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Cingular jumps on the MySpace bandwagon
It looks like Helio isn't the only game in town touting a MySpace partnership anymore, as Cingular has not only joined the ranks (well, solidified the friendship, anyway), but upped the ante in the process. While we learned about MySpace's integration with Helio (and the subsequent perks for members) awhile back, Cingular's deal promises a "more expansive" offering. So expansive, in fact, that users will be charged an extra $2.99 per month to upload photos taken on their handsets to their profile, read / respond to MySpace emails, update their blog entries, and search / view friend profiles on their handsets. Apparently, these not-so-outrageous niceties are costing users due to the "small Java application" that they can download, which presumably makes accessing these luxuries an easy and painless process. About "30 cellphone models" will initially be supported, with another 20 or so to follow suit, and while online videos aren't currently supported, that functionality should be launched "sometime in 2007."
Set preferred addresses for Address Book groups
Dan Moren at MacUser just removed a long-standing headache of mine and I'm sure many others by posting on the ability to specify default addresses for Address Book groups. Here's a little background if you're scratching your head: in Mail.app, you can type the name of a group to address a message to every member of that group. The catch is that if any of those members have more than one email addresses in their card, Mail.app arbitrarily chooses which address gets used when that member added as part of a group. This can cause all sorts of problems, ranging from minor annoyances all the way up to sending a NSFW (Not Safe For Work) forward to exactly the wrong address.Enter the wonders of being able to set a default address for these members in groups. This removes the worry from using the power of groups to address your messages. All you need to do is select Edit > Edit Distribution List... (not the greatest name for this feature, IMHO) to access a panel which allows you to chose default addresses for all the members of your groups. What's even better is that this panel allows you to simply specify one label or another (Work, Home, etc.) for all the members in that group, instead of forcing you to manually chose labels for each member, one by one. Nice.
MsgFiler brings keyboard shortcuts to Mail organization
Organizing emails in Mail.app can be a pain, and sometimes using rules can only go so far. If you need a helping hand to manage all that correspondence, MsgFiler brings some on-the-fly automation to filing messages you've selected. Simply pressing cmd-9 will open a panel that allows you to type the names of folders. Pressing Enter to chose one sends all selected messages to said folder, offering flexibility in your filing habits. A demonstration movie is available at tow.com in case you need to see some examples. MsgFiler typically sells for $12, but is on sale for a limited time for $8.Now all we need is an equivalent of that Greasemonkey script that also allows for label navigation via the keyboard, and Mail.app just might make it back into my Dock.[via Daring Fireball]
Review: new .Mac webmail delivers, mostly
Apple teased us with an announcement of a .Mac webmail upgrade at the end of September, and yesterday they delivered. The new webmail feels zippy (though it was understandably a little sluggish a couple times while I was testing it last night), and the innovative, refreshing new features raise the bar for competing services. Still, with all the slick new polish, a few long-standing gripes have yet to be addressed, and some of the web client's new abilities bring along irregularities and new complaints. But don't think I'm a hater - I just renewed my membership last week, and this is a most welcomed update to one of the most important components of Apple's hotly debated .Mac suite of web services. With this yin and yang balance in mind, let's dive into the review..Mac webmail goes web 2.0Of course, the most significant and obvious upgrade is the completely revamped UI, which now resembles and behaves (in some ways) like Apple's desktop Mail.app client. As you can see from the screenshot, a new 3 pane view offers a folder list on the left, a customizable (10-50) message list on top, and a message preview pane on the bottom, just like mom used to make. As an added UI bonus, the separation bar between the message list and preview panes is draggable. Nice.But the webmail update isn't just skin deep - plenty of keyboard shortcuts accompany the new polish for a great combination of beauty and brains (though I'm laying down a penalty of 10 points by not enabling the shortcuts by default, regardless of who .Mac's demographic is). A complete list of shortcuts is linked from the preferences, and there are keys for nearly every action including: sending messages, deleting, navigating up/down messages, back/forth between batches of messages (take that Gmail), searching and printing.Besides keyboard shortcuts, some clever features and UI tricks are peppered throughout. On the left is a shot of an Address Book search, which lives below the folder list. Results are displayed below the search box, and clicking on a name offers a popup with their information, and things like email addresses and public iDisks are linked for easy access. On the right is the Quick Reply window, accessible by clicking a button which appears next to selected messages (a quirky 'only when you clicked on it' UI element that first reared its head in iTunes 7). Opera's built-in email client has done this for a while, and Apple's implementation is nice and simple.
Apple should offer option of .Mac as separate services
Apple's .Mac service has been quite the coffee talk discussion topic throughout the Mac web since as long as I can remember. We've even covered the service's slow death, some ways it could really hit a home run and even some things .Mac gets right, just to be fair. However, as I was paying for a renewal at the Apple Store yesterday, I realized .Mac could benefit significantly if Apple were to offer the option of purchasing its three major components a la carte. Let's face it, there are a lot of users out there who would love certain components of .Mac, but don't want to pay the premium Apple is charging for the full package. Following is a summarized breakdown of where I believe Apple could separate or bundle their .Mac services to to make them much more appealing to a far wider audience.
E-mail client for homebrew users
Sony once considered adding e-mail as an official feature for upcoming versions of the PSP's firmware. Well, it looks like the homebrew community (as usual) has beaten Sony to the punch. "PSPoste is the first fully functional email application for the Sony PSP. It supports the SMTP and POP3 protocols (possible future IMAP support), and provides a skinnable user interface allowing the user to retrieve, compose and display messages from multiple email servers." It has a nice, clean interface, with a less frustrating keyboard method than what the PSP currently has. It still won't be the most comfortable e-mail application, but for people that are constantly on the go, this feature may be a life-saver.[Via PSP Hacks]
Mail to iPod AppleScript
Every now and then, I'll get an email with a lot of handy info that I'd like to have access to without having to take out my PowerBook. I usually save the message as a PDF and sync it with my phone, but this can be cumbersome and slow. Lucky for me, Ryo has created a handy AppleScript named MailPod just for these situations. When the script is first run, it creates a new mailbox within Mail.app named MailPod. Any emails you drag into the MailPod box will be synced to your iPod the next time you run the script. If you're looking for a bit more features and control over your Mail to iPod syncing, check out MailToPod or iPDA.[via Hawk Wings]
Mail attachment reminder saves embarassment
I've done it again -- sent an email that mentions an attachment, and then forgot to attach the file. It's always embarassing. Here's a way to save yourself from similar humiliation. Download this free Attachment Scanner plugin for Mail.app, and install it following the directions on the developer's site. Now when you type "attach," "attachment,", "attaching," or similar words in an email, if you hit Send without actually attaching a document, you'll see a warning like this one: "Message Has No Attachment. Your mail appears to refer to an attachment, but none exists. Do you wish to continue?" If you don't mention an attachment, you won't see anything different than usual. I've been using it all day, and really appreciate getting a second chance to save face thanks to developer James Eagan.[via macosxhints]
Knockoffs, sticker shock threats to RIM's China plans
Though it should hardly come as a shock to readers familiar with our Keepin' it real fake series, RIM might be surprised to find a bounty of BlackBerry-alikes as they enter the mainland Chinese market, undercutting a source of otherwise significant new revenue as millions of new folks discover the addictive devices for the first time. Though unlicensed knockoff manufacturers typically don't fly in the US or Western Europe, Reuters points out that it can cost as little as $125K to bring one online in China -- a compelling proposition in one of the world's hottest mobile markets. What's more, they're finding that some Chinese are buying BlackBerrys strictly for their, uh, sound quality and good looks (can ya believe it?) but are bypassing China Mobile's email hookup entirely, citing it as overpriced. Could the BlackBerry end up a boon for customers in the world's most populous country, yet a bust for RIM?[Thanks, David]
Access Gmail through IMAP in Mail.app
Hawk Wings is at it again, and this time Tim Gaden has tracked down a method for using Gmail with IMAP in Mail.app. It might not be pretty - it's a Perl module that needs a little bit of finagling - but it apparently works. I can't even begin to fake that I know a lick about Perl, so I'm just going to have to point you to the original post to have at it yourself.If any TUAW readers get this to work, feel free to post your thoughts on this most sought-after of (wholly necessary) Gmail features.
Widget Watch: QuickMail
QuickMail DashMail might not be the prettiest Dashboard widget I've ever seen, but it certainly is one of the most functional: it allows you to send a quick email from Gmail, .Mac, Yahoo, AOL or AIM, and even has the option for entering custom server settings for those who like to blaze their own trail. Simply enter the username and password of your chosen service on the back of the widget and you're off and running. It even remembers previous recipients (sorry, no Address Book integration as of yet) and subject lines; that's what those menu ticks are beside their respective fields.QuickMail DashMail is provided free from Scue Records.[UPDATE: Due to a company already naming an email client 'QuickMail', Scue Records has renamed their widget to DashMail.]
iVideoMail and iVoiceMail plugins for Mail
Here's a novel idea: being able to easily send something besides text and pretty pictures in email. iVideoMail and iVoiceMail are Mail plugins that take the legwork out of recording video and audio clips for easy emailing. They install as preference panes within Mail, and once you customize a message's toolbar to add a button for either plugin (there doesn't seem to be any other way to use them when composing a message), you're ready to start emailing your beautiful mug and American Idol-worthy voice to anyone who can handle it. Just don't blame us if your friends and colleagues begin removing you from their address books.I only briefly tried out the iVideoMail demo and it works pretty well, although the resulting 6-second 320 x 240 video in MPEG4 was 376 KB, which might be considered a little large by some. By why not judge for yourself? Demos are available via a rather annoying submit-your-email-for-a-customized-download-link process, and a license for either plugin is a mere $10 USD.[via Hawk Wings' plugin list]
Surprise - Thunderbird 1.5.0.4 released with Universal goodness
Right alongside Firefox's update today, Mozilla has also brought Thunderbird up to the 1.5.0.4 (.3.2.1.12) version with a big improvement for Intel Mac owners: Universal Binary super-powers. Also in this update are security and bug fixes. Let us all take a moment of silence in remembrance of the bugs who lost their lives in the making of this update.One thing I am not sure of, however, is if that GmailUI extension we blogged earlier will work after this update. Does anyone know?
Details of upcoming Thunderbird 2.0 release
Hawk Wings has tracked down some details on a tantalizing v2.0 update to Thunderbird, Mozilla's email client. New features at the top of my list are message tagging, a tabbed message viewer and a built-in notification system. It's great to see more developers bringing the tagging paradigm to email, as Scott Morrison has done with his MailTags plug-in for Apple's Mail.Check out Mozilla's Thunderbird development blog for the full (and lengthy) post of what's coming in this major release for Thunderbird, including plenty of Mac-specific features and fixes.
She said yes!
Remember the dude that proposed via Apple's time lapse video outside the new Fifth Avenue Apple Store? Kottke.org received an email from his fiancé, Uschi Lang. That's right, she said yes! James, that's the name of the man in the photo, had been meaning to drop the big question for months before he had an idea when he was waiting with Uschi outside the Apple Store. He sneaked back whilst she was sleeping and stood in front of the camera for 15 minutes with his proposal signs to ensure that the time lapse would pick him up. A few days later James led Uschi down a row of candles leading up to his G5 and showed her the video and of course, she said yes. Congratulations you two!Now, about that row of candles leading up to his Mac. Is it normal to do that when you're not proposing? What?! I'm just asking...
Pantech releases PG-6200 securityphone in Taiwan
Pantech has just released a new handset for the security-conscious Taiwanese citizen who also wants some pretty capable multimedia features in his/her cellphone. To keep sensitive data out of the wrong hands, the tri-band PG-6200 features a fingerprint scanner rather curiously placed right above the smudge-prone two megapixel camera lens, along with a music player that handles MP3 and AAC files from either the 20MB internal memory or a microSD card. Other nice touches include Bluetooth (no word on A2DP compatibility, though) and JAVA 2.0 so you can get your Opera Mini-on, along with the obligatory email, SMS, and MMS functionality. [Via textually]
Widget Watch: miniMail
Today's widget is a no-frills Dashboard widget that gets the job done. miniMail by Duhsoft allows you to very quickly compose text email messages and send them off from the Dashboard. No configuration or set up required. I used it to send a few test messages to my various accounts using my .Mac address as the sender and it worked fine. It seems like a nice way to quickly send a short message when you don't feel like launching your email client. Check it out.
Quicksilver plug-ins for Google Calendar and Gmail
While tinkering in Quicksilver's plug-ins panel this morning I came across two new plug-ins that should fit right in with my new Borg Google-infused daily activities: a Gmail Module and a Google Calendar Module. Both are actions that allow you to type in a string of text, then select either of these modules as an action, and off you go.The Google Calendar module seems to use their Quick Add syntax for adding events. For a quick tutorial on this: invoke Quicksilver and then hit period so you can begin entering plain text. Enter something like "Apple Store Opening Saturday 10 am," then hit tab to move to Quicksilver's second pane to chose an action. If you have the Google Calendar module installed, the action is titled "Google Calendar Event" (using 'gcal' works just fine for me). Hitting enter will send the event, and for bonus points, if you have Growl installed and Quicksilver using it to give notifications, you'll receive a Growl alert upon successful completion.The Gmail module (pictured) allows you to compose a message (or at least part of one) using the same method as both the Google Calendar and Mail.app compose actions. Once you type some text, tab over to chose the Gmail action, you'll receive a 3rd pane that allows you to specify an Address Book contact to send to. Hitting enter will create a Gmail compose window with all the information you chose from Quicksilver already inserted. Awesome.
Apple promoting podcasting to businesses
ClickZ is reporting on an email that is making its way around the business world. It's from Apple, and is promoting the benefits of podcasting. According to the article, the email says:"Promoting your business just got easier. Create a podcast with GarageBand, post it to iTunes in minutes, and reach customers, clients, and partners in a whole new way. Chefs are sharing recipes. Maternity store owners are giving the lowdown on diaper bags. And other professionals are airing business discussions, marketing new products and services, and keeping people informed."Call it a cash grab (buy iPods! Get your customers to buy them, too!), but I've seen it work. I know someone who was working for a dance company that was in dire straights financially. A podcast that preceded and outlined shows and museum exhibits did wonders.[Via ifoAppleStore]
Gmail-Growl Utility 1.7
The Gmail-Growl Utility that adds some seriously handy features to Google's official Gmail Notifier has been updated with a functionality face-lift and some fixes. It now has an option to toggle on/off Growl notifications for those times when you just need silence, and in Mac OS X Tiger you can now drag and drop notification field elements such as sender, subject and date, to build the actual notification you want to see (Panther users can still copy/paste text blocks to customize this notification).Gmail-Growl Utility has also gone fully universal as long as you're using Google's latest Notifier version (1.8.2). It is also donationware (bonus points: the dev donates 10% to charity) and available from Waffle Software.
