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Ask TUAW: Slowing MBP, iSyncing Verizon, DIY .Mac and more
This week we've got a wide variety of questions in Ask TUAW. We go from choosing hard drives, syncing iCal with Exchange, and troubleshooting a slow MacBook Pro to rolling your own .mac, a keyboard recommendation, finding an iSyncing Verizon phone and much more. As always, please leave your questions for next week in the comments.Now on to the show!
Sony launches Blu-ray disc releases iCalendar
Just in case a dedicated tracking site wasn't proactive enough for you, Sony has just unleashed its own Blu-ray disc releases iCalendar, which as you may expect, automatically updates your calendar of choice with the most recent details regarding future BD release dates. The free application incorporates data from Buena Vista, Disney, EIV, Entertainment UK, and Fox, and will be supported by iCal, Google Calendar, Windows Calendar, Outlook 2007, Lotus Notes 6+, Mozilla Sunbird & Lighting, and Entourage. So if you're interested in cramming one more reminder in that overloaded planner of yours, go on and hit the read link to get your download on.
Happy Birthday, iCal
There's something that can be said for a broken clock - It's correct twice a day. Which is more than you can say about the iCal icon - it's accurate only once a year. Today is that day!It was on July 17, 2002 that iCal was born (hence the date on its icon). Three years later, in April of 2005, version 2.0 was released. Today, our old friend iCal has a younger sibling on the iPhone and synchronizes with Google Calendar (kind of). Mac system administrators are waiting for the iCal server that will be a part of Leopard Server, while end users anticipate iCal 3.0 in October.Happy birthday, iCal. Now go back into the box with Keynote, Pages, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD and all the other applications that Apple has forgotten.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
iConiCal: Keep iCal's icon current
After my minor gripe that the iPhone's calendar app displays the proper date on its icon, even though Mac OS X's still doesn't, a few readers directed me towards iConiCal. Basically, all iConiCal does is start up up iCal to update its icon, then it quits both iCal and itself so you don't have extra apps eating up system resources, but you also gain an iCal Dock icon that keeps you up to date. iConiCal also gives you some icon customization options, offering two alternative colors for iCal's icon both in its dormant state and after it is updated. Of course, this app also has a 'start at login' option so your iCal icon can get set right when you log in or start up, so you won't have to think about it for the remainder of your session. For anyone clamoring to have an up-to-date iCal icon and those who aren't up for adding the date to their menubar by tweaking the Date & Time System Preferences pane, iConiCal sounds like a fine solution.iConiCal is donationware available from BlockSoft.
iPhone's iCal icon displays correct date, Mac OS X's still doesn't
While the iPhone signifies a massive leap ahead in mobile phone technology, it also has apparently leapt ahead of its big brother Mac OS X in a few key areas. Since iCal's debut in Apple's darling desktop OS, it has (to my knowledge) never displayed the correct date in the Dock; it's always been set on July 17th until you actually start iCal which causes it to reflect the proper date. The iPhone, on the other hand, must have received some spit and polish from the OS X engineers, because its iCal (or is it officially called Calendar?) displays the proper date every day, even if you don't start the app. In a way this makes sense, because virtually every mobile phone's home screen provides easy access to the time and date, so Apple had to get this right. Still, it would be nice if iCal in Mac OS X could catch up to its baby brother and do something as advanced as display the proper date in a Dock icon.
iPhone syncs with Outlook and Entourage -- kind of
It was definitely quickly glossed over in today's iPhone activation and sync walkthrough, but Apple pretty clearly stated that Mac users with Entourage can sync their calendars with the iPhone through iTunes, and PC users can sync their Outlook calendars the same way. That's totally heartening for any corporate calendar users wondering how they were going to get their datebooks on their new phone, but there was no mention whatsoever of contact syncing via Outlook / Entourage for Active Directory, just Apple Address Book and Yahoo Address Book (which could potentially leave PC users in the lurch). P.S. -See our post on classic for a poll.
iPhone syncs with Outlook and Entourage
It was definitely quickly glossed over in today's iPhone activation and sync walkthrough, but Apple pretty clearly stated that Mac users with Entourage can sync their calendars with the iPhone through iTunes, and PC users can sync their Outlook calendars the same way. That's totally heartening for any corporate calendar users wondering how they were going to get their datebooks on their new phone, but there was no mention whatsoever of contact syncing via Outlook / Entourage for Active Directory, just Apple Address Book and Yahoo Address Book (which could potentially leave PC users in the lurch). So, your thoughts?Update: According to Mossberg's early review it does in fact sync contacts too! Not the same as live, over the air AD access like on WinMo, but definitely close enough! %Poll-1590%
Leopard Watch: iCal with CalDAV
Apple's iCal Leopard page reveals that the upcoming Leopard version of iCal will support a subset of CalDAV, the distributed authoring and versioning calendar protocol. CalDAV allows collaborative creation and maintenance of shared calendars and events. With the new iCal, you won't have to send around a memo saying "give me your open dates in November". Instead, you can use iCal's "Auto Pick" capabilities to select a meeting time when everyone is free using their shared CalDAV calendars. (And, if your office uses an iCal room reservation system, you can even pick the room and block out the time you need it.) Of course, this new technology only works if everyone in the office--including that Jim-guy in the corner office who still refuses to switch from Windows--is in on the calendaring system.
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.
Do It updated to version 2.5
Jim McGowan's Do It is a handy little todo manager we found back in February that is fairly feature-packed and well integrated with Mac OS X. It offers .Mac syncing of todos, an Address Book plug-in, iCal export/import and even a Quicksilver plug-in for quick todo entry. The app has been progressing nicely over the months, and just this morning I noticed a small but useful update notification for v2.5 that brings Japanese language support and a Dutch version of the help files. In addition, Do It has joined the quickly expanding ranks of apps that use Andy Matuschak's excellent Sparkle module to enable self-updating for new versions (users of apps like Adium should be familiar with this). From now on, a simple update notification will appear, allowing the app to download the new version, install it and relaunch - all with only two clicks from you, the user. As a happy user of Do It since we found it, I'm glad that it will be one less app that I have to deal with downloading, quitting, dragging somewhere to overwrite and relaunching. Automation, my dear readers, is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Do It is provided surprisingly as donationware from Mr. McGowan's site.
Improving time management with an iPod
The iPod does not jump out at me when I'm asked to think of time management tools. Entertainment and amusement? Certainly. Office tasks like note-taking, calendar management and work-flow? Not so much, even if you allow for iPod voice recording attachments. Bill Bennett (and I'm pretty sure it's not that Bill Bennett) of Australia's "The Age" disagrees. He lists the iPod as one of his 10 ways to improve your time management. He writes, "[I]t may not have been designed as a productivity tool but it's possible to download your text-based to-do lists to an iPod." It is also possible to print out my text-based to-do lists and stick them into my wallet but that doesn't turn my wallet into the next and greatest GTD device. Am I off the mark here? What am I missing about iPods and their time management abilities?
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.
Spanning Sync for iCal and Google Calendar goes 1.0, announces pricing
We've mentioned Spanning Sync, the first utility to truly sync iCal and Google Calendar, once or twice before, but until today it's been in that 'beta' status that's such a hit with the kids these days. As of this morning, however, beta is no more, for Spanning Sync has reached full 1.0 status and gone commercial. Now, users can bask in the wonders of a true two-way sync between iCal and Google Calendar, as well as syncing between multiple Macs and Google Calendar accounts, and even with iSync-compatible devices like iPods and mobile phones (before you ask: yes, once it's out, the iPhone is invited to the party too). Spanning Sync even works with Google Apps for Your Domain, Google's hosting service (free to individuals or companies of up to 25 users, commercial for more) that offers, amongst other things, Google Calendar and Gmail on your own domain. With the changeover to a full 1.0 app, Spanning Sync has also gone commercial. It now runs as a 15 day demo, and that two-tier pricing system we mentioned offers two choices: either $25 for a yearly subscription (a lá .Mac), or $65 to buy a copy in full. Check out the refreshed Spanning Sync site for more details and to download a demo.
Groupcal 3 updated
Snerdware last week updated the iCal/Exchange middleware package Groupcal to version 3.80, adding one-way file sync to the feature list, among other enhancements. For Mac users in MS Exchange shops, the combination of Groupcal/iCal for calendaring, Mail for email, and Snerdware's AddressX for Global Address List sync provide a workable alternative to Entourage 2004's PIM functionality.Groupcal licenses start at $55 with aggressive volume licensing available. Meanwhile, I'd better look for some products that don't have a duck in their logo...
Spanning Sync about to go 1.0
Spanning Sync, the bi-directional syncing utility for iCal and Google Calendar we've been covering, has released public beta v1.0b16 on their blog. Aside from the typical fixes and updates, the more significant announcement here is the possibility that this might be the final beta before going 1.0. Of course, beta still means beta, but this announcement also means that with 1.0, Spanning Sync will (we assume) be going commercial. While a price hasn't been announced yet, the pricing structure has. Spanning Sync will offer two purchase models: the first is a minimal subscription fee, while the second is a higher priced one-time purchase for those who like to grab and go. This flexibility should help make the majority of Spanning Sync's potential customers happy, and we'll be sure to drop some prices on you as soon as we receive word.For now, go pick up the latest public beta, as Spanning Sync seems to be shaping up quite nicely.
Widget Watch: GTD widget for iCal
Yep, we found yet another GTD-inspired product, and unlike the apps we've been blogging lately, this is a widget. The GTD widget for iCal is from ConceptDraw Labs, a new software and widget house, and it seems to do a nice job of fusing the GTD paradigm with iCal in a slim widgetized package. No crazy syncing action with an iPod or iSync here - just a straight-up 'get something done' approach. One catch with this widget, however, is that it uses AppleScript to communicate with iCal, which means that it will need to start iCal to work its magic. Commenters on ComceptDraw Labs's announcement post have pointed out that changes to the way iCal works in Leopard should allow them to avoid this inconvenience, but if you don't mind simply hiding iCal in the background for now, it shouldn't be a problem.The GTD widget for iCal is apparently freeware, as I can't even find any donation links at ConceptDraw Labs' site.
Do It
Do It is quite possibly the most feature-packed mini-todo widget app ever written. For a birds-eye view, it features integration with Quicksilver, Address Book and iCal, as well as .Mac syncing and AppleScript-ability. As Tim Gaden puts it: the only thing missing is a kitchen sink. Fundamentally, Do It is (surprise) a todo manager. But thanks to shaking hands with all these other apps, you can import/export todos from iCal, install an Address Book contextual menu item for easy contact reminder creation, add items from the most excellent Quicksilver or simply make it do nearly anything you want with the power of AppleScript. Despite all this impressive functionality, Do It remains freeware and available from Jim McGowan's site.[Update: my bad - Do It is an app, not a widget. I tried this app out a little while ago, and in finally getting around to writing it up, I mixed this up with another todo widget I just found. Sorry guys.]
gSync offers Google, iCal syncing
iCal and Google Calender synchronization is something that many people want. We've recently looked at Spanning Sync, which gets the job done (Spanning Sync is currently in beta).Today, TUAW reader Jim has pointed out gSync, another application on the scene. I played with it briefly this morning, and it seemed to work well. It's a little less polished than Spanning Sync, but still use-able.To tell you the truth, I'm content to use my Google Calendar for my day-to-day activities and just keep iCal as a reference. But that's me.Thanks, Jim!
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.
