their app usability. In addition to the current functionality, she'd love to see both apps add a rotation lock, so when you present your ID to a retailer, the person working the cash register won't get confused by the iPhone's autorotate feature. She'd also like to be able to snap photos of IDs in addition to just scanning bar codes. (Although the scanning features offered by each app are sweet.) On the whole, Auntie rather prefers Key Ring, privacy issues aside, because it's somewhat slicker than Card Star. Plus the coupons can be occasionally cool. Both apps are useful enough to keep around on your phone until someone gets around to developing a tighter solution, but both would benefit from interface overhauls -- as well as more explicit privacy statements from inside the app. If you're looking for a more general keep-track-of-stuff app that can handle loyalty cards and the like , Uncle Mike suggests either the free Evernote (which will take pictures) or the paid 1Password (which will keep things extra secure). Hugs, Auntie T
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me switch between YouTube and iTunes
Dear Aunt TUAW, Do you know if there exists a nice program or plug-in for safari which decreases the iTunes volume/pauses the current played song, when I am going to watch a YouTube movie? Each time I click a YouTube movie on Facebook, etc. I just find it really frustrating to go to iTunes, pause the current song and go back to watch the movie... and then restart the current song in iTunes again when the YouTube clip is finished. I want it to work in a similar fashion as on the iPhone. Kind Regards, Forrie
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me join my life, my heart, my iTunes account
Dear Auntie TUAW, Can you believe my wedding is in a few weeks?! That's got me thinking all of our digital goods that we now will both share. While I would like to know if it is possible to combine 2 iTunes libraries and still keep metadata (like play counts and composers), I am more concerned with the number of Apple ID's that will be under 1 roof. I've got an old Apple ID that I've made a LOT of purchases with, both hardware and digital goods. In January, I purchased MobileMe, mostly to keep our calendars in sync on 3 macs and 2 iPhones, but I would also like for that me.com address to be my new Apple ID for purchases in both the iTunes store and the Mac App Store (especially for syncing apps on all the machines). Can I just use that ID on all machines? What happens to my purchase history, like all my apps, movies, and anything with DRM? And of course, my future wife has her own Apple ID as well. Is it possible to bring all this together? And don't worry, the band will play a polka the first set, just for you. Thanks! Love and happiness, Dave
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me transfer Evernote data without the internet
Dear Aunt TUAW, I love Evernote and use it regularly on my MacBook Pro and my iPhone. Lately, though, I'm finding myself in places with both devices, but the MacBook doesn't have an internet connection and is therefore unable to transfer data from one device to the other without attaching a cable. Since both devices have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, it seems like there should be an easy solution to wirelessly transfer files that I would typically use Evernote for. Do you have any suggestions? Your loving nephew, Bill G.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me upload my stuff to Amazon Cloud
Dear Auntie TUAW, Amazon gave me a free 10 GB in their cloud to upload my music. It won't all fit since I have about 15 GB of music, so I was wondering if there was a way to upload just certain playlists without have to go to each folder and upload all the songs separately. Perhaps an automator action? Thanks and kissies, Patrick
Dear Aunt TUAW: Will Lion ship on disc?
Dear Aunt TUAW, I keep reading about how Lion is most likely to be distributed through the Mac App Store. I think this is great, and a huge convenience. I see how this would work for upgrading, but what happens if you have to wipe your computer and reinstall it? If you have no disk, how can you boot from it? It would be a rather large pain to boot from Snow Leopard and then reinstall Lion after logging into the Mac App Store and re-downloading Lion again. I was wondering what your thoughts were. Love, Your Nephew Andrew Q
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help find a Dvorak Keyboard for the Mac
Dear Aunt TUAW, A coworker of mine is wondering if Auntie knows of a good Mac-friendly Dvorak keyboard. Do you know of one? Your loving nephew, MJ
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me move my iOS devices to a new computer
Dear Aunt TUAW, I just bought a brand spanking new iMac. Since I want a clean slate, I am moving everything over manually from my old MacBook. So far so good, except for my iPhone, iPod touch, iPad etc. How do I switch my iOS devices over without the loss of my apps and their saved data. (I have put many many hours into Infinity Blade on long flights.) Thanks! Your loving nephew, Henry
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help fix iCal's fonts
Dear Aunt TUAW, Why does Apple make it impossible to adjust the font in iCal? God, I sound like an old person... But seriously, wtf? Frustrated, Your nephew Brian B.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help fix my failed install
Dear Aunt TUAW, Help! I can't install anything after my Xcode install failed. Every time I try, Installer tells me that it's waiting for other installations to complete and then it just sits there forever. What can I do? I've tried rebooting, I've tried killing the installer daemon. I'm at my wits end. Please save me, Auntie! Love, Serge A.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me find a projector for my iPhone
Dear Aunt TUAW, I sometimes watch TV in my bedroom on my iPhone (3GS) via EyeTV before I go to sleep. The screen is, of course, a bit small and not ideally positioned for a relaxed posture in bed. What's your idea on pico projectors in combination with an iPhone (3GS)? Many thanks and best regards Your loving nephew, Bob
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me propose on the iSly
Dear Aunt TUAW, You have been on at me a long time now to make an honest woman of my girlfriend... or at least ask her to be my fiancé, which might or might not be the same thing. But I can't, because I've got an iPhone. Can you help? You see, we have no secrets from each other. If my phone is nearer than hers, she uses it. So if I call the jewelers to ask about a ring, or if they call me back, they will be in my Recent Calls list. If she happens to notice a strange number there, I know she trusts me but I also know she's curious. And the surprise will be spoilt. Now I know that I can delete all recent calls from my iPhone. But I tell you, my dear Aunt, that if she accidentally notices a completely empty Recent Calls list, it won't be the surprise that is spoilt, it will be my face. It's not much of a face but it's the only one I've got. So, dear, wise Aunt TUAW, what can I do? How can I delete a single recent call from my Recent Calls list and get my life moving forward? Apple's instructions give me no way at all. Do we have to go on living in sin, or do I have to commit the worse sin of switching to Nokia? Your affectionate nephew, Joe. PS: No, I am not asking you how to delete single recent calls from the Recent Calls list because the information will be useful after we are married. Perish the thought!
Dear Aunt TUAW: What apps should I buy for Mother's Day?
Dear Aunt TUAW, Mother's Day is coming. What apps should I buy for the beloved of my life, the mother of my children. Tom
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help my windows stay put
Dear Aunt TUAW, During the day, I often switch between the screen on my 13" Unibody MacBook and an external monitor. Of course, this wreaks havoc upon all my poor windows with resizing, moving and so forth. I have to drag them back to their places, and scold them for their impertinence. How dare they move?! Is there a window manager app that will remember where I like my windows, and move them back where they belong in each of these display sizes? Thanks a ton, Your favorite nephew, Rich
Dear Aunt TUAW: Should I wait for the next MacBook Air?
Dear Aunt TUAW, My entire machine is just dog slow lately. I want an MBA sooooo bad. But I'm waiting for Thunderbolt *sigh*. Why can't Apple hurry up and ship those babies? Help a nephew out. What should I do? Love & kissies Your nephew "V".
Dear Aunt TUAW: Why does iTunes hate me?
Dear Aunt TUAW, There's nothing I love better than to put on a nice long multi-hour playlist while I'm working, but sometimes reality intrudes. I get a call, and I need to pause the tunes. If I'm visiting the iTunes store on my Macintosh, then the iTunes application totally loses my place in my playlist. I have to restart my shuffled playlist, and I end up hearing song after song that I've already listened to repeat in a way that ticks off my subconscious. Help me Auntie! How do I pause my playlist to take a call and be sure that I don't lose my place? Why does iTunes hate me? Thanks a bunch, Vittorio F.
