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Ask TUAW: DVD Sharing on an iMac, menubar calendar, network scanning, and more
Welcome back to Ask TUAW, our weekly troubleshooting Q&A column. This week we have questions about using DVD Sharing on an iMac (instead of a MacBook Air), ignoring Software Updates, getting a drop-down calendar in the menubar, seeing Wi-Fi network channels, using iChat with other services, and more. As always, your suggestions and questions are welcome. Leave your questions for next week in the comments section at the end of this post. When asking a question, please include which machine you're using and what version of Mac OS X is installed on it (we'll assume that you're running Snow Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify), or if it's an iPhone-related question, which iPhone version and OS version you have.
United puts the kibosh on in-flight video chat, one family seriously 'bummed'
It may not be illegal to tuck your kids into bed via iChat while taking advantage of United's in-flight WiFi, but that didn't stop a flight attendant from ending John Battelle's (admittedly precious) use of the service during a flight two days ago. It seems that the airline has a policy that prohibits "two-way devices" from communicating with the ground -- you know, in case some terrorists board the plane and try some shenanigans. Apparently a laptop with WiFi isn't considered a "two-way device," until you throw videoconferencing apps like Skype into the mix. Somehow, it seems, the company missed Apple iChat when blocking ports, thus enabling the whole affair. Let this be a lesson to those of you with children: save the chats for the hotel room or the airport lobby, eh?
How to: Facebook chat in iChat or Adium
Last week, the fine Facebook folk let us know (via the Facebook Help Center) that you can now sign in to Facebook's chat service using iChat. Of course, the free Adium client has directly supported Facebook chat since version 1.3 (released in 2008), but this step opens up a much wider range of clients for the service. Facebook's chat service is powered by the Jabber/XMPP open source chat protocol. Many networks (such as Google Chat) rely on Jabber, and for this reason chat clients like iChat and Adium allow for the setup of a generic Jabber account to facilitate the widespread use of Jabber. The process is simple. First, create a new generic Jabber account pointed at Facebook's Jabber server. The username to use is your Facebook username (which you can find on the Account Settings page) and the password is the same as your Facebook login password. Next, point the server to "chat.facebook.com," configure the port to 5222 and un-check the box for "Use SSL." After it's all said and done, you should be able to communicate with your Facebook friends using iChat without being logged in to Facebook with a browser. [via Cult of Mac & 9to5Mac]
Apple wins two new patents including tablet proximity detector
Expectations and excitement are at a fever pitch for the hoped-for tablet announcement, but that hasn't stopped Apple's lawyers from earning their keep. Just in the past few days, they've nailed down two more patents, one of which has to do with tablet-style technology. That's a "proximity detector," which is supposed to track when an object is near but not touching a tablet's screen. Unfortunately, the legalese is a little shadowy, so I'm not quite sure what a setup would be used for, but it appears that they're talking about controlling something on screen when you move your fingers close to it -- i.e., a keyboard that pops up when you are about to put your hands on the tablet itself. I'm sure there are other uses for that as well, though, and of course just because Apple is pursuing a patent doesn't mean we'll see that technology in the announcement. The other patent has to do with video conferencing, and automatically determining bandwidth available in a connection and then making adjustments based on the range of that bandwidth. That simply sounds like a more reliable way of adjusting video quality in an application like iChat, and again, just because Apple has applied for a patent doesn't mean we'll see it running in the next version or at all. But even so soon before a big announcement like this one, we're still seeing Apple go after some of their more original ideas.
Experiencing the iChat woes? Try the Connection Doctor
Now in its fifth iteration, iChat has gained a host of features as it has matured. However, the addition of new features has brought on new complexities and requirements, including both hardware and bandwidth issues. For instance, at the time of its release, iChat 3 users needed a minimum of a Dual 1 GHz G4 and a 384 Kbps Internet connection to initiate a four-way video conference on iChat 3. Photobooth and Backdrop effects, which came along in iChat 4, call for a minimum an Intel Core Duo processor. And then, of course, one must climb the proverbial firewall. Fortunately, there's iChat's Connection Doctor. Besides telling you what your system is capable of (for example, screen sharing, multiperson video conferences and video recording) and the audio and video quality of your video chat (resolution and frame rate), the Connection Doctor can also tell you if networking issues (i.e., a firewall or port issue) are the source of your video conferencing maladies. To launch iChat's Connection Doctor, click on "Video" on iChat's menu and then select "Connection Doctor." It's just what the doctor ordered.
Getting in shape with iChat Theater
Whether it's because you're at school or work all day, finding the time and energy to workout is difficult. So, why not make it easier on yourself and find a partner to workout with via iChat Theater? When iChat went Leopard, it included a series of features and enhancements. One of these enhancements was iChat Theater. iChat Theater allows you to share documents, photos and videos with your buddies in an easy and oh-so-Apple elegant way. With Snow Leopard, iChat Theater gained the capability of displaying content at a higher resolution: up to 640 by 480 pixels. While photos and presentations translate well over iChat Theater, I've found that sharing videos is not without its hiccups unless you have an extremely fast and consistent Internet connection with robust upload speed. I've found both video and audio quality to be unacceptable for watching movies or TV shows. But this doesn't really matter when you're working out. Sure, there may be some lip syncing (audio delay) and the video quality may not be the greatest, but hey, you're working out: you've won the biggest battle already. And, you're not alone: your buddy on the other side of the iChat will push you along as well. To start iChat Theater, click on "File" and then select "Share a File with iChat Theater." After selecting your file, you will be asked to start a video chat. You'll then need to highlight the buddy you'd like to invite, and the click on "Buddies" and then selecting "Invite to Video Chat." Alternatively, you could start a video chat with a buddy and then initiate iChat Theater. My sister recently purchased the P90X workout program for me as a gift, and an intense workout regimen it certainly is. After I opened up the box set, I immediately created an iPhone formatted version of it (HandBrake), which I take with me when I workout at the gym or the park with a friend of mine. On days when I'm working out at home (after a long day's work, of course), the workout sessions are done over iChat Theater. So while iChat Theater can't do all the heavy lifting for you, it certainly finds alternative ways for you to motivate yourself to do it.
Mac 101: Auto-join rooms in iChat
Welcome back to Mac 101, our series of tips for new and novice Mac users.Earlier today we saw a tweet that inspired this post. Patrick Burleson asked how he can stop iChat from automatically joining chat rooms he visited during an earlier session. It's possible, but you won't find the fix in the preferences.First, I'll describe how to join a room automatically whenever iChat is launched. From the File menu, select Go To Chat Room.... A window appears. From there, select the correct account and add your room to the Room Name field. Next, click the "+" in the lower left-hand corner to add it as a favorite and select the "Autojoin" check box. Now, iChat will join that room each time it's launched.To disable the autojoin, simply de-select that box. Why would a person want to automatically join a chat room, you say? Some folks collaborate with far-flung coworkers via AIM all day.There you have it, Patrick (and TUAW readers). I hope this helps.
IPEVO TR-10i gives iChat and Skype a speakerphone boost, now for less
Even if it's not explicitly stated with every post about an app or discussion of a peripheral, there's one basic criterion for reviews that I try to stick to as much as I can: "Would I spend my own money on this thing?" Sometimes an otherwise-excellent product gets priced out of the value equation, or there are competitors and free offerings that deliver most of the functionality for a fraction of the cost. When you can get the same chore done with the built-in capabilities of your Mac, the decision about spending additional money on a gadget to do the same thing "but better" can get even harder. When the IPEVO TR-10i speakerphone for iChat first shipped last year, I was eager to give it a try, and it didn't disappoint. Having a USB microphone sensitive enough to pick up voice chatter from a roomful of people is a definite advantage -- the MacBook Pro's built-in mic doesn't usually work well with more than one or two. Likewise, a built-in speaker with volume, recording and call answer controls proved to be a big plus, especially for those times where I didn't remember I needed to start recording until after the start of the call. The unit works perfectly with iChat (including support for all the on-device controls), but also delivers good results with Skype and other softphone apps like EyeBeam and Zoiper; the microphone and speaker work with any Mac app, in fact, so you could use it as a voice mic for GarageBand if you wanted to. Call quality was very good, once I got the input volume settings sorted out via the IPEVO device FAQ. Like any good speakerphone, it's got a hardware mute button to take a brief break from your call. Still, I think the killer feature of the TR-10i (as long as you don't mind looking a little ridiculous) is that you can easily switch it from speakerphone to handset mode and use it like you would a conventional phone. For private conversations before or after a conference call, it's very handy, and to tell the truth it doesn't look any goofier than a USB or Bluetooth headset. With all this in mind, I would have loved to write a glowing review of the TR-10i a while ago. The only problem was the price: for quite a bit less than the $79.90US cost of the TR-10i, you could get a pretty nice USB mic and just use your Mac's speakers for conference calling. I couldn't fault the product, but I couldn't stomach the price... so I stalled and stalled on reviewing it, trying to figure out if I truly would lay down the better part of a C-note for this particular gadget. Fortunately, I think someone at IPEVO had the same sense about the TR-10i that I did: even though Mac users don't mind paying extra for quality, they still can tell when a product's features and its price don't match up. The TR-10i is now available direct from IPEVO for a more reasonable $49.99, and at that price point I can say without reservation that I would buy one myself. The company also has a free shipping deal in force through this Wednesday (9/9), so the timing is right. The difference between the original price and the new price may be only one Snow Leopard's worth, but it makes the TR-10i much more attractive.
The mighty mini, take two: DIY video baby monitor
What do you get when you combine a new parent on maternity leave with a love of gadgets and Apple products? Why, you get "baby monitor overkill!" In response to Dave Caolo's recent ode to the Mac mini, I figured it was time to step up. I had two things gathering dust: my old standalone iSight, a gorgeous example of Apple design sadly idle since the advent of built-in iSights, and a lovely new Intel Mac Mini that was recently scored on sale at MicroCenter with plans to set it up for my older two kids once I could get my hands on a small LCD monitor. I figured in the meantime it would serve nicely as a baby monitor, since I couldn't find a matching transmitter/receiver pair among the various baby monitors I had accumulated over the years. My idea was that it would live discreetly, headless and tailless (monitor, keyboard, and mouse-free) in the baby's room, and broadcast both locally on my network and also wide-area so grandparents could tune in remotely. For the initial setup, I needed a monitor, but fortunately my TV has a PC (VGA) port, which I used to configure the mini. I set it to login automatically to the main account and join my Airport network. In System Preferences, I enabled screen sharing and added iChat as a login item. In iChat, I enabled Bonjour and instant messaging, added myself as a buddy, and restricted chats to preapproved users under security preferences. Because I didn't want to connect via screen sharing every time I wanted to initiate a chat, I typed the following into Terminal so that it would auto-accept any incoming video chats: defaults write com.apple.ichat AutoAcceptVCInvitations 1 After that, I set it adrift on the network. From my main computer, I watched the mini pop up on Bonjour after reboot, and we were off and running. While this worked great for my own local use, it had some inherent restrictions: remote users (aka "grandparents who love to watch sleeping grandsons") couldn't join the chat easily. Spouses at work had issues with company restrictions on AIM. Plus, it was iPhone-unfriendly; the holy grail for me was turning the iPhone into a video terminal that followed me around. I went through a few different ideas: private channel on Justin.tv (great for multiple viewers, but awash in advertising, restricted at work, and unavailable on iPhone), Skype (great video, automatic call acceptance and limited iPhone capabilities, but terrible for multiple viewers), and complicated setups involving QuickTime Broadcaster. Not wanting to reinvent the wheel (well, no more than I already was doing), I hit upon SJKM's iCam software, which is an iPhone application & accompanying cross-platform video streaming tool specifically designed for video monitoring, available in the iTunes store for $4.99. Initially dismissed for lack of audio, it has since enabled audio monitoring and non-iPhone web access, making it an almost perfect setup. Why "almost?" Well, for reasons I cannot quite figure out, the video is much choppier than AIM, Bonjour, Justin.tv, or Skype. But it works over 3G and Wi-Fi, and it connects multiple viewers without requiring conference setup. And now, with SJKM's latest update, iCam can run in the background and push notification will alert me to sound or video motion. I have not yet enabled that feature, as it is a $.99 add-on and still pending Apple approval in the store. Ultimately, I ended up using a variety of different applications, but I can report a lot of very satisfied relatives dreamily cooing at the computer screens from Portland, OR, to Philadelphia, PA. All thanks to the mac mini and the standalone iSight. And one very cute baby (if I do say so myself.)Upcoming: that's great, but can you make it work in the dark? Adventures in IR.....
Emoji for iChat adds... emoji to iChat
With the release of iPhone OS 3.0, I was wondering if emoji icons still worked (they do), and then it finally dawned on me: why not iChat? A quick search turned up exactly what I was looking for: Emoji for iChat. This free downloadable icon pack basically adds the iPhone Emoji icons to iChat, accessible from the standard smiley-face dropdown menu. For it to work, however, both sides have to have it installed; if your recipient does not use the tool, all they'll see is gibberish.Emoji for iChat is a free download from Einar Andersson & Tor Rauden Källstigen. The download includes an installer which will require you to restart iChat.
Screen Grabs: Lil' Kim "Download" video features sampling of Acer products, samples Zapp
Oop, looks like whoever was in charge of product placement coordination at Acer forgot to double-check Lil' Kim's new video for "Download" -- is that iChat and an iPhone sneaking in there? Regardless, most of the primary action between Kimmy, T-Pain and Charlie Wilson seems to be going down on an Acer Aspire One, and there's a prominent shot of the Acer M900 smartphone at the beginning. Oh, and the entire song is built around a sample of Zapp's "Computer Love," so we'll forgive the lyrics. Both videos after the break.[Thanks, Anthony R]
Start iChat (or Adium) without logging into services
Have you ever wanted to open iChat or Adium to check a chat log, account setting, or other information, but didn't want to connect to your instant messaging services? Rob Griffiths at Macworld offers a great tip on how you can easily do this, and it won't annoy your online buddies with incessant signing on/off. Before clicking on iChat or Adium, hold down the shift key and continue holding it until the application launches. When the app opens, none of your accounts will be logged in. You can then manually login to individual accounts as necessary. Try it and see!
Mac 101: Tabbed windows in iChat
New to the Mac? Welcome back to our Mac 101 series, which explores the basics of Mac OS X, provides tips and tricks, and dives into key features of Apple's bundled tools. As a Mac user, you've got several options for chat clients -- Adium, Fire and IRC are all worthy -- but in this post we're going to focus on Apple's iChat. Create an account When launched for the first time, iChat will prompt you to create an account. You've got five options, namely MobileMe AIM Jabber Google's GTalk Jabber Make your selection and enter your information. If you're new to instant messaging, simply click the "Get an iChat account." Now your account is ready to go. Among my favorite features of some of the non-Apple chat clients: tabbed windows. This allows you to collapse all of your open chats into a single window. That way, there's no need to have two or more windows open. Here's how to enable this in iChat. From the Preferences window, check the "Messages" tab. Next, select "Collect chats into a single window." That's it! Now, iChat will list all of your open chats in a drawer along side your chat window. To move from one to the other, just click your chat partner's name.
QuickTime H.264 Compatibility Update is out
Apple just released a software update for QuickTime. The update titled "H.264 Compatibility Update" claims to improve QuickTime compatibility with iChat.You can download this update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update), or by downloading the installer package directly from the Apple website (it should appear there shortly). Thanks to Tony, and others who sent in this tip!
IPEVO TR-10 designed for iChat, GarageBand
While most VoIP devices are made for Skype, IPEVO has made a version of its TR-10 conference phone with the Mac in mind: It can be used with both iChat and GarageBand. For iChat conversations, the device can be used either as a speakerphone or traditional handset with full-duplex audio and echo cancellation. The buttons on the front of the device can be programmed to start iChat or record calls. For GarageBand, the TR-10 can be used as an audio input device to record podcasts. The device only works with a Mac. IPEVO sells the TR-10 for $79.90 in its online store. [Via Engadget.]
IPEVO's TR-10 speakerphone makes nice with iChat
Seems like there's a VoIP device for every temperament -- you can go supa classy, or you can try to be as bland as possible, but most of them are intended for Skype. Not IPEVO's TR-10, though; it's designed for iChat, and it does VoIP with support for four-way conferencing as both a speakerphone and a handset. If geeky rebel radio is your thing, it records podcasts in tandem with GarageBand, too -- all IPEVO asks is that you fork over $79.90 before you start living the iLife with Bruce Willis.
Mac 101: Find where a file came from
If you frequently download files via iChat file transfer or Safari, then you may want to know where the files came from later on. This information can be found using a simple Get Info command in the Finder. Right-click on the questionable file and select "Get Info" (you can also click once on the file and press command + I). Once you are in the Get Info window, click the "More Info" disclosure triangle. Look in the "Where from" field to identify your file's origin. If you downloaded the file from an iChat file transfer, you will see the person's name, handle, and date/time of download. If you downloaded the file using Safari, you might see the URL for the site you downloaded the file from. Please note that this will not work for all files, and your experience may vary if you are using non-Apple browsers or chat tools. Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Mac 101 section.
TUAW Tip: Setting up iChat Buddy Updates
When using iChat, do you sometimes feel like you're stuck back in 2005? Away from all the glory and marvels of today's modern social networking? Bring your iChat client into the golden age and sign up for iChat Buddy Updates at AOL's site so you can share your status messages as social-network updates. Buddy updates transform iChat into a social network tool. You'll see a status feed from all your buddies including all the status changes you might have missed while you were out. You'll learn that your pal went to the gym 90 minutes ago and out to eat 75 minutes ago and into a meeting 4 minutes ago. (Great workout, huh?) What's more, you can add your Twitter, Flickr and other site feeds into the mix so it's not just a steady stream of "away", "available", "away", "available" notations. And of course, once you know you're building an audience with this new beta tool, you're sure to start using more interesting status messages than "Work only! Evil overlords on a case-by-case basis" all the time. Buddy updates are a free service of AIM. Sign in with your iChat user name and ID at the buddy update site. Full Disclosure: TUAW is an AOL property.
Mac 101: Using iChat with AIM Blasts
More Mac 101, our ongoing series of tips and tricks for new and returning Mac users. If you're an iChat user with a need for immediate attention, AIM Blasts makes it easy to add social networking groups to iChat. When you want to have a conversation with a group of people, blasts let you IM everyone in your selected group at once, without having to invite them to a special chat room. For example, you might have friend groups, work groups, or, thinking of Scott McNulty, your special D&D buddies. MobileMe users can take advantage of AIM blasts, since all .Mac and MM users are automatically AIM users as well. Just log in to AIM.com as yourname@me.com (or mac.com) -- you'll be able to take advantage of all of AOL's instant-messaging hospitality. You don't set up your blast in iChat. Instead, point your browser at blast.aim.com. There, you'll be able to invite your friends and establish your new group. All joining and messaging is done from inside iChat itself. Blast groups appear in iChat as a separate group in your Buddies list -- scroll down in the buddy list if you have trouble finding your blast groups. It may help to give them names that are distinct from any buddy groups you already have, or perhaps prefix your blast groups with a "B-" to help them stand out. When setting up your blast group, you decide whether all members or only admins (i.e., you) can send messages and/or invitations. Blast recipients have to accept your invite to be part of a blast group, so you may want to give them a heads-up in advance (especially if your blast group's name is obscure or edgy). Just so you know: TUAW and Weblogs, Inc. are part of AOL.
"Leaked" iPhone images show video chatting, slimmer iPhone?
Late last night, several rumor websites, including CrunchGear, reported that they had received copies of "leaked" iPhone advertisements. These ads depict matte black and Product (Red) iPhones. Most of the sites that were sent these images are calling them fakes, including our own Engadget. There are two major flaws that stick out in these images, the first of which is the lack of a sleep/wake button on the red iPhone in the image above. The second of which: where the iChat details are shown, the requirements state "Windows Xp." However, Apple always states "XP" as just that; not upper case, then lower case letters. We do have to agree with Engadget when it comes to the video chat images. Ryan Block states, "No Apple design would be laid out the way this guy's got his page laid out here." We have to agree -- Apple designs are normally clean and minimalist; not jumbled as these images are. [via CrunchGear]
