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Activation Video reveals some interesting details and... an 80GB iPhone?
Oh Apple, you're so sly with the way you slip in the useful (and sometimes bizarre) details with your iPhone demo videos. In the activation video posted today, more intricacies of what and how the iPhone synchs have been revealed with a walk-through of how to get one's iPhone set up at home with iTunes. First, it appears as though Apple and AT&T have thought of just about everything: The setup asks whether you already have an AT&T account and you'd just like to add your iPhone to it, or if you're creating a brand new account. Users can also activate two or more phones all from the comforts of their pajamas and iTunes.
Breakfast topic: Best holiday
It's Midsummer Fire Festival time, and once again I find myself having a great time doing silly little quests. I even snuck into Darnassus, Ironforge and Stormwind so my paladin could get herself a fire festival crown to go with her tuxedo suit and Dreamseeker Dandelion of Stamina. A lot of people seem to think the in-game holidays are wastes of developer time, but I really enjoy the little touches that make Azeroth a fun place to be. While the Fire Festival has neat tcotchkes, and Orphan's Week lets you drag a child into raids, my all-time favorite holiday has to be Hallow's End. Egging Southshore and crashing Undercity is fun, sure, but the best part is having fun with the wands and treats in parties. There's nothing like hearing the anguished scream of a caster turned into a bat, or a first kill screenshot where half the raid is a leper gnome. I'm probably the most unimpressed by Noblegarden -- I can never find those eggs -- and the Valentine's Day events, which require way too much work. I don't put that much effort into my relationships in real life. What's your favorite and least favorite holiday?
Making the Web a Better Place for iPhone
Even though the true nature of the iPhone's capabilities when it comes to browsing the Web have yet to be confirmed or denied, a group of eager web developers, designers, and other enterprising folks are anticipating the iPhone's impending release. Not only that, they are already planning an event to help improve the Web browsing experience for all users of the device. According to Apple Insider, the free event, dubbed the iPhone Developers Camp, will feature an agenda of classes and seminars aimed at "making the Web a better place for Apple, Inc.'s upcoming mobile handset."So, if you're a developer, a designer, an interested party who wants to help out or you just want to see a bunch of people with using iPhones in the wild, you may want to mark July 6-8 on your calendar and plan on attending the event. For more info, there's always the event's official site. I admit to not knowing a whole bunch about developing Web applications or designing anything of real value, but as someone who will definitely be getting an iPhone as soon as I possibly can, having the best possible Web browsing experience while using it sounds like a great thing to me.
iGTD 1.4.4 update brings, uh, way too many new features
Something tells me the crew who writes iGTD (fortunately) never really grasped how application version systems work (for the record: I say this with the warmest of intentions; iGTD is the first GTD-based app that I really 'get' and use). Typically, a company releases a 1.0, follows up with a few 1.x.x updates to fix bugs and quirks, and maybe a few 1.x releases that add a new feature or two. But as anyone who has been following the last few minor updates can tell, the new features brought with each 1.x.x release are really worthy of major 2.x and 3.x releases. This morning I woke to just such an update (v1.4.4) that brings a landslide of new and handy feature updates, including: F-key integration with Journler, endo RSS news reader, VoodooPad Pro, EagleFiler and WebnoteHappy exporting smart folders added ('To complete' tab) Don't forget! feature - use the Tasks menu option to display a sticky reminder about a task... click it to jump to the task Send to stickies feature - use the Tasks menu option to display selected tasks as Apple Sticky note E-mail feature - use the Tasks menu option to e-mail selected tasks via Apple Mail MailTags 2.0. enhancement: flagged e-mails are imported as flagged tasks MailTags 2.0. enhancement: a prefs setting to use the MT e-mail notes as a name for task in iGTD last selected smart folder is saved and restored between launches integration with Services menu (logout/login required): select a text in any app, go to app menu / Services submenu and use the 'iGTD/Put into iGTD inbox option' new mode for search panel: 'Search by project name or note' and much, much more This update also includes a large batch of bug fixes, as well as enhancements to adding new items to lists that are sorted by various methods. Amazingly, iGTD is still donationware, and this new version should be available by choosing Check for Updates from the application menu, or simply by heading over to the iGTD site.
WoW TCG: Interview with Ben Drago, Manager of Organized Play
When I came upon Ben Drago at the Darkmoon Faire in Chicago, he was yelling like Ragnaros. He was facing off against three WoW TCG players-- one was playing a Paladin, the second a Mage, and the last a Hunter. It was a Molten Core raiding event, and Drago was more than giving the guys a run for their money. The Paladin dropped quick (the player complained that Drago's Shazzrah "wouldn't let me heal!"), and while the mage and hunter held their own for a while, Drago eventually crushed them all with Rag's firey might.He handed out a few booster packs as prizes anyway, and then sat down to talk with me about the WoW TCG that he promotes all over the country and the world, what player reaction has been like, and Upper Deck's event plans for Blizzcon and beyond.
BlizzCon tickets now available
Blizzard just announced in the forums that tickets for BlizzCon 2007 (Anaheim, August 3 and 4) are now available to purchase, for $100. There are a mere 51 days left until the festival of all things Blizzard, so if you want to go, you should probably get on it. Last year's sold out, I think. You can buy up to 5 tickets per billing address if you want to bring the whole household.I'm sure all sorts of cool stuff will be given to attendees; so far, we know that the swag will include a beta pass to "an upcoming Blizzard game" (I support Dan's guess that it's StarCraft 2) and an in-game murloc suit for one of your characters. So who's going to be going? WoW Insider will be there in force for sure.
MailTags 2.0 leaves beta, goes official
Scott Morrison's fantastic MailTags 2.0 is hands-down the best (and not because it is the only) plug-in that brings the wonders of tagging and iCal integration to Apple Mail. We've mentioned it plenty of times here on TUAW, and with good reason: Scott has put this new version of MailTags and its healthy dose of new features through a rigorous beta testing period, and tonight the plug-in makes that coveted leap from 'beta' to 'official release.' While Scott pops some well-deserved bubbly to celebrate his hard work, check out this list of tasty features designed for those who need more from an integrated desktop email client: IMAP support - sync your tags over IMAP servers and use them to keep your mail organized and synced across any Mac you have MailTags installed on A much-improved integrated interface for viewing and editing tags The ability to view tags in Mail's List view (an extra, optional column to let you know a message is tagged) Dynamic coloring of messages based on project, approaching due dates and priorities Integration with iCal, allowing you to create to dos and events right from Mail Including tags in your outbound messages for other MailTags users Better integration with Mail's search tools, allowing you to specify searching only for message tags, projects or even notes you've applied with MailTags (in addition to Mail's default criteria of Entire Message, From, To, etc.) Better integration with Mail's smart mailboxes Applescript compatibility I've been a happy user of MailTags 2.0 since it the early days of the beta, and I tip my hat to Scott for releasing such a great product. You can grab your own demo that runs for 21 days, while a license costs $29.95, with educational and volume discounts available upon requests.
Apple Mail plug-in roundup
Since I solved a number of the issues plaguing my Mail account setup - including a workaround to kinda use Gmail over IMAP (more on that soon) - I have sunk my teeth back into Apple's excellent email client. Now I'm pretty happy with using a few plug-ins like Scott Morrison's stellar MailTags 2 and Stefan Schüßler's Mail.appetizer (which we have previously mentioned at length here and here), though I am continually surprised by the number of plug-ins that endow Mail with everything from better support for Windows Office attachments, to creating events from messages and even more fine-toothed Smart Mailboxes for your Address Book contacts. One only needs to run a search for Mail at MacUpdate to see what I'm talking about, but I figured I could round up a few of these plug-ins just to give you an idea.
The WSVG can send your guild to the Blizzard offices
Not feeling satisfied with the answers you're getting from the CMs? Want to take your issues to the source? The WSVG Guild Challenge is giving guilds a chance to win a trip to beautiful Irvine, California, home of the Blizzard headquarters. The winning guild will get to tour the offices and have lunch with members of the development team, as well as be there for the WSVG event at E for All in October. The competition will be held in both Louisville, Kentucky and Dallas, Texas, and it will be a great way for your guild to show some skills in IRL games and in game events. The events give guilds a chance to battle in game in an all out Gurubashi Arena free for all as well as 5v5 arena tournaments. Outside the game (I know, as if there is such a thing) guilds can Sumo wrestle their way to the top, as well as compete in a jousting tourney and guild versus guild Tug-O-War. Brush off your raiding skills in the BYOC $30,000 tournament during the day, and then stay for the Guild Challenge at night. Then make sure to let WoW Insider know about the experience so we can share your victory with the world. Register for Louisville or Dallas soon so your guild can reign supreme.
The Darkmoon Faire comes to Austin
Elwynn, Mulgore, and...Texas? Unlikely as it may seem, apparently the Darkmoon Faire is going to be making an appearance in the land of Blizzard's latest GM center this weekend. This event is being put on by Upper Deck Entertainment, who make the WoW trading card game, at the Austin Convention Center this weekend, Friday through Sunday. There will be all manner of TCG tournaments for everyone from noobs to experts, of course, but here's my question: will there be anyone on hand to sell pet frogs? I don't think so.On the other hand, Blizzard will apparently be setting up a private PvP server just for the event with premade 70s decked out in Gladiator gear, and there will be 30 PCs running Arena and Battlegroup competitions using these characters for real-world prizes. That might even be better than pet frogs. Lots and lots of prizes are at stake in the card games and other events, from booster packs to iPods to computers, and the event is open to the public with no entry fee, so if you're going to be in Austin this weekend, it's probably worth checking out.
Reminder: Apple keeps an official list of iSync-supported devices
No matter how you identify with the computing aspect of your life being able to take your contacts and calendar on the go can be pretty invaluable, especially if you have more than three friends and your iCal has more colored blocks than a Rubix Cube. But how can you figure out which device(s) on your wishlist will actually work with Mac OS X's built-in syncing app, iSync? Should you dig through the annals of individual manufacturer's support pages? Or perhaps post across multiple forums for someone - anyone - to answer the call of your syncing questions? No I say! Do not go gently into that convoluted mess of neglected support docs and clunky forum systems!Bad literature jokes and drama aside, Apple maintains a pretty up-to-date list of iSync-friendly devices on their own. If you're definitely looking for a phone that syncs, this list should help make the decision pretty black and white. However, I say this with a word of caution: while this list is thorough and updated fairly often (typically listing new phone models before they hit the street), it isn't 100% complete in that Apple doesn't always list related model numbers. For example: Cingular had a Sony Ericsson w600 available for quite some time, and it was listed at Apple's iSync devices page. I picked up an unlocked w800i a while back (killer non-Smartphone with a great camera, by the way) - a similar phone with a near-identical version of the OS that synced perfectly fine with my Mac, but Apple didn't list the w800 line until that phone officially came to US Cingular stores. Why is anybody's guess, but the point is: if you have your eyes on a phone that is related by model number to a phone on Apple's list, chances are that it should work with iSync just fine. That said, if you aren't too familiar with a phone that isn't on this list, you should probably still hit up a couple forums to make sure before you thrown down hundreds of dollars on a device that might not actually shake hands with iSync (in other words: that's a disclaimer so you don't sue me).Lastly, for most Smartphone devices which aren't on this list (outside of Symbian, of course), there are always products like PocketMac and the Missing Sync which can handle syncing BlackBerry, Windows Mobile and Palm OS devices.
GH II event in NYC featuring Gene Simmons
Major sent word that Microsoft will be hosting a Guitar Hero II event featuring KISS rocker Gene Simmons in New York City. The event will be held next Wednesday, April 11th at the NYC Virgin Megastore starting at 12:30PM and should wrap up around 2:30PM. Not only will Gene Simmons be rocking it out on stage, but five GH II champions will be competing and Major Nelson will be floating around doing his thing. NYC residents mark your calendars, because next Wednesday you'll be in the presence of five rock gods and Gene Simmons too. Don't you just love marketing events?[Via Major Nelson]
Wondering why the Lunar Festival ended early?
If you checked the calendar in advance (it was updated today), it informed you that the Lunar Festival was scheduled to end on the 8th of March -- that would be this Friday. However, if you've bothered to log on to the game at all, you'll notice that all of the decorations are gone and the elders have vanished. Whyso? Apparently, the calendar was in error -- according to Blizzard poster Ommra, the festival was supposed to last 19 days. So if you were waiting for the last day to turn things in, or the last minute to run around hunting elders (like I was -- I know, I'm a slacker), you're stuck waiting for next year.
Social guild events
One of the things my guild does is bi-monthly guild events. Every now and then we all get together and do something fun or crazy, and then get together in Stormwind or Darnassus to have a few ceremonial ales and /dance around the fireworks. We have a few people in the guild who set the events up, a few folks volunteer/get drafted to help out, and everyone has a good time. No real guild progress is made, no huge bosses downed, just general craziness and fun. We do occasionally n00b races, where we have members make level 1 alts, summon them to a secret location and have them run to another secret location, usually PvP flagged (with some of our experienced PvP'ers riding shotgun to prevent any spawn camping). Gift swaps during the holidays, and so on. Does your guild do any fun social events? Got any concepts I can steal...uh...use with appropriate credit?
YABI - Yet Another Birthday Importer updates with new UI, multiple alarms
YABI, as we've mentioned before, fills the void left by iCal's lackluster Address Book import of birthdays by offering far more flexibility and power. YABI can create a custom calendar for birthdays and anniversaries, display a person's age in the event alarm title, select only specific contacts to import events for and - drum roll please - create alarms for these events. What's even better is that Ferruccio, YABI's developer, has updated this already handy little utility with some great new features: New, very updated Unified UI that brings YABI in line with Tiger and possibly Leopard A built-in self-updating mechanism thanks to Andy Mutaschak's Sparkle (on a side note: you're probably seeing a lot of 3rd party apps adopt this slick feature) Support for multiple alarms and more! This is a great utility for anyone who, like me, needs a little more help than iCal provides with keeping track of the important dates in their lives. YABI seems to be freeware since I can't find any donation links at Ferruccio's site.
Widget Watch: Volkswagen creates Dashboard and Yahoo! widgets
It's nice to see the widget train making its way across the land, and yesterday I noticed that Volkswagen of all companies has even hopped on board. The German car company has released a Rabbit Widget for both Dashboard and the Yahoo! Widgets Engine that lists free public events in over a dozen US cities. The widget's design is obviously heavy on the revitalized Rabbit they seem to have replaced the Golf with; in fact, I can't find this widget anywhere else on VW's site besides the actual Rabbit page. On the right, the widget displays names of the events with small icons that help categorize said event (General Interest, Theatre, Music, etc.), and clicking on any event provides a brief description and links to more information. At first a widget like this that helps promote a German car doesn't make much sense, but part of the Rabbit's marketing campaign is all about saving you money, so a free events widget then makes a bit more sense. Ultimately, it's a unique widget with a great design that's hocking quite a few events that some of you major city goers might not otherwise know about.
Blizzard announces global arena tournament
As far as I'm aware, this is totally out of the blue and hasn't been pre-announced. Blizzard announced on worldofwarcraft.com today that they are holding a global 5v5 arena tournament: We're pleased to announce our plans for the inaugural World of Warcraft Arena Tournament, scheduled to begin on February 16 in Europe and North America and March 3 in Korea. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade players in these regions who consider themselves to be among the best in the game at player-vs.-player (PvP) combat will soon be able to prove it to the rest of the world. Will you and the rest of your team be up to the challenge? If so, gather your cohorts and begin preparing for the largest World of Warcraft competition ever held. Blizzard's page on the tournament is fairly thorough, so be sure to check it out for full details. In short, though: Make a 5v5 team and compete on your server. One or more teams per battlegroup will be selected to compete in the qualifiers, which will run from April 20 to May 4 and pit all the region's qualifiers against each other. The teams will be copied to a private server for this. Each region's top eight teams will compete in live regionals, date and location TBA. An uncertain number of winning teams from the regionals will compete in the global finals. One team will win, thereby winning the title of "bestest 5v5 team in the whole wide world." For me, the most interesting thing about this whole event is that it's global. Never before has there been anything that's united the different regions, to my knowledge. I'm not even much of a PvPer, but the opportunity to "determine the best World of Warcraft PvP team in the world," as Blizz puts it, has me excited. No word on prizes or anything, but stay tuned.
MailTags 2 beta gets major todo and event enhancements, goes 'feature complete'
Scott Morrison has released a 6th beta of MailTags 2, his quintessential tagging and organizing plug-in for Mail.app that we're big fans of. This new beta heralds a 'feature complete' status for the plug-in, meaning that Scott has implemented all the new features and tricks that version 2 will have, and now it's simply time to clean up the code and stomp out the bugs. Also new in this version is an updated UI with a slick new pop-up window for entering todo and event information (pictured). This makes recording events and staying on top of things with MailTags much more functional and enjoyable, causing Scott's plug-in to rise even farther towards the top of my list of apps that help me get more done with my email.MailTags 2 costs $25 and can be had from indev.
Midnight launch event: Burning Crusade, Southern style
(Picture left on a table at the mall by an unknown, presumably disgruntled Alliance rogue at the North Raleigh BC midnight sale event.) At about 11:30 p.m., I headed out to EB Games at my local mall in Raleigh, North Carolina, with an understanding and tolerant warlock friend, to pick up my Burning Crusade preorder. It was 75 degrees out today, so I took a quiet moment to gloat over people like Mike and Barb who had to brave the ice and snow to get their copies. Since I live in a fairly suburban part of town, we figured that there wouldn't be a lot of geeky folk out getting their preorders in the middle of the night. How wrong we were.
I fought Highlord Kruul and Highlord Kruul won
Hey, everyone who complained about the Scourge world event being too wussy -- the Burning Legion sends its regards. Eliah Hecht has documented that Highlord Kruul is owning everything on most servers, but no one has answered the question: Is it possible to kill this guy? Short answer: Yes. He appears to be a renamed Kazzak with most of Kazzak's abilities, plus he has Kazzak's loot table. He seems to hit harder than Kazzak and enrage sooner, but an organized, or even slightly disorganized, raid of 40 people can kill him. WoWWiki has a good strategy guide for Kazzak. Exo and Trans killed him on Smolderthorn, as did groups on Illidan, Medivh and Kalecgos, apparently. Long answer: Probably not, at least if your server's anything like mine. Kruul heals massively every time he kills a player or pet. So if Kruul spawns near a major city, it's nearly impossible due to the number of deaths. Unless you can clear the area of everything but organized 60s working in a raid group, just get naked, sit back and watch the carnage.
