John Burke

Computing

Computing By John Burke

Psystar's predictions... they're a bit off

More and more information is coming out about Psystar and their legal issues with Apple. Some new documents have been leaked with some numbers and predictions from Psystar themselves. According to these documents, the company planned on selling 1.45 million Mac clone computers by 2011. The actual number sold so far: 768. What's even better is that these numbers are their "conservative" estimates. If you take a look at their more aggressive numbers, Psystar plans to sell 12 million by the end of 2012. Yes, you read that correctly: 12 million. With the legal issues still ramping up, we can only expect to see even more (comical) news coming from the failed Mac clone company. Psystar even has gone so far as to say the battle is only helping them, keeping other clone makers from entering the market to "avoid the mess." [via Gizmodo]

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News

News By John Burke

Take your apps to the table with these iPhone icon coasters

With over 100,000 applications available, there's no shortage of ways people are using the iPhone's features. But how about on the coffee table or in the dining room? A new website is offering sets of coasters featuring the iPhone's default application icons. According to the website, the coasters are genuine app icon enlargements from the iPhone 1.1.4 firmware. They also have a non-slip cork backing and are heat resistant. If you or someone you know is a big iPhone lover, this would be a great one to add to the holiday wish list. iPhoneAppsCoasters.com is offering three sets including: "Core Apps" featuring SMS, Calendar, Phone, Mail, Safari and iPod "Home Apps" featuring Notepad, Settings, Camera, Calculator, Clock and Address Book "Media Apps" featuring Maps, YouTube, Stocks, Video, Weather and Photos The three "sets" each retail for around $19 USD. Here's some shots of the coasters: %Gallery-79073% Thanks to Chris Pirillo

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Apps By John Burke

First Look: Voices for iPhone

Novelty and social applications are a big hit on the iPhone. A new one from the folks of Taptivate is sure to be a big hit when it is released in the near future. Voices for iPhone is touted as an "audio recorder with a twist" and even a "social voicemail" utility. With Voices [iTunes Link], you're given tools to manipulate your own voice in many fun and odd ways. Whether you'd like to transform into Darth Vader or a chipmunk, you're good to go with Voices. Sporting a unique and very pretty user interface, the application boasts a lot of cool extras sure to show you how hard the developers have worked on it. The app has a home screen-like selection window where you can choose the way in which you want your voice manipulated. A stack of your recordings can also be accessed with just a tap. After initially seeing this app when it was in early beta, it has come a long way since then. The app is being published by Tap Tap Tap and is available for only 99 cents. Also, to celebrate the release, MacHeist is offering a special "Tweetblast" deal, giving away a free copy of Voice Candy for Mac to people who help spread the word on Twitter. Here's some shots of Voices in action: %Gallery-77971%

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Apps By John Burke

First Look: WhatsApp

There's a lot of buzz about iPhone IM clients.Other applications have gotten a lot of coverage for allowing iPhones to chat from their AOL, Google, ICQ, Jabber or a host of other screen names. WhatsApp [iTunes Link] is different, calling itself an "iPhone-to-iPhone chat application" that provides direct messaging between iPhones. The application features push notifications and provides functionality similar to SMS. So why bother trying it? The app makes it easy to chat with other iPhones with no need for screen names, logging in and out or the added cost of text messaging and cellular charges. It's a lot like an iPhone version of Blackberry's popular messaging service. You'll also quickly and easily be able to point out which of your contacts have WhatsApp installed. Even if you're offline, your messages will be saved until you're back online. Other cool features include the ability to "Broadcast" or send a message to multiple users, emailing of your chat history and sound and visual badges to show your unread message count. Users can also see when their friends are typing as well as the last time they checked their messages. WhatsApp is free "for a limited time" so head on over to the App Store and grab it. Here's a few shots of the app in action: %Gallery-78242%

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Apple By John Burke

Apple launches Music Movies on iTunes

In an attempt to increase movie sales, Apple is pushing out more alternative content on the iTunes Store. Today, they've spruced up their "Music Movies" library and added a landing page to promote upcoming releases. Music Movies are music-themed movies, concerts and documentaries that generally feature exclusive content and behind-the-scenes footage. While the selection is currently limited, Apple does offer a few movies that are not available anywhere else, such as an exclusive Kings of Leon concert DVD among other selections such as U2's "Rattle and Hum" and "John Lennon Imagine". In addition to the added content, a prominent landing page has been created that is dedicated to this genre of film. Apple also plans to negotiate early access to music-themed movies and is trying to make the content available for download long before it is available in stores.

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Apple By John Burke

Adobe points finger at Apple over Flash for iPhone

The lack of Flash of the iPhone has been an issue, complaint and breaking point for many current (and potential) iPhone users. It seems that Adobe is just as fed up as the rest of us and has started to more publicly blame Apple for the lack of this technology. When a website requires a Flash plugin, it provides a link to a "Get Flash" page. From here and on most devices, you can download the appropriate version of Flash and be up and running in a few minutes. In the past, iPhone users have been greeted with a message that basically states that Flash is not available for their device. A recent change, pointed out by GearDiary, shows Adobe getting a bit more snippy with Apple. The updated page now states that: "Apple restricts use of technologies required by products like Flash Player. Until Apple eliminates these restrictions, Adobe cannot provide Flash Player for the iPhone or iPod Touch." While this may not be "breaking news," it does say a number of things. For one, Adobe is clearly able to develop Flash for the iPhone and obviously wants to introduce it on the iPhone and iPod touch. This also shows that Adobe is very in tune of all the complaints and has redirected the blame to Apple.

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Smartphones By John Burke

Will Canada's iPhone be unlocked?

The iPhone is slowly making it's way around the world. In Canada, there are now four major carriers that support the device: Rogers, Fido, Telus and Bell. So how will Apple continue to stock and support the iPhone with that many carriers? That's where the story get's interesting. According to iPhoneInCanada.ca, to make stocking and inventory easier, the iPhones in Apple's Canadian retail stores will arrive completely unlocked without any SIM card. Once a carrier is chosen and a SIM card is placed in the device, it will then be locked to that carrier. So what happens if you put in a SIM card from a carrier other than the four in Canada? The simple answer: we have no idea! While we're not entirely sure what this means, it does present some interesting ideas. The Canadian iPhones could only recognize the four possible carrier's SIM cards, but may also be entirely unlocked. It'll be interesting to see how people that want to use the iPhone on unsupported carriers will take this news.

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Laptops

Laptops By John Burke

Is the MacBook Pro about to receive a quad-core speed bump?

With all the news circulating around about updated Apple hardware, you might be asking yourself "What about the MacBook Pro?" Apple certaintly hasn't forgotten about its high-end notebook computer, and details are starting to slip out that the MacBook Pro might be receiving a speed boost sooner than anyone might have predicted. Applesfera is reporting that some information about unreleased MacBook Pro models has been found in support files of the latest developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.2. In addition, there's been some talk on 9to5Mac that Apple Store geniuses are starting to work with the new Core i5 and i7 Quad-Core processors that may make their way into the notebooks. While nothing is definite, it's looking like the release of OS X 10.6.2 and the refresh of the MacBook Pro might come in tandem, and sooner than we think. Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

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Smartphones By John Burke

Palm webOS 1.2.1 fixes iTunes sync... again

Okay kids, this is starting to get a little out of hand now. Palm has once again pushed back at Apple, releasing webOS 1.2.1 today that "resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with the latest version of iTunes." What's that issue, you might ask? Well, I'd say the fact that Apple isn't too happy that Palm is breaking all sorts of rules to make their device appear as an iPhone. It all started back in May, when it was determined that plugging a Palm Pre into a Mac will allow it to sync content with iTunes with no issues. This honeymoon period didn't last too long and once Apple figured out what was going on, Apple swiftly released an update to iTunes that prevented syncing from non-Apple devices. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Palm and it was determined that they were trying to make the Pre appear to be an Apple device when it was plugged in for syncing. Palm turned around and released yet another webOS update that fixed the sync and it worked well until the USB-IF got involved and sided with Apple, telling Palm they had to cease and desist. Looks like Palm is back on the attack and this latest release is sure to stir up the pot once again.

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Apple By John Burke

TUAW Tips: Get a better view with Quick Look

Quick Look is such an awesome feature of Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6, making it really fun and easy to view files and folders from anywhere on your Mac. But what happens when you have a folder with multiple items and want to get a better idea of what's inside? Well, you could always just open the folder in Finder, but there's a cool modification you can make to get an even quicker view. You can get this working on your Mac in a few simple steps: Quit/Relaunch Finder using the Force Quit menu Open Terminal Paste (or type) the following command: defaults write com.apple.Finder QLEnableXRayFolders 1 Relaunch Finder The contents of the folder will now be shown when you use Quick Look. In true Apple elegance, the files will even fade and cycle through the contents. [via Mac OS X Hints]

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Smartphones By John Burke

Credit card terminals for iPhone

It's no secret that the iPhone is much more than just a smartphone. Apple has even started giving iPhones to Apple Store Concierge employees to schedule appointments and manage the store. The ability to complete mobile transactions with credit card terminals is a great use of the iPhone for employees on the go or companies that do home or office calls. Like most applications in the iTunes App Store, there is no shortage of alternatives available for you to try. Here's a roundup of some of the most popular credit card terminals for iPhone. Credit Card Terminal [iTunes Link] - $0.99 This app is pretty awesome. So awesome in fact, that it was featured internationally in an Apple commercial. The 99 cent application offers a (very) cheap alternative to expensive terminals and hardware. With a clean and easy to use interface, users can enter credit card information, complete transactions, and even view and refund past sales. The app also gives you the ability to collect customer information. The developer even offers telephone and email support and will walk you through setup. Billing: Credit Card Terminal [iTunes Link] - $19.99 Another "easy to use" credit card terminal that is guaranteed to help make transactions easier. Sporting a pretty cool, and somewhat different kind of interface, the $20 application makes setting up a sale as simple as tapping a button. One cool feature offered in this version is the ability to get a customer's signature. Some screenshots from the featured applications: %Gallery-73813%

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Smartphones By John Burke

One step closer, iPhone gets approval in South Korea

It looks like the iPhone is one step closer to being sold in South Korea. Apple has been trying to increase sales of the iPhone in the Asian market and has met some degree of difficulty along the way. After initially showing interest back in December, the South Korean telecommunications regulation board has finally granted Apple permission to sell the iPhone in the South Korean market. The device was approved at a meeting of the board yesterday (September 22, 2009), but while the iPhone can now legally be sold there, Apple has not yet made any official decision as to their plans in the region. Both KT Corp. and SK Telecom, two big players in South Korean cell phone service, have both said they have spoken with Apple and claim they will have the iPhone soon. [via iLounge]

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Smartphones By John Burke

A collection of iPhone home screens from your favorite Apple celebrities

With over 75,000 applications to choose from, it's no secret that every iPhone or iPod touch user has a different set of "favorites". A new website, First & 20, is shedding some light on the mystery of home screens starting with some popular website designers, developers, and writers you may have heard of. The website's concept is pretty simple - get a glimpse of the home screens of popular Apple or online notables such as Joe Hewitt, John Gruber, or Jason Snell. The creator hopes that the website will help you "see something you've never heard of" and discover some apps that are so good that they made it on the phones of top developers, writers, engineers, and bloggers in the Apple world. The reason behind just featuring the home screen is also simple. While many people may have the same applications, the question is "how many love it enough to have it on their home screen, one of their first twenty apps." In my experience, the website has opened me up to a few new applications and even some new ways to organize them. Leave a comment if you find someone's home screen to be of particular interest to you.

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Accessories

Accessories By John Burke

TomTom car kit delayed until October

Since its release in late August, the TomTom for iPhone [iTunes Link] application has received a lot of attention. When the application was first debuted at WWDC, it became one of the first products to combine both hardware and software for the iPhone. The car-kit (which provides a separate GPS module for enhanced positioning, connections for audio and iPhone charging capability) was expected to be released alongside the app. More information was then leaked after TomTom's car kit was seen on the FCC website. It looks like TomTom has decided to delay the release of the car kit until October to "deliver the highest quality innovative product." In a small note on their website's FAQ page, TomTom announced: The TomTom car kit availability was originally planned for this summer. But we have decided to take some extra weeks in order to deliver the highest quality on this innovative product. So, the car kit will become available this October on www.tomtom.com. There are now many GPS apps available for the iPhone, but much of the excitement and anticipation for the TomTom version stems from its inclusion of a bundled accessory. We'll see how sales do when the car kit is released later next month.

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By John Burke

Facebook 3.0 for iPhone released

After a couple of weeks of waiting in the iTunes app store approval queue, the 3rd major update of the popular Facebook for iPhone [iTunes Link] application has been released. Joe Hewitt, the developer of the app, has been working on it for quite some time and submitted it for review on 8/16. If you're still seeing 2.5 in the app store, Joe suggests deleting the app from your phone and reinstalling it -- it will be 3.0. The new version includes some of the most requested features including: Better news feed with direct links to comments Ability to "Like" posts RSVP to events Create/upload photos to albums Write/edit notes Customizable home screen Improved photo viewing with zoom Better notifications Hewitt is already working on the next release, version 3.1, which is rumored to focus on adding Push Notifications. Check out some shots of the app in action: %Gallery-70343%

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Apps By John Burke

Notify keeps an eye on your Gmail inbox

I, like many people, am constantly checking my email. No matter where I am, I'm either getting messages pushed to my iPhone or Mail is checking for new ones every minute. A new app is promising to make using Gmail and checking for messages much, much easier. Notify, a new free application by Vibealicious Apps, puts a small button in your menubar of your Mac that keeps track of unread messages. The app, which was released less than 24 hours ago has already received over 3200 downloads and is quickly making a name for itself. Notify's developers consider it "like a menubar app, but better" explaining that the application boasts a much better user interface and much more functionality than traditionally found in menubar apps and buttons. The application has a lot of cool features including: Support for multiple accounts Tabbed interface Growl integration Sleek, simple UI The developer promises that Notify will continue to evolve, adding that the next major release of the app will support any IMAP email client as opposed to just Gmail. They're also working on support for Google Apps, in-app replies and the ability to create and send new messages directly from your menubar. The app is also promised to be "freeware forever", according to the developer's twitter. Some shots of Notify in action: %Gallery-70736%

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Apps By John Burke

Apple's Address Book app getting social in 10.6?

We're all still waiting to see if the rumors of an earlier-than-expected release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard are going to come true. There's been no shortage of news regarding Snow Leopard going to golden master, but 9to5Mac has received a tip that the build everyone has expected to be final (10A432) might actually not be. Some shots of built 10A435 have surfaced and while there's not much information to go by, the new build features an updated Address Book app. A screenshot from the new build has been floating around featuring an updated version of the Address Book application with one big addition. A "social networking" menu is added showing both Twitter and Facebook icons. This could mean that Apple will allow you to keep (and possibly edit) your contacts pulled from social networks. There's no word yet if the screenshot is credible or not, but it does look pretty convincing and would make sense given recent news that Apple is likely to incorporate social media into other applications such as iTunes.

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Apple By John Burke

Apple Store UK says Snow Leopard ships by August 28th

There's been a lot of news circulating around about the upcoming release of Mac OS X 10.6. First, Snow Leopard hit Amazon's pre-order list (and soon topped it) and days later, there were reports that Snow Leopard had finally reached gold master. Today, Apple's UK store has posted information about Snow Leopard and Apple's "Up-to-Date" program, with an interesting note: Ships by August 28th. If this is true, it would confirm rumors that the next major release of the Mac operating system would be released ahead of the September release date set by Apple. While the page is public, there's no way to order it yet. This could be a simple error or an outdated page but has Mac fans in a buzz as the release gets closer. [via MacRumors]

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Apps By John Burke

BargainBin keeps you on top of app sales

In a perfect world, every iPhone app would be free, fun, and washed in unicorn tears -- but alas, that's not the case (and just as well for the app developers trying to make money on the store). With more than 65,000 applications available, it's hard to tell what's worth the money and what isn't. In addition, developers are constantly updating their apps, changing prices, adding features and so on. BargainBin [iTunes Link] is here to help (and it's free). The free application constantly watches over the App Store and lets you know when items go on sale. In the latest update of the app, you can now even receive push notifications whenever a price drop or sale occurs. In addition, you can view screenshots and descriptions of the apps right within BargainBin. Users can set up a "watch list" that will inform them of changes to specific apps they're looking for or you can broaden your scope and have BargainBin keep you informed on changes to your favorite type of apps instead. Sporting a nice custom interface, many customizable settings and filters as well as push notifications, BargainBin is a great addition for those looking to score great apps for low prices. Here's a few shots of BargainBin in action: %Gallery-70213%

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Apps By John Burke

TomTom for iPhone now available in US

There's been plenty of hype and mystery surrounding the TomTom GPS navigation app for iPhone. Originally announced back in June, the app created by the popular GPS company promised to be the first of its kind... only to have competing apps from Navigon, Telenav from AT&T, iGO and others hit the store ahead of it. Finally, TomTom for iPhone [iTunes Link] has debuted on iTunes in the US today (already up and reviewed in its New Zealand incarnation) and is now available for purchase. Priced at $99.99, the app is a fully featured turn-by-turn GPS system that includes: landscape and portrait modes & pinch to zoom take full advantage of the iPhone interface voice guided directions integrated with your iPhone address book route options including fastest, most direct, etc. ability to find points of interest and call for reservations TomTom is also offering a bundle including the application and a car cradle kit that offers enhanced GPS performance, a charging port and hands-free calling. Having just hit the app store, details are still coming in about the features of the app and news about the car kit's availability. TomTom's iPhone website doesn't seem to be updated often, but it offers a link to subscribe to news updates as they become available.

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Apps By John Burke

First Look: Keymote for iPhone / iPod touch takes control of your Mac

There are some applications out there that never cease to amaze me. We're always looking for shortcuts and ways to make our lives (and our computer use) much easier. Iced Cocoa's new Keymote [iTunes Link] for iPhone and iPod touch is sure to do just that! With Keymote, you'll never again have to remember a shortcut. Keymote creates single buttons out of complicated shortcuts and groups them by application, speeding up your productivity and boosting your workflow. Basically, Keymote acts as a remote for your Mac and can control almost any application. The developer notes that you can "Easily control Front Row from across the room, refresh your Twitter stream wirelessly, or play a song from iTunes without even touching your computer, the possibilities are endless." Some highlights of Keymote include: Simple and intuitive user interface that makes using Keymote easy and fun. Easy to connect and operate over a Wi-Fi connection. Organizes your keystrokes, keeping the ones you use close at hand. Highly customizable with different key colors, the ability to add tactile feedback with vibrations and more. Built-in store for purchasing keystroke sets for almost any Mac application. Don't worry, most of these are free. Customize and share your keystrokes and layouts with other users easily. I found the Keymote interface to be simple to use, and the commands are snappy, happening almost instantly. The in-app store is great too; I was able to download keystroke sets for Tweetie, Coda, iTunes, Safari, Firefox, Photoshop and so much more. I'm also a sucker for a beautiful user interface and Keymote certainly has that. The menus are easy to use and the keystroke pages are downright gorgeous. The application is available in the iTunes App Store for $3.99 and is well worth the price. In addition to the app, you'll need to head over to Iced Cocoa's website, download the free Keymote receiver, and then pair your iPhone or iPod touch with the receiver application on your Mac. Here are a few shots of the application in action: %Gallery-70140%

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Apps By John Burke

iStudiez Pro helps to get you back on schedule

It's been a long summer, and students everywhere are starting to head back to universities and colleges around the country. It's not easy to get back into a daily grind of classes, assignments and activities but a new application called iStudiez Pro [iTunes Link] is here to help! Created by Andriy Kachalo and Michael Balashoff, iStudiez Pro is designed to help you take charge of your own schedule by always keeping you on top of where you need to be and what needs to get done. With an intuitive interface, the application promises to make sure "you never miss another course, lecture, and lab, track tasks and deadlines, plan homework, arrange assignments and much more." Some notable features include: Smart day view that automatically displays summary of currently classes and tasks Detailed schedule planner to break down classes and assignments A view to suit everyone including expanded month and week views, with colored labels for each course Specific icons for different types of classes Supports iPhone features like touch gestures and device rotation Integrated address book keeps your contacts and professor's information close at hand The application, available for both iPhone and iPod touch, is selling for $2.99 on the App Store. If you're looking to snag a copy of this app for free, the developers are currently offering a deal that if you see the demo version of iStudiez Pro being used in an Apple store and take a picture, they'll send you a free promo code! Here's a couple images of iStudiez Pro in action: %Gallery-70083%

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