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DashPad brings the Dashboard to the iPad, sort of...
DashPad (US$9.99) takes a unique approach to putting a Dashboard on your iPad. Instead of using an app, (which would never get approved by Apple), or jailbreaking, it uses Safari to serve an iPad specific page that contains eight widgets. More widgets will be coming, according to DashPad's developer Pixlcreations. Here's how it works. First you're taken to Paypal to tender your payment which triggers an email containing a username, password and a link to the site. After entering the information DashPad opens the Mobile Safari page where you'll find eight widgets: Clock, Calendar, Calculator, Unit Converter, Sticky Note, Yellow Pages Search, Google Search, and Weather. This is presented just as you'd expect it, with the widgets on the bottom regardless of how you hold the iPad. The rest of the screen is a white field. Just like Mac widgets, you tap on one to activate it and tap on it again to dismiss it. The widgets can all be moved around on the screen. A button shows or hides the widget bar. When you leave the app, it remembers the position of your widgets and the contents of the Sticky Note. It also allows you to put an icon on your iPad's desktop for quick access, which of course you can do with any Safari page. This is fine if you've become really accustomed to using widgets on your Mac and miss not having them on your iPad. It's a really neat idea, but after using it, I found quite a number of limitations. You can't install your own widgets, since they are a part of the Mobile Safari page, however when new ones come out, they will be there the next time DashPad is run. After not using Dashpad for a day or so you will have to put in your username and password again. This, I'm told, is a security measure and they are working on a way to delay authentication longer. This alone kills the idea of a quick and easy way to get bits of information all at the same time and I would consider authentication at this frequency a deal-breaker. You are only allowed one Sticky Note, which can be as long as you want and is scrollable. More will be coming, but one is what you get now. The Weather widget, which requires your zip code, doesn't remember it upon re-launch. The Google Search isn't useful since it does exactly the same thing as the search bar already showing in Safari. It brings up a new page. Of course hitting the usual icon brings up the screen showing your last six Safari pages and you can easily get back to DashPad, but this brings nothing to the table that you already don't have. It does have potential though and you might like it, but to find out you'll have to pony up the $9.99. I consider paying first bad marketing, especially since it would be possible to let you try it out for a few days and if you didn't pay up, the authentication would stop working. Personally, I don't think it's worth the price -- but if you're really enamored with your Dashboard, you might think differently. TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page.
Kinect dashboard navigation works while seated
We've been told before that the Xbox 360's Kinect would work when "an experience is developed with sitting in mind," but we hadn't had the opportunity to really test that. In a Gamescom meeting, where we saw the Kinect version of the Xbox dashboard, we tried out the menu system and movie controls to test its recognition of seated users: Sitting in a chair: Definitely works. Sitting on the floor: Works. Reclining while facing the Kinect: Works. Reclining with the Kinect at our side: We couldn't get this to work, but we've been told that it will by launch. Using another human as a coffee table (should have taken photos!): Kinect recognized the person behind the human coffee table trying to control the movie. According to Microsoft, Kinect was running on an improved version of the software used during E3 in June. The manufacturer is set to make further improvements before the camera's November debut.
Is Microsoft quietly opening up a Kinect beta program?
Well what do we have here? It appears our friends over at Joystiq have received word from diligent tipsters that Microsoft's Connect customer feedback service is sending out Kinect beta program invites. Details are predictably sparse, but naming ironies aside, the note does specify that chat will be limited only to those involved in the preview program. While this isn't really surprising given the context, Joystiq surmises that this choice clarification could hint invitees will have the chance to sample the video chat app available through the Kinect's new dashboard, which was shown off at E3. Unfortunately, Ballmer and crew have yet to lend any official credence to these murmurs, though apparently the email address behind these notes is valid. It's also not that outrageous to imagine Microsoft wanting to spin Kinect's wheels in the wild before releasing it to the unwashed gaming masses on its official November 4th launch date. Considering the program would have to put hardware in the hands of testers though to pull something like this off, we're counting on more than a few overly excited gamers shining additional light on the situation should things get serious.
Xbox 360 getting dashboard revision this November?
Let's face it, the New Xbox Experience isn't exactly "new" any more, but it looks like Microsoft may be getting close to another complete revision. If a set of purportedly authentic images that surfaced on Logic Sunrise (and have since been pulled at Microsoft's request) are any indication, it appears that the Xbox 360 dashboard will be tweaked to match the appearance of the new Family Center component that Microsoft recently announced (and is set to launch in November). Those changes include a new horizontal menu system instead of the current slanted design, and some other more minor tweaks like smaller text for the menu options. The image above may well not be the final dashboard, however, considering that some of the other leaked images made reference to Natal instead of Kinect, suggesting that they're from an older build.
Rumor: Images of new Xbox 360 dashboard leaked [update]
Ready for the new New Xbox Experience? French site Logic-Sunrise has posted shots of what appears to be a new version of the Xbox 360 Dashboard interface. This purported UI features a "Natal Tuner" application and a "Natal" setup process (which cutely directs requests for help to the @xboxsupport Twitter account). Since it hasn't been updated with the new "Kinect" title, these shots likely originate from an older dashboard build. It makes sense for Microsoft to ready a new Dashboard -- the console has a new look and a new controller, so it only follows that Microsoft would take that last rebranding step for the next phase of the Xbox 360 life cycle. [Update: The images have been removed from Logic-Sunrise, replaced by a Microsoft takedown notice.]
Kinect-optimized Xbox 360 Dashboard preview
We just got a look at the new Kinect Dashboard-lite for the Xbox 360. In some ways, it's pretty charming, with fun, jazzed up icons (when you hover over them they tilt and show off depth), a simplistic layout, and some great voice controls. The downside is this all comes at the cost of a brand new, fairly redundant interface for accessing functions that are already available with your Xbox 360 controller in the regular Dashboard. Still, there's no denying the joy of waving a hand to log in, hovering over icons to select channels (though the wait-to-click mechanism strikes us as eventually frustrating), and scrubbing through media with very intuitive gestures. The best part is the voice control, however, allowing you to speak "Xbox" and then a command like play, pause, back, forward, stop, Zune, etc. It's ripe for abuse (pausing your S.O.'s seventh Netflix screening of The Constant Gardner ad nauseam), but Microsoft says it's working on eliminating random commands that might seep into conversation. Our biggest worry is that we're going to see confusion and fragmentation of functionality with the divergent UI requirements that Kinect apps and regular Dashboard apps require -- we can't imagine the Facebook or Last.fm folks being super thrilled at creating an all-new app just to support Microsoft's whims, but we're told just such apps are in the works. Is the existing Dashboard really so complicated that Kinect couldn't control it? Check out a video of this puzzling Kinectasticness after the break. %Gallery-95214%
Kinect gets its own wave-activated Xbox sub-dashboard
It appears that Kinect will be getting its own version of the Xbox Dashboard (seen above), enabling both gesture-based and voice-activated commands on the Xbox 360. From what we're seeing in this morning, the new sub-dashboard will allow the waving of hands and ... uh ... speaking of words to control everything from Netflix to Last.fm to Facebook (and even SkyTV for our friends in the UK). Presumably it'll be arriving alongside Kinect this November.
Microsoft demos new Kinect dashboard and voice control
Thought Kinect was just for kicking balls and making a fool of yourself? Oh now, you can now use it to do everything from find your friends and to control media playback. With a wave the Xbox 360 pops into a new Dashboard which you can manage by moving your hands around. It also supports voice control, enabling you to say "Xbox Play" or "Xbox Pause" or, you know, whatever. Easy!
Nokia partners with European automotive powerhouses for in-car apps
Downloadable horntones? Music-sensitive interior lighting? In-dash version of Snake? All in your future -- at least if you plan to own an Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, or VW at some point. Nokia has come to an agreement with all of them to provide in-car apps and greater smartphone integration tech. This, of course, isn't the first move from the company (which has been showing off its Terminal Mode dash lately), but it certainly could be a major coup for Espoo. These five are by far the dominant players in the European market and certainly have a lot of clout worldwide. Exactly what sort of apps and integration remains to be seen, but recent statements from Audi may give a glimpse, saying it wants users to be able to "download heated seats." Naturally you can't download heating coils and circuitry, but the company could cut costs by just building that option into every vehicle and then enabling it via in-car purchase -- probably on a chilly January's morn. Distasteful? Yeah, just like paying extra to unlock "downloadable content" that's already sitting on the videogame disc.
Pioneer's Navi Robo waves you in the right direction (video)
Before you dismiss this as just another crazy idea out of Japan, hear us out. The newly developed, crab-simulating Navi Robo is designed to give drivers visual navigating assistance as a supplement to their GPS device. Its primary benefit, aside from helping the hearing impaired, will be in conveying instructions without requiring the driver to focus on it, as its eyes light up for attention and its "claws" vibrate urgently when an upcoming turn is imminent. Frankly, it looks both cute and functional, and we think kudos are in order for both Pioneer and iXs Research for coming up with the idea. They'll be taking their usual good time (read: a couple of years) to refine and develop the idea, but we've got video of the robot doing its thing right now -- you know where to find it.
RIM converts BMW's iDrive into 'a remote control for your BlackBerry' (video)
If there's one thing business types love more than their BlackBerry, it's their BMW -- or so we're told. It makes all sorts of sense, therefore, that the two companies would partner up to help the things they sell communicate with each other more effortlessly. Using Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), BlackBerry devices can now beam emails and contacts over to BMW's iDrive dash system, where the driver can listen to his messages via a text-to-speech option or make calls using the car's speakerphone. The first supported handset is the newly minted Pearl 3G, and we're told this functionality will come as an integrated part of BlackBerry 6. To see how it works on a 335is, click past the break for the video. [Thanks, Horatiu]
Dashboard iPad app rejected by Apple, made open source instead
So you spend hours and hours toiling away on an app that adds some much-needed Dashboard-like functionality to the iPad (sort of, more on that later) only to have it rejected by Apple -- what do you do? If you're Hongrich, developer of the slightly problematically-named "Dashboard" app, you make it open source. Of course, you'll have to be a developer yourself to actually try out the app, and it's not exactly the full-fledged Dashboard that many have been hoping for, but rather a standalone app that simply lets you run and arrange widgets however you like. Still, it's definitely a start. Head on past the break for a demo video, and hit up the source link to download it yourself.
Four widgets for learning
While the app store ecosystem for the iPhone, and now iPad, are filled with a host of useful apps to help students convert, translate and calculate figures and words, there may be times where an iPhone or iPad app just don't fit into your workflow. Back when Mac OS X Tiger was launched, which happened to be back when we all had to walk through 10 miles of snow to get to school, came the advent of Dashboard. In addition to the bundled widgets provided by Apple, one can access a robust library of widgets provided by third parties. Here are four useful Dashboard widgets for learning.
iPad gets fitted into car dashboard, makes you an instant carpooling superstar (video)
Let's face it, the Toyota Tacoma has a long way to go before being considered glamorous, or even remotely cool, but jacking an iPad into its console might be a good start. That's what the good people of SoundMan Car Audio over in California have done with a little bit of elbow grease and knowhow, and we've got video of how it all came together after the break. They've yet to wire it up to the Audison Bit One sound processor and McIntosh MMC406M 6-channel amp that are intended to receive the iPad's audio goodies, but the important stuff of fitting and molding the dash to its new 9.7-inch centerpiece is all done. Alright, so the glossy black screen and the demure grey plastic don't exactly sing in harmony, but surely the funky aesthetics can be forgiven for the sake of accessing all your media on the move. Right, dawg?
iPad app previews aplenty all across the Web
We're seeing tons and tons of news about iPad apps dropping now, and we're still a few days away from launch. In addition to our own coverage, here's a bunch of the other previews we've seen popping up around the community: This iVerse Comics app looks excellent, and it's one of the first universal binaries we've seen -- one purchase will get you the app on both your iPhone and your iPad. In-app purchase content will cross over as well. Flickr won't have an official app yet (as far as we know), but Flickr Photos will let you browse through Flickr on the iPad right away. Sonasaurus Rex is a looping/music app that will be available on day one. iTap will have a VNC client available for the iPad right away. Of course, no iPad will be complete with out the Star Trek-inspired IPADD app. The iPhone music app RJDJ is releasing both an iPad app and a Mac app to complement its handheld version. DashApp is designed to bring just a little bit of web multitasking to Apple's less-than-multitasking friendly device. Design Brief will help you collect information about new design clients (if you happen to be a designer, or just want random information about people) by using the iPad onsite. Dashboard App recreates Apple's Dashboard unofficially on the iPad. Globetrotters looks like a fun bit of party gaming. Can you imagine something like this becoming a killer app? Talk about revolutionary. We've seen private previews of the Box.net and Bento apps for iPad, and should be showing more in the next few days. And finally, even though I believe we'd heard about it before, Harbor Master for the iPad is officially confirmed as well. See what I mean? That's a lot of apps! Stay tuned -- we've also got our own exclusive coverage coming up over the next few days, but we'll continue to update you on what we see showing up out there in iPad-land.
Dashboard for iPad concept app
TechCrunch found this sweet app by Carnegie Mellon student Rich Hong that puts Dashboard on your iPad. As you can see from the video above, it appears Hong has successfully ported Mac OS X's Dashboard directly to the iPad, though it is missing some of the iPhone's built-in apps like Calculator, Stocks, and Weather. Many speculated that, without a complete overhaul, these limited-functionality apps would look ridiculous on the iPad's large screen. Hong's solution gives those apps back to the iPad. It is not known yet if Hong's Dashboard iPad app will appear in the iPad App Store, but I think it's fairly doubtful considering it mimics Apple software to a T. Still, it's a cool implementation and goes a long way to showing just what is possible on the iPad.
Three ways to disable Expose and Dashboard
A friend wrote to ask: Is there a way to turn off Expose without opening System Preferences, clicking on each drop-down menu and selecting the -- option? Because sometimes I just don't need it. Or it confuses my Mother. Or my advisor. To be clear, she knows that she could go to System Preferences > Exposé & Spaces, then click on the Exposé tab, and change the keyboard shortcut for All Windows, Application windows, Show Desktop for Exposé, and Hide and show to -- but that's a whole lot of clicks, and isn't very convenient. You could also go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts and uncheck the boxes, which is also inconvenient. First I'm going to answer the question that you asked, and then I'm going to give you a few other suggestions. The answer is yes, and Apple seemed to know this was something people would want to do. They provide two tips to disable the Dashboard and disable Exposé. Go to /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app and enter these three lines: defaults write com.apple.dock mcx-expose-disabled -bool true defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean YES killall Dock Do that before you hand your computer off and your friends, relatives, and advisors will be incrementally less likely to be confused by your computer. There's only one thing wrong with this plan: it doesn't seem to work for Application Windows. I tested this on my regular account and the OS X Guest account, and the above commands successfully nullified F9 (All Windows), F11 (Show Desktop), and F12 (Dashboard), but F10 (Application Windows) still worked, even after issuing these commands. I have no explanation for this other than assuming it is a bug in OS X 10.6.2. Once you get your computer back again, paste these three lines into Terminal to undo the changes: defaults write com.apple.dock mcx-expose-disabled -bool false defaults write com.apple.dashboard mcx-disabled -boolean NO killall Dock Ok, I've answered the question you asked, right? Now I'm going to give you two other suggestion, no extra charge. Alternative #1: System Preferences > Exposé & Spaces, then click on the Exposé, and then change the keyboard shortcuts to require that the command key (that's the key with the ⌘ on it) be held down before in order to trigger the F9-F12 shortcuts. You can do this by clicking-and-holding the dropdown for each key, and then pressing the command key. You will see the ⌘ logo appear. It's much less likely that whoever borrows your computer will accidentally invoke Exposé or Dashboard if it requires two keyboard shortcuts. The trade-off is that you have to retrain yourself to use them as well. This probably won't take as long as you suspect. Alternative #2: If you don't want to worry about Terminal commands or relearning any keyboard commands, take my advice and go for this option: create another account. Now I know someone is going to say "But OS X already has a Guest Account! I'll just use that!" The problem with the Guest account is that its preferences are deleted every time you logout. I'm going to suggest a "Friend" account instead. It's simple, and you'll thank me later. Go to System Preferences > Accounts. Click the lock icon at the bottom left. Type in your password. Click the "+" button. A new panel will open up asking you to create a new account. Change "Standard" to "Managed with Parental Controls" from the dropdown. Name the account "Friend" and give it a simple password (or none at all). When you have finished creating the account, make sure that "Allow user to administer this computer" is not checked. Then click the "Open Parental Controls" and check the box next to "Only allow selected applications" and then uncheck everything except iWork, Safari, iChat (maybe), and just about nothing else. Ok, maybe QuickTime Player. Now there is another key step: login to the "Friend" account. You will find some applications which automatically want to run and you will be given the option to authorize them once, or for every time. Use the account for an hour or two, and authorize all the apps that you find you need for web browsing and basic word processing, which is what most guests will need to do. You could make a regular standard account and not disable any applications. If the above steps sound too restrictive, just make a standard account. That will protect you from them doing too much damage. Once you have an account setup, log into it and make sure the applications that someone is likely to want are on the Dock (Safari, iWork, etc). Go into the preference settings and disable the keyboard shortcuts for Exposé and Dashboard.
Xbox 360 USB data storage announced, coming April 6
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/26/xbox-360-usb-support-announced-coming-april-6/'; Look at Major Nelson, dropping the scoop about USB drive support being added to the Xbox 360 like it's news to you. It's adorable. Okay, okay, so he did have some new information -- like a launch date. April 6 -- but otherwise things seem to be exactly as we laid them out a week ago: You'll be able to use up to 16GB of two separate USB-based storage devices for a total of 32GB of extra storage. He also offered some new screens! Experience the face-melting user interface excitement of right here.
Standalone Xbox 250GB HDD confirmed by Dashboard [update]
While Microsoft may have stated up, down and sidesaddle that the 250GB version of its Xbox 360 HDD would remain exclusive to special console bundles (e.g., Modern Warfare 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction), it would appear that the particular drive will arrive as a standalone accessory sometime soon. As spotted by eagle-eyed Joystiq reader Rodney in the Spotlight section of the Xbox 360 Dashboard (pictured above), the accessory should be available at "participating retailers" rather soon -- the ad's wording indicates that the HDD might already be on store shelves (as of this writing, Amazon has the product listed without a price). Though it's odd to see an official reveal through the Xbox Dashboard, we have been hearing rumblings about a standalone version of the 250GB HDD for quite some time -- listings even popped up on retail sites earlier this month bearing ... today's date! We've contacted Microsoft for pricing and release info, but until the West Coast wakes up, we've got this thrilling hi-res gallery of the Dashboard advertisement for you below. [Update: We've just gotten official word from Microsoft that the 250 GB HDD retails for $129.99 and should be available today.] %Gallery-88789% [Thanks Rodney!]
Will iPad be missing some iPhone apps?
Wired noticed that there are some notable exceptions among the announced iPad apps, including Stocks, Calculator, Clock, Weather and Voice Memos. These apps could be available for download through the App Store. However, blogger Kevin Fox suggested last month that could hint toward a possible Dashboard implementation on the iPad. He argues that these apps, with the exception of Voice Memos, were originally Dashboard widgets to begin with. Fox theorizes that a five-finger pinch would bring forth a Dashboard with these apps and a second would send them back to the background. This is not the first Dashboard theory that's been floated for the iPad. It's an intriguing idea, and I can see that being part of a future version of the iPhone/iPad OS. For now, I hope that these apps are available as a free download, or are already pre-loaded but on a second screen. The worst case scenario is that Apple will charge a premium for these basic apps, similar to the way they're charging iPod touch users for upgrades. I hope it doesn't come to that, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did either.