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Dock Dodger - easily hide running apps from the Dock
We've found easy methods for hiding the icons of running apps in the Dock, but you typically have to get your hands dirty with editing files inside the app package itself. For users who prefer a more simple drag and drop operation, there's always Dock Dodger. From the same FoggyNoggin Software that brought us Desktopple Pro, Dock Dodger handles the dirty work of ensuring your app never shows its icon on your Dock; simply quit the app if it's running, drop it on Dock Dodger and restart it for the ultimate in 'what am I going to do with all this open space in my Dock?' experiences. While Dock Dodger performs the same editing of app files that you can do yourself, we'll still echo their recommendation of duplicating the original app first so you have a backup just in case. Dock Dodger is available as donationware from FoggyNoggin Software.
Hands-on with Qool: hip, stylish... qool
We saw a few "Qool" (sorry, we were mandated to get that in) products at CeBIT this year: the QDA "Glider," QDA "Icon," and the Qool "Twins." The Twins come in two different flavors; the Twins 168 is a tri-band dual SIM handset that allows both SIMs to be active at all times. Rolling with CDMA? Then the T178 is for you, with tri-band GSM, plus a CDMA 800 / 1900 / 1X radio all in one set. This is top-shelf stuff if you are a business traveller -- no need to swap between SIMs to check your messages at home and throwing in the dual-purpose CDMA / GSM model does the same for CDMA users. The Glider is a quad-band Windows Mobile device with a sliding keypad, a 195MHz OMAP850 core, 2.8 inch touchscreen, Bluetooth 1.2, WiFi, EDGE data, and a 2 megapixel cam. This is a solid device and we absolutely loved the red backlit touch-controls mounted on the face. The QDA Icon is touted as the world's slimmest PDA phone with a 4 megapixel camera, and as such, it was given props with an Innovations honour at CES. The touchscreen QDA Icon is available in either dual-band GSM 900 / 1800 or 900 / 1900 versions, with the grunt delivered by a 200MHz OMAP730. Sadly, the only data options are Class 10 GPRS, Bluetooth 1.2 and USB -- no EDGE or HSDPA here. %Gallery-2193%
Option's USB GlobeSurfer iCON HSUPA touts 7.2Mbps downloads
We're all quite aware of just how proud Option is of its HSUPA offerings, and while it has raised the bar before in terms of sheer speed, the company is once again kicking out a new way to get your lappie connected to blazing fast internet without a WiFi hotspot in sight. The diminutive GlobeSurfer iCON HSUPA boasts a compact, USB stick design, and even includes a swivel connector as to play nice with just about every USB nook and cranny out there. Aside from touting 7.2Mbps of downstream capacity and 2Mbps on the upbeat, the GlobeSurfer looks to provide web access for those not already sold on the firm's ExpressCard options. Users can purportedly expect "plug 'n play" abilities, backwards compatibility with EDGE/GPRS/GSM data connections, tri-band / quad-band support, and a wide range of OS support that includes Windows Vista and OS X. No word just yet on price or availability, but we sincerely hope Option doesn't keep the USB brethren in the house waiting too awfully long for these high-speed luxuries.
Hide an Icon in the Dock
The über-Mac geeks over at mac geekery answer a reader question I have often wondered about myself: is it possible to hide an application's icon so it does not appear in your Dock, even though the application is running? And the answer is yes, if you're up for a little bit of relatively easy hacking. Apparently all you have to do is drill down into the Application package (right-click on the application icon and choose "show package contents") and add one key to its Info.plist file. JC warns that this may have some unintended consequences, as the "Dock controls almost all aspects of application switching," so if you do this you may "lose" the application and have no way to interact with it. In addition some applications "interact with their Dock icon programmatically" (e.g. the way Mail.app shows the number of unread messages in its Dock icon), so this is not a good idea for those programs. However, if you have something that must run all the time, but with which you don't interact much, and whose Dock icon you want out of there (e.g. the DynDNS Updater client), this is a handy tip. One word of warning, be sure to duplicate any application you decide to try this on first, so that you can go back if necessary. A second word of warning, this affects the menubar as well as the Dock.[Update: several commenters have mentioned Dockless, as a more user-friendly way of doing this. I originally misunderstood what Dockless did, but after a little more research it turns out that Dockless basically just automates the very same process this tip describes (i.e. changing the value of the LSUIElement key in the info.plist file).]
Microsoft Clippy, RIP: 1997 - 2007
Not too long after MobileESPN breathed new life, now we've got the unfortunate duty of informing the world that Microsoft finally axed the most annoying aspect of Office has decided to leave "Clippy" behind in Office 2007. We suspected something was brewing when the iconic figure started donning a 3D skirt in Japan, but a brief interview with Office's group program manager revealed that the clip is indeed dead. While it had been fading for awhile due to an apparent lack of mass fanfare, and was even turned off by default in Office 2003, it seems that Clippy fans will be forced to stick with now-antiquated versions of the Office suite in order to keep their darling on screen. But don't fret too much, as the countdown until someone crafts a freeware app re-instilling a Clippy rendition into Office begins... now.[Via ChipChick]
Zune hacks: run it on XP Pro x64, change desktop icon
Gather round, 'cause we've got some Zune hacks to get your Sunday going. First, a fellow named Kristof has informed Zune-Online about a way to get the Zune software running on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (there's also a Vista hack too, which we saw earlier). The site has exact step-by-step instructions on how to pull off this one, but the short of it is, it essentially involves editing the Zune.inf file. For our next trick, we'll point you to a site that shows you how to change the Zune icon as seen in Windows. For that one, you'll need to first pull off the USB drive hack that we showed you before, and then you'll need to use Regedt (Registry Edit) to find the appropriate registry value, an ICO editing program (like IcoFX), and patience when drawing on an icon that's 48 x 48 pixels. But you'll have our eternal love and respect if you change your Zune icon to the Engadget "e" logo. As usual when trying something like this, do be sure to backup any strings that you edit so you don't end up bricking your Zune.Read - Windows XP Pro x64 hackRead - Zune icon hack
Behind The Scenes with the Disco Icon
Regardless of what one might think about Disco as a functioning application, it's hard to deny that the latest app from the Madebysofa crew certainly has a unique look to it, and it is spiffy to boot. For the Disco application icon, designers Jasper Hauser and Hugo van Heuven collaborated to create something that I think deserves almost as much praise and attention as the application itself. Jasper has been kind enough to recount for us on his blog how the icon came to be, and the thought processes behind it.
What's with the retro iTunes icon?
Now that iTunes has had a full version update, and the commercial side of iTunes is officially called "The iTunes Store," one would expect to see a new application icon. I sure was surprised to see the blue 8th notes over a CD...haven't we seen this before? Oh yeah, it was essentially the icon for iTunes 2.0. Odd.I was wondering if Apple would abandon the musical notes all together and come up with something completely new, but they went the retro route instead. I guess I like it.
mimiFoto
mimiFoto is simple, yet brilliant. Do you tire of the stock iPhoto icon with that silly default picture? miniFoto lets you customize iPhoto's icon with any photo you like. And when you're sick of the TUAW logo peeking up from the Dock you simply 'Get Info' on iPhoto and cut the icon, which reveals the default icon that never went away.Neato! Now, keep in mind this is a .1 release, so things might go a little wonky.Thanks, Mark.
Bored with Mail.app's icon? Roll your own
Are you getting tired of other good icons? Hawk Wings, obsessed with all things Mail.app, has tracked down a Photoshop template for creating your own Mail.app icon. Courtesy of John Godfrey, this Photoshop template contains instructions for inserting your own images into a Mail.app icon, and Tim Gaden also recommends rotating your inserted image to 11.2 degrees counter-clockwise, as well as using an 85 x 90 size to get just the right fit.But, "how do I turn an image into a Mail.app icon?" you ask. Hawk Wings has a solution for that step too: img2icns is a Universal Binary freeware app that can convert JPEGs, PNGs, TIFs and GIFs to the ICNS format, ripe for using a previous (and simple) TUAW Tip for replacing Mail.app's icon with your much more exciting new creation.
Good icons? You're soaking in it.
Giles Turnbull is pondering icons, more specifically what makes a good one. This is an interesting question since most of us spend a good deal of our time staring that this little masterpieces (unless you're one of those freaks who auto-hides the Dock).Giles lists a few icons that he likes (Notational Velocity,Spotlaser) but he admits that he is no designer. He turned to John Hicks (designer of FireFox's icon) and Jasper Hauser (creator of Camino's icon) to give their opinions about icons and list a few of their favorites.I have always had a soft spot for the Finder icon, though I suppose that one is fairly obvious. How about you? Fire off a comment letting us know what icons you like the best.
Adium's icon designer on its past, present and future
You might not know who Adam Betts is, but you've probably seen, or at least heard of, some of his work which includes the icon of a pretty famous Mac OS X chat client: Adium. The animated, quacking duck icon has made a bit of a name for itself, and Phill Ryu (of MacThemes and Widget Machine fame) decided to sit down with Adam Betts and quack ecstatic about the icon's past, present and future. Check it out for Adam's take on everything from Apple's icon guidelines (believe it or not, they have them) to whether Adiumy the Duck will get his own MySpace profile.[via diggdot.us]
Qool Labs intros pair of Pocket PC phones
Singapore's CommunicAsia expo, which ended last week, is still leaving us with little bundles of mobile joy here and there. Today we present for you Qool Labs' QDA Icon and QDA Lite, Windows Mobile 5.0 follow-ons to last year's QDA Oh!. The Icon is the more interesting of the two, rocking four honest megapixels on a CCD sensor, A2DP support, and a RAZR-like etched keypad. The Lite offers a more run-of-the-mill 2 megapixel CMOS camera and mainstream design but includes WiFi, which the Icon does not. Expect both tri-band Pocket PCs to make their way into Asian consumers' hands later this year.[Via Slashphone (Icon / Lite)]Read - Qool Labs QDA IconRead - Qool Labs QDA Lite
Folder Icon X 3.0
If default icons just aren't doing it for you anymore, Folder Icon X might be just the tool you need to add your own touch. As the app's name suggests, Folder Icon X is a one-trick (though feature-rich) pony that allows you to add other icons and images to standard folder and file icons to imbue them with a more personal, relevant look. It offers a lot of simple DnD (drag-n-drop) abilities and can import/export a wide variety of formats.Check out Folder Icon X's product page at Naratt.com for extensive details into the app's abilities. A demo is available, and a license costs $15.00 USD.
Create custom folders with FolderBrander
Here's a good idea. We all know that the Finder will let us put references to folders in both the Dock and Finder window sidebars. However, a row of generic folders in the Dock looks just like that...a row of generic folders. How do you know which is which? If you don't feel like hunting around for the perfect freeware desktop icon that says "2005 tax stuff,", check out FolderBrander.It's a simple utility that lets you quickly add color or text to a folder's icon. The sliders let you position/skew your text so it looks right, and it will even work if you aren't using the default Aqua icons. Now your folders are identifiable at a glance.FolderBrander requires Mac OS 10.3 or later and a single license will cost you $9.95US.
WWE champ JBL: Apple stock a buy
Here's an article we didn't expect to find this morning. WWE superstar JBL writes about the stock market for The Street. No, seriously. In last Saturday's article, he had some nice things to say about Apple (and AAPL). Having just read iCon, the unauthorized bio of Steve Jobs, JBL stated his admiration for Apple's leader, and said this about Apple stock:"Apple is a dream company. No debt, and over $10 per share in cash. Add to that the fact it is still a growth story and you have a stock that is cheap."If JBL tells you to buy a stock, buy it. You don't want a steel chair to the back of the head, do you?
Have Mario send your mail (via stamps from Japan)
Sure, old Mario has been known to paint, play professional sports, and even do some actual plumbing work on occasion, but he'll soon be able to power your mail through the postal service in the Far East.10-stamp sheets of 80 Yen stamps are now available for pre-order in Japan, where gaming otakus will soon be able to adorn their snail mail with the likes of goombas, magic mushrooms, and mustachioed men. The set will be out next month.Has the government of a country like the US ever done anything this official to honor one of the icons of gaming? Perhaps when we have avid gaming advocates in Congress -- or even, dare we say, in the White House -- things will look a little different with game legislation proposals and the postage of unwanted junk mail.[Via GameBrink]See also: French stamps to feature video game icons (Super) Mario Bros. question mark and POW block speakers
What would you change about the menu bar?
This time around the "What would you change" topic I thought I'd forgo an actual app and post on a part of OS X; the menu bar, in fact. While I really dig the menu bar and how it works, it leaves much to be desired in the customizability department. For example: I don't know of a way to increase its width or the font size, and it would be great if there was some kind of a power-user option to make it easier to hide the menu bar altogether, instead of only some apps (like Photoshop) being able to do it. Or how about the image I have here: a comparison to XP's system tray, which includes a crude icon management system of hiding 'inactive' system tray icons. Fellow TUAW blogger Scott is quick to point out, however, that this hiding of inactive icons on XP is a great way of allowing all sorts of unwanted software to install itself and run right under your nose. Nevertheless, if you have a lot of icons up in the menu bar, it would be great to have some way of managing all the clutter besides simply dragging them around manually with the command key.So what say you, TUAW readers? Since we can't even get Macworld press passes I'd say it's a safe bet that Apple won't be taking notes, but a good UI conversation might be a nice way to pass the slow-news holidays.
Troubleshoot an iPod with a folder icon
From time to time I've seen an iPod stop operating and display nothing but a folder icon - definitely not a happy sign. With the holidays fast approaching, I thought it'd be a good idea to offer the iPod owners and soon-to-be-owners a refresher link to Apple's support document on this problem, in case this issue crops up with a shiny new iPod just snatched from under the tree.To summarize, the moral of the document is: make sure you install the proper and latest iPod software using orthodox tools and methods. Use either the CD that came with the iPod or download the latest iPod Updater software from Apple's Downloads site. Also, don't use other software or means of erasing the iPod or partitioning the drive unless you really know what you're doing - playing by the book does sometimes have its advantages.I'll go through more of Apple's support documents in the next day or so and post a roundup of links to the most common topics and problems so everyone has a good stock in their toolbelt for the gift-giving season.
DockStar
We all love the little red badge on Mail.app that tells you how popular you are (ok, it actually tells you how many unread emails you have, but that's the same thing, right?). However, if you have more than one account in Mail the icon is almost useless to you.Enter DockStar, this clever little program allows you to have up to 5 badges, displaying email from 5 different email accounts, in the Mail icon. The best part is that you can pick different colors and shapes for the badges.Thanks to everyone who sent this one in.
