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Open XML compatiblity issues spring up in Service Pack 2 update for Office 2008
A few weeks back, Microsoft released its Service Pack 2 update for Microsoft Office 2008 for the Mac. While adding a host of features and refinements (such as Custom Path Animation in PowerPoint and increased speed and load times in Word and Excel), the service pack apparently packed too much of a punch. The update has prevented some Open XML files from opening, for which Microsoft provides the following suggestions, and I've done a bit of MS-to-English translation (with apologies to DF)... read on to get the gist.
DivX Connected v1.5 now friends with MKV / H.264
DivX Connected v1.4 brought us the highly anticipated addition of Hulu support last September, and now v1.5 is bringing a few extras that are also quite delicious. The v1.5 Beta, which is out this very moment, adds in support for Matroska (MKV) and H.264, though you'll need the newly unleashed DivX 7 installed in order to experience the magic. The entire changelog is surprisingly lengthy, so we'll point you to the read link for those details as well as a download URL. A demonstration vid is just past the break.[Thanks, Karolis]
Client patches for Wrath of the Lich King
To play Wrath tonight you'll need to update the game. The game installs version 3.0.1 when you upgrade to Wrath, and you'll need to update it version to 3.0.3. That means installing the following two patches: Version 3.0.1 - > Version 3.0.2 Version 3.0.2 -> Version 3.0.3 You are in luck though and don't have to wait around to download them all. We have the files hosted over at our sister site Big Download. Take a look after the break for a complete list of the files you'll need to get.Note: If you saved the files from previous patches, you're all set. But be sure they work and are fully saved before you go out and get Wrath tonight – no need to waste time downloading stuff again.
First Look: iPocket for iPhone/iPod touch
One of our fellow bloggers, Erica Sadun, sent me an iPhone/iPod touch application that she created to manage files. iPocket is sort of like a Finder for your iPhone. It allows you to peer into the file structure on your iPhone. Specifically, I was looking to retrieve one of my voicemail.amr files for saving.This application allows you to browse files locally, through FTP and a web interface. You can also send files via Bonjour (using a specially made Mac app) and through email. This is really handy if you want to browse the file structure of an application, or if you need to grab a file. Currently you can view images, sounds, movies, PDF files, text, and property files in iPocket. You will not, however, have access to your iTunes media library on the iPhone as Apple doesn't allow you to view this data. Although this was submitted before the App Store deadline, it remains in review with an uncertain shelf date. You can also check out the gallery of screenshots from the application.%Gallery-29111%
Apple working on an "iSight HD"?
According to a recent MacRumors posting, Apple might be working on a "next generation" high definition iSight camera. This comes after a reference in the localization strings file for QuickTime shows "iSight HD" as one of the import devices. You can see the localization strings for "iSight HD" by opening the following file in either QuickLook (space bar) or by opening it in TextEdit: /System/Library/QuickTime/QuickTimeUSBVDCDigitizer.component/Contents/Resources/English.lproj/Localizable.strings Once you have the file opened, you can clearly see where Apple has placed the following bit of code: /* Next Generation USB iSight */"iSight HD" = "iSight HD";We should note that while this code has been found, it doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will release a new iSight product, but this does give us hope. [via World of Apple]
TUAW Podcast #26: File Launchers
We talk up the file launcher and manipulator Quicksilver quite a bit here at TUAW, but there is a solid batch of similar productivity-enhancing utilities that offer different things for different users. Whether you're looking for a simple utility that lets you launch your applications faster than Spotlight can find them, or you're prepared to step up to vast amounts of power and flexibility with what you find and how you use it, chances are I covered an app in this screencast that will fit the bill for you. From the power of Butler to the simplicity of Namely, I wanted to give you at least some of the basics and a visual on how 5 different launchers work, as well as their pros and cons and how they differ from each other. However, since I am a Quicksilver lover at heart, it is very likely that I missed a key feature or two in these apps, so feel free to highlight your favorite features and what you think new users can truly benefit from in the comments. Also, for anyone interested in what I'm using to create these screencasts, I include a very short blurb at the beginning which highlights a few of the tools I use to record the screencast and create some of the effects I use.This time around I've decided to try something different, and I've created two versions of the screencast. In our podcast feed is an iPod-friendly version of the podcast that's 640 x 400, 17 minute and 40 MB - that's the one you can get by subscribing to our iTunes Store podcast feed or our direct TUAW podcast feed. I've also created an HD version for those who want something with a little more detail (sorry, we don't have an RSS feed for HD podcasts yet; this is a new thing so we'll see how it goes). That one will look better on larger displays and should play mighty fine on the Apple TV.To make sure we're all on the same page and that you can run out and grab demos of these launchers, here is a list of links to all the apps I mention in the screencast, including the ones I use to create and record it:Launchers Quicksilver - donationware LaunchBar - commercial: $19.95 Butler - donationware Overflow - commercial: $14.95 Namely - donationware Screencast recording Desktopple Pro - hiding the desktop icons, custom wallpaper and more (which we've mentioned before) Mouseposé - spotlight effects, keystroke overlays (which I didn't use in this specific screencast) and other presentation highlighting tools (mentioned here) iShowU - excellent and customizable app for recording screencasts (mentioned a couple times here) I hope you enjoy the screencast, and please feel free to leave feedback to let me know how I'm doing with producing these. If you prefer HD podcasts that look better on screen and can play on an Apple TV (instead of 640 px wide podcasts which are the max an iPod can handle), definitely let me know that too.
Microsoft sez Windows Mobile 6 file sync fix coming for Vista
Thanks to a festering mix of bugs and reduced functionality, it frequently doesn't pay to be on the bleeding edge (unless you're like us, that is, in which case your willingness to be on the forefront of tech frequently outclasses your common sense). Such is the case for the lucky... well, not so lucky few that are rocking both a Vista-equipped PC and a Windows Mobile 6 Standard handset (like an upgraded T-Mobile Dash, for example). As we know, Vista throws ActiveSync to the wayside in favor of Windows Mobile Device Center, which is all well and good -- we don't really care what it's called, as long as we can sync our device -- and therein lies the problem. It seems WMDC loses the ability to sync files between Standard handsets and their partnered PCs, something ActiveSync gladly handles. Microsoft advises customers to continue using ActiveSync for the time being as a workaround, but fortunately, a real, honest-to-goodness fix for WMDC is promised by mid-June.[Via the::unwired]
Xbox Live update hurts online roster sharing
Innocent bystanders get hurt in every war. In Microsoft's war on online cheating, those victims are sports game fans that make and share customized rosters online.5WG did some digging and found that the latest Microsoft dashboard update stealthily disables hundreds of customized rosters that are shared on unofficial sites like 360gamesaves. Apparently, the new update checks all save files against a list of banned system IDs extracted from sharing sites. Files from banned systems will not work on other systems.Why does Microsoft care whose save files you use on your machine? We can only assume the move is an effort to stop players from getting Achievements without earning them by using downloaded save files. This is somewhat understandable -- Achievements are good for both bragging rights and real freebies, and it's important to keep that playing field level.The side effect, though, is the destruction of a small but vibrant community of players using these game saves to extend the value of their sports games. As 5WG points out, "there's no cheat here: just a group of people giving back to the community for little or no compensation."Hopefully Microsoft will come up with a solution that protects their Achievement system and allows for a healthy roster trading community at the same time.[Via ArsTechnica]
TUAW Tip: Stationery Pad option makes a template of any file
The Finder's Get Info window (View > Get Info or cmd-i) is one of those unsung heroes of Mac OS X computing. It houses a lot of great options, and Stationery Pad is one of them. If you have any kind of workflow where you need to repeatedly modify some sort of a file template, checking this option in any file's Get Info window will tell its parent application to open a copy of it by default, ensuring that the original file remains unedited. While some applications that manage files for you can offer similar functionality, this is a great option for anyone who, for example, use Word docs as contract templates, or begins with a basic pre-built file for various Photoshop or hand-coding CSS/PHP freelance work. You can simply build the file any way you like, save it and check this box in Get Info to tell any app you open it with to open a copy instead of the original. Easy breezy file templates, with no AppleScripts or plugins required.
Hazel update brings even more productivity to automated file manager
I instantly fell in love with Hazel from Noodlesoft the first time I found it back in September '06, and since then it has received a literal landslide of new features that make it even more indispensable to any heavy file trafficker. For those just tuning in, Hazel is fundamentally a file organization utility; it allows you to set up a series of rules that watch files in directories of your choosing, and then it carries out various actions based on your criteria. For example: I download a lot of videos, particularly motion pieces I find from studios all over the web. I also download a lot of DMGs and ZIPs in the name of TUAW, and as you might guess, after just a busy morning of all this watching and downloading, my desktop is about as messy as the typical freshman dormroom. Enter Hazel, the background file management ninja. For these two scenarios, I have a couple of rules that watch my Desktop for files of type Movie, DMG or ZIP which were added more than 1 day ago. These rules will then move said files into their respective directories (Movies and Software, as one might guess) and apply a blue label to them, just to make sure I know what was moved how.
Ultimate list of TIFF homebrew games
Remember when TIFF games were all the rage? They were simple games that just needed to be placed in the PSP's PHOTO folder in order to work. One of the great things about TIFF homebrew was that almost anyone could use it, without any complicated ELOADERs and what-not. Another plus? It worked on homebrew with firmware as high as 2.80.Milad, from the Playstation forums, has created a huge list of TIFF programs that may catch your fancy. Here's a small sampling of what's available: Magic 8-Ball Calculator TNT Dude (homebrew game) Unstuck (stuck pixel remover) FileAssistant (awesome PSP file management utility)
Dragster - drag and drop file management and transfer with a twist
Ambrosia Software, those crazy kids with the Snapz Pro X and WireTap Pro, have unveiled the latest trick up their sleeve in the form of Dragster, an interesting approach to drag and drop file management and transfer. This utility, as you can see, lives in the Dock and is more or less like a drag and drop command center, allowing you to specify a number of locations you frequently need to move or send files to, such as remove servers, specific folders and more. These locations pop up when you drag items over Dragster's dock icon, allowing you to take care of your business right then and there, instead of rooting around in the Finder or tediously connecting and reconnecting servers. One feature I find a bit more interesting than its Dock icon abilities is the Contextual Menu that offers the same functionality. To me, this seems a bit easier to use and more efficient than dragging icons all around the display.Either way, try it out for yourself. A demo is available, while a license costs $19. Dragster, as most other new applications these days, is a Universal Binary.
Hazel - automated file management
Hazel is one of those rare pieces of software (with a strange name) that feels like it's filling a gaping feature void I didn't even know Apple left in Mac OS X: it's a powerful, rule-based file and folder management app that brings a little bit of Automator, AppleScript and Folder Actions to the table in a way that none of those apps and features do well on their own. Hazel installs as a System Preferences Pane and, as you can see, allows you to build a list of folders on the left with a list of toggle-able rules on the right. The on/off switch on these rules is key, as they make it easy to switch between running certain kinds of rules on a folder for different workflows, jobs, times of the day or week.
PeerBox brings "legal" P2P to the phone
With the proliferation of 3G bandwidth, mobile P2P (at least on the downstream) becomes an interesting proposal -- especially if you can make it happen without all manner of lawyer types using LBS to track you down. Nareos' PeerBox client, available in Java and S60 flavors, looks to keep you legal by using m2any's audio ID tech to detect copyrighted material while browsing open P2P networks (fairly robustly, we're guessing) and do the quick bait-and-switch, offering you the licensed equivalent for a fee. At the start, the service will be pay-as-you-go, but a subscription model of some sort is promised down the road. Now if we can only overcome our instinctual fear of black helicopters, men in dark suits, and courtrooms whenever we hear "P2P," this might just find its way onto our CU500.
View a graphical chart of file and folder sizes with Disk Inventory X
Disk Inventory X takes a unique approach to helping you analyze your disk space usage by visualizing it as a graphical chart. You can see a breakdown of which types of files are hogging the most space, and clicking on a graphical portion will display the file's location in your Mac's system. Let's hear it for the use of color, shapes and sizes in helping Mac users clean up their hard drives; those Britney Spears MP3 duplicates and abandoned BitTorrent downloads aren't going to trash themselves.Disk Inventory X is donationware and available from derlien.com.
Get organized: a survey of digital junk drawer apps
A while ago I decided to bring some sanity to the way I do things and organize all my stuff. I'm working on a design thesis in my multimedia undergrad degree, I'm constantly doing research for my blogging work, and I have countless other projects and ideas that were growing in both size and disorganization in my Home folder. When I decided to finally start getting organized, I realized I might not be the only person in this position, and I figured I would turn my research and testing experiences into a post; a sort of survey of what some call 'digital junk drawer' applications.What follows is a pro and con summary of four of the most popular junk drawer apps I looked at, but read this post with a few of my criteria in mind: I like keyboard shortcuts. I like them a lot. Being able to highlight a chunk of text in a browser or a PDF I'm reading and hitting a couple of keys to send it to a junk drawer app is far more efficient and less workflow-intrusive than having to use a mouse to drag and drop it to some far corner of my display. I decided not to touch apps that employ entirely different paradigms such as the wiki-like VoodooPad; I'm not denying the usefulness of these other ways of working, but adding that entirely new level to this survey would've meant putting this post on the back-burner for longer than I would like. I'm using a MacBook Pro 2.0 Ghz with 1.5 GB RAM, and while I synced my notes library across these apps to gauge performance 'n all that jazz, my library is a mere 500 notes (URLs, PDFs, etc.) strong, so your mileage may vary. With that said, check out my survey of some Mac OS X apps that could help you bring order to your digital chaos, and feel free to post your thoughts or mention apps that should've made this list, and why.
Martian SlingShot 2.0 adds iTunes music and playlist sync
Scott blogged Martian SlingShot, a Bonjour-enabled network syncing utility for your Macs, back in January, and a recent 2.0 update has brought iTunes music and playlist syncing to the table. In addition to being able to 'publish' and 'subscribe' to folders between multiple Macs on a local network (also known as a 'live backup'), SlingShot can now keep iTunes libraries and playlists in sync, watching for changes and copying over files when new additions are found.A 30-day demo is available that allows you to publish or subscribe to one folder or playlist. Fortunately, Martian Technology LLC allows you to purchase one license for $29.99 USD on all the Macs you own, while business licensing is available upon request.
Macworld: The many faces of Get Info
The Get Info window works in a few similar but at times mysterious ways, and Rob Griffiths has put together an article that outlines each of its three iterations in Mac OS X 10.4 (Panther has two). While this might be rudimentary to some of you hard-core Mac OS X users out there, this is a handy feature walk-through of each slightly different version - Get Info, Super Get Info and Summary Info - for those who haven't covered this ground yet. Check it out.
Macgamefiles offers free game hosting
Macgamefiles.com has announced free game hosting for shareware and freeware game developers (but not for things like maps, mods, etc.). The only catch is that the game's developer needs to point their download links to the game's product page hosted at Macgamefiles.com. This, I assume, is so MGF can make up their (probably astronomical) hosting costs with ad hits.Given some of the bills I've heard of for hosting large files like podcasts and software downloads, I would imagine this is a huge bonus for garage-based game developers. Three cheers for internet advertising business models!
Flip4Mac begins beta testing Universal Binary WMV QuickTime components
For Intel Mac users who either love or hate WMV but have to deal with it one way or another, Flip4Mac has just begun beta testing the long-awaited Universal Binary version of their WMV QuickTime components. Announced in their forums today, it is more or less an invite-yourself program, as I had to contact them weeks ago to get on their email announcement list.After briefly testing on my MacBook Pro, it seems like everything is working just fine. I'm able to play embedded WMV files with no problem, but I unfortunately don't have any locally saved WMV's to try at the moment. So far, the beta seems like a success, and while I hate the WMV format just as much as the next Mac user, it's nice to no longer receive that 'plug-in not found' error.
