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Reeder for iPad and Mac is now free
What happens when you make a Google Reader client for iPad and Mac, and then Google announces that the service is closing up shop on July 1, 2013? If you're developer Silvio Rizzi, you continue development on a version of your app that won't rely on Google Reader, and you give away your app for free. As of today, Rizzi is making Reeder for iPad and Reeder for Mac freely available. In an announcement made this morning, Rizzi noted that "it's still too early to have answers to all questions I got over the last few weeks." He noted that development of Reeder will continue on all platforms, and that the iPhone version of the app already has support for services other than Google Reader. Version 3.1 of Reeder for iPhone will be available soon, and Rizzi says that "the plan is to add more services you can choose from in the next weeks and months." For the Mac and iPad versions, version 2.0 is in development and will be available "in the coming months." It's expected that version 2.0 of Reeder for iPad and Reeder for Mac will add the features currently seen in the iPhone version, which includes all sharing and syncing services. In the meantime, the iPad and Mac flavors of Reeder are free.
GNOME 3.6 arrives with new notifications and improved accessibility support
The third update to the third version of Gnome may send numerologists to their calendars, but we're not that way inclined. Instead, the latest bump to the software adds a new Boxes application, a new notification system and an activities overview. It's also chucking in improved accessibility support in addition to the usual raft of tweaks and bug fixes you'd expect from an update like this. It'll be available from your own vendor (or distribution) soon, or you can pick up a live image from the official site straight away.
Steam for Linux entering private beta in October for just 1,000 users
Next month, Valve is inviting 1,000 fortunate gamers to take part in the first external beta test of Steam for Linux. The trial includes the service itself and one game (which we're taking to be Left 4 Dead 2) that'll run on systems running Ubuntu 12.04 and above. Users won't get their hands on any other Valve titles, or Big Picture Mode, and the company is asking that only experienced Linux users get in touch -- novices are politely asked to wait for a subsequent release. It'll offer up details of how to sign up shortly, and given the love for the Valve's other products, we suspect it'll be a little oversubscribed.
Moving from Cupertino to Mountain View? Samsung's here to help (update: UK only)
Moving? We all have our reasons, but if you're transferring your stuff from iOS to a Galaxy device, Samsung and Media Mushroom are there to help with the Easy Phone Sync app. The free software installs on your Galaxy product and a PC or Mac, then shleps your stuff wholesale -- media, contacts and all -- from iTunes over to your chosen Samsung Android slate or phone. It even lets you continue to use iTunes to manage music, photos and videos, while keeping everything sync'd up with the non-Cupertino devices. We're sure that Samsung is just trying to lend a hand, and doesn't have any (ahem) other purposes in mind. Check the PR after the break to see for yourself. Update: To be clear, Easy Phone Sync's only for Galaxy-toting folks living in the UK.
Microsoft revives free Windows desktop development tools, didn't mean to make you cry
Microsoft has resuscitated Visual Studio Express for Windows Desktop, a few weeks after deciding to bump it off. The company had wanted to push developers onto the $400 professional edition of the software, but a volley of complaints forced the climbdown. When it arrives in the fall, it'll let hobbyists, beginners and open-source coders create desktop and command-line applications... for free!
DropKey app encrypts Mac files, free through Sunday
WellRed Apps launched its DropKey file encryption app for Mac last month, but realized that there's one issue with gaining widespread acceptance -- it takes two to tango, and it takes two copies of DropKey (one each for sender and recipient) to send files securely. The company had been giving away one free license with each purchase of DropKey, but is going all-out through Sunday by making the app completely free. DropKey pairs 2048-bit keys with 256-bit encryption for incredible security. The app, which requires a Mac running OS X 10.7 or later, is integrated with Address Book and makes encryption drop-dead simple. When you launch DropKey for the first time, it generates your public and private encryption keys. You can email your public key to a trusted recipient from the app, which adds the key information to your address book card on the recipient's Mac. Prior to that time, a shared password is required; after the keys have been shared, you no longer need the password. DropKey is a useful app if you need to send encrypted information to co-workers on a regular basis, and there's no better time than now to download a copy for free from the Mac App Store.
YaCy's gunning for Google with free-software bullets
YaCy's a new free-software search engine aiming to wrest control of your private data back from the Googles and Bings of this world. There's no targeted advertising here, just a global network of peers all connected with the site's software. It currently has 600 peer operators servicing 130,000 queries monthly, with each user able to create individual search rankings so results improve over time. Project head Michael Christen said it's important no person decides what is listed, or in what order -- which makes us wonder what would happen if the Justin Bieber fan club decided to game the system. The software is available on GNU/Linux, Windows 7 and OS X and you can try a web-based tester (if you can get it working) at the source link below.
Phone Disk: Mounting your iOS device in OS X or Windows for free
How would you like to be able to mount a non-jailbroken iOS device as a disk on your Mac or PC? And what if this capability was (for a limited time) free? My guess is that a lot of you would take someone up on an offer like this. Developer Macroplant has come up with a solution that runs on a Mac with OS X 10.5 or 10.6, or on a PC with Windows XP/Vista/7, that allows you to view the contents of your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Phone Disk lets you open, copy and save files directly on the device, and you can mount multiple devices simultaneously. If you're a Mac user, you see the iOS file system in the Finder, while Windows users can view it in Windows Explorer. The app runs in the system tray in Windows or the menu bar in Mac OS X, so it's out of the way, but available when you need it. Note that Phone Disk will not give you "real" root access to your iOS device -- the program allows you to access media files (photos, music, and even apps), but system-level access still requires a jailbreak. Still, this is more access than non-jailbreakers can get otherwise -- if you know where to look, you can even pull soundtrack files out of the apps installed on your iPhone. Through December 1st, 2010, the developer is giving away Phone Disk for free. You just need to download and then unlock the software with the registration code available here. [via Macgasm]
Microsoft and Amazon announce open-source patent agreement, trinkets in exchange for air kisses
Mention "Microsoft" and "open-source" in the same breath and you're guaranteed to create a suspicion interrupt within the Linux community. Toss in "patent agreement" and out come the irate spokesmen. So imagine the response to the announcement that Microsoft and Amazon have reached a cross-patent agreement that gives Amazon the right to use open-source software in its Kindle in exchange for an undisclosed tithe to Redmond. Microsoft also gains rights to Amazon's patent portfolio. The move prompted Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, to claim that Microsoft appears to be trying to, "create uncertainty around Linux." Mind you, this isn't just tin-foil worry from the wire colander collective, Microsoft claims that free and open-source software violates some 235 Microsoft patents. A big enough stick to coax a number of companies -- like Novell, Linspire, Xandros, Apple, and HP -- into striking agreements with Microsoft or risk litigation as was the case with TomTom. Agreements that Canonical's Mark Shuttelworth called, "Trinkets in exchange for air kisses," or "patent terrorism" if you prefer Sun Microsystems' take.
Get your thinking caps on, MacHeist is back
Software bundles seem to be all the rage nowadays, but in my humble opinion, MacHeist is still the best. It doesn't just lump a bunch of apps together for special price, but instead, it turns getting a discount into a game. As a recent Mac switcher, I was utterly confused by MacHeist 3, the first edition in which I participated. Someone told me to check out the MacHeist bundle, so I went to the web site to see what applications it contained. But the site didn't tell me. It soon became clear that I was going to have to work for my software! The whole idea, if you're not familiar with MacHeist, is that you need to complete a series of challenges, labeled "heists," in order to get free software. Yes, free. As in what lunches aren't. And the software isn't anything to sneeze at (neither are lunches, by the way), as there are always some real gems to be found. UPDATE: We took the 4 from the title as it is currently unknown whether this is actually MacHeist 4 or an early bundle offer.
Several ways to get Snow Leopard for free (plus a Freeway Express giveaway)
Softpress, developer of the popular Freeway Pro and Freeway Express web development applications, wants you to get Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard for free. Now through September 30, 2009, they're offering a free copy of Snow Leopard with every full-priced retail copy of Freeway Pro or Express purchased at the Apple Store, PowerMax, or The Mac Store. If you buy your copy of Freeway at the Apple Store (either the physical or online version), just fill out this online rebate form [link to form] by October 31, 2009 and Softpress will send you Snow Leopard for free. Purchases made through PowerMax or The Mac Store also qualify for the free Snow Leopard disk. For anyone who has been considering purchasing Freeway Pro or Freeway Express, this is a nice incentive to act now. PowerMax sells Freeway Pro for US$215.22 (MSRP US$249.00), so you're not only getting the application for almost US$35 off of the retail price, but also saving an additional US$29 on Snow Leopard. Softpress isn't the only company that wants you to upgrade to Snow Leopard for free. MyService will install a free retail copy of Snow Leopard with any MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air hard drive upgrade. You simply enter a special promo code when ordering your upgrade, and MyService installs Snow Leopard for free, migrates all of your data to the new drive, and sends you the retail copy. Softpress has graciously offered us two licenses for Freeway Express to give away. These licenses do not come with the free Snow Leopard deal, but with the money you save you'll be able to afford to purchase your own copy. Just leave a comment about Snow Leopard, the universe, or anything else (keep it clean...) to enter. Good luck! Here's the obligatory rules review to keep our lawyers happy: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and to legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec), who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment below listing your favorite freeway, parkway or other stretch of road. The comment must be left before August 28, 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. Two winners will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: License code for one copy of Freeway Express (Value: US$79.00) Click Here for complete Official Rules. Be sure to keep reading TUAW during the Snow Leopard launch, as we're also planning on giving away some more goodies. You may already be a winner!
Mac Giving Tree rewards you with free applications
As the holidays quickly move through it would seem that everyone is in the spirit of giving (unless you're a scrooge, but that's a different story entirely). MacHeist, a site that has mainly been known to sell application bundles, is offering something very special this holiday season. The Mac Giving Tree is a place where people with a MacHeist account can go to get free applications. If you don't have MacHeist credentials, you can sign up for free. When you sign up, you are able to join the Mac Giving Tree -- this gives you a few free applications upon sign up. I got Synergy and Enigmo 2 absolutely free. On Christmas Day, you are able to visit the site, sign in, and "unwrap" other presents that show up below the tree. When you refer your friends, you are able to get additional presents to unwrap. Visit the Mac Giving Tree to get your free applications, and while you're there take a look at the page design. If you Twitter a message starting with @macheist, your tweet will automatically show up on the page ... that's just pretty nifty. Thanks, Phil!
Open source license ruled enforceable, hippies rejoice
Good news, open source fans -- copyleft licenses just got a big boost from the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which ruled last week that the open source Artistic License is valid and enforceable, and that violating the terms of the license constitutes copyright infringement. (You might be familiar with the Artistic License -- it's what governs Perl.) That's a big deal, as it's the first open source license to get put to the test -- while traditional EULAs have been upheld for years, open licenses hadn't been directly litigated like this yet, and it means that similar licenses like the GPL and Creative Commons now stand on firmer ground. As you'd expect, OSS advocates like Lawrence Lessig and the Open Source Initiative are all pretty pumped about the ruling, with Lessig calling it "huge and important news." We'd agree wholeheartedly, but here's some food for thought while you celebrate in the comments: if you're okay with FOSS software developers enforcing open-source license agreements, are you also okay with commercial software developers enforcing their own EULA restrictions? We can think of one in particular that seems to have people pretty ticked off.Read - InformationWeek articleRead - Lessig blog post
How-To: Automatically back up your computer
We've seen plenty of crazy ways to keep your precious data safe. Some people burn a few tons of DVDs, others make a montly habit of swapping hard drives into a safe location. In today's How-To we'll show you how to automatically keep your data backed up from your computer with ssh and rsync. Feel that? That's our warm comfy safe-data blankie. Check it out.
