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Apple tells education customers: no more boxed software
It seems Apple is about to cease (almost) all shipments of boxed software to its education customers. ZDNet has published an email that was sent to "a major academic institution" (ZDNet does not mention who wrote or distributed the email, but it sounds like it could have come from a member of the school's faculty or staff). From the message: "Apple confirmed today that, with limited exception, they will cease to ship boxed software to campus resellers. This includes Mac OS X Snow Leopard , iLife, iWork, Apple Remote Desktop, and Aperture, among others...The only products that will remain as boxed software offerings are Logic Express and Logic Studio. The email's author goes on to encourage interested parties to sort through the remaining stock of boxed software for anything they might need. Apple opened the Mac App Store in January of this year, which saw the beginning of the end for boxed software for consumers on the Mac. Now that Apple set to sever the supply of boxed software for educational institutions, it moves even closer to all-digital distribution. The exceptions, as noted in the email, are Logic Express and Logic Studio. However, that is presumably only because those two software apps aren't available on the Mac App store yet. When they are, boxed software from Apple will see its final day.
Daily Mac App: CPU LED
Recently I've become a bit obsessed with CPU usage. Not because my 2011 MacBook Pro is underpowered -- far from it with its Quad-core Core i7. My concern is that the CPU generates an absolute bucket load of heat. CPU LED is a fantastic little menu bar tool for keeping an eye on your CPU load. It sits there with a small, customisable graphic that updates dynamically to display CPU load at a glance. It'll display each core or virtualised core separately or create an average for the whole CPU, depending on your preferences. There are loads of indicators to choose from, including Apple symbols, smilies, bars, colored circles and 3D chips. If you can't find something to your taste you can easily load your own icons. While CPU LED is a free download from the Mac App Store, there are two add-ons available as in-app purchases. The first is a Memory LED, which is available for US$0.99 and does what CPU LED does but for RAM, so you can keep an eye on your RAM usage and see when your system is paging to and from your disk. The second is Disk LED, which will set you back $1.99 (also available as a separate purchase). Disk LED monitors your disk activity and allows you to check their health status on-the-fly. While programs like iStat Menus are more configurable and comprehensive, CPU LED gives you at-a-glance information on your CPU at all times, is lightweight and most importantly, it's free. So if you're at all concerned about your CPU load and you've got space to spare in your menu bar, give CPU LED a whirl. You might like it.
Splashtop Remote Desktop now available for Mac OS X, costs but $10
Not content with creating the possibility of (emulated) Wii gaming on Android tablets, Splashtop continues to spread itself across pretty much anything with a screen, with a Mac-friendly version available now at the Mac App Store. This release allows both Mac OS X 10.6 and Windows to hold hands across the great OS divide -- nice to see Splashtop is still beavering away at its "Bridge to Anywhere." Desktop access to both your most intimate files and programs -- through both local networks and the internet at large -- are but a $9.99 payment away.
Daily Mac App: iProcrastinate
Most of us have a love-hate affair with task management apps. We hate the fact that we have to use them, but love the fact that some of them really help us get stuff done. iProcrastinate, a free task manager for the Mac aims to fall into the love category. iProcrastinate helps you avoid its namesake by making creating and completing tasks super simple. You've got your standard to do-style tasks with colorful check boxes and stars for more important tasks. There's a rating system for how urgent a particular task is, but there's also the ability to mark a task as in progress, which a lot of simpler task managers don't provide. Each task can be sorted into "Subjects" that act as collections, so you can categorise your tasks. The tasks themselves can be divided into steps, which allows you to create an overall task and still detail what needs to be done and check it off as you go -- something really useful for packing a suitcase for instance. Repeating tasks are available if there's a certain job that needs doing once a week, month or year and you want it pop-up automatically. You can also set dates for your tasks, so if you know you have to do a certain task next Monday, you can go ahead and program it in before you forget. iProcrastinate also allows you to sync your tasks via Dropbox or via Bonjour over a local network, while there's a US$0.99 iProcrastinate iPhone app that lets you take your task management on the road. iProcrastinate for the Mac is a nice, simple and easy to use task manager that's got some nice features to boot. If you haven't already got your heart set on something like Producteev or Wunderlist, then give it a try for free -- you might just like it.
Mac App Store now warns customers buying pre-installed apps
Macworld points out that Apple has added a new drop-down dialog box to the Mac App Store (above). It alerts customers who are about to purchase an app they've already got installed. While it doesn't fix an ongoing issue, it's at least a nice heads-up. Software is being added to the Mac App Store all the time. Many are new titles while several have existed long before the store did. Today, customers who bought apps before the store debuted are faced with a dilemma: update that software manually or enjoy the benefits of the Mac App Store -- like simple updating and easy multi-Mac installations -- buy purchasing the app a second time. While this warning hasn't eliminated the problem, it does tip customers off to the fact that they're about to pay for an app they already own.
Daily Mac App: Go2Shell
Here on the Daily Mac App we love apps that do one thing really well. Today's app is no exception. Go2Shell is a tiny little 0.3MB app available for free from the Mac App Store that has the potential to speed up your work-flow if it involves Terminal. Go2Shell simply launches a Terminal session with the current folder you're navigating in Finder, or the folder that Go2Shell is located in, open for work. It even supports iTerm, iTerm 2 and xterm if you're not a fan of Apple's own-brand Terminal. It's so simple, it's almost beautiful and if you happen to have to modify files in Terminal, or any other similar task, Go2Shell could be just ticket to save you time. The best way to use Go2Shell is to drag it onto your Finder toolbar and from there launch it whenever you're in the desired directory. If you need something a little more advanced you should check out one of our previous Daily Mac Apps, DTerm, which gives you hotkey access, and a floating entry form into the Terminal session. Go2Shell is a great free download from the Mac App Store that does one thing and one thing well. So if you're a Terminal guru (even the app's preferences are accessed through the command line) then give Go2Shell a whirl. You might like it.
Cave Story+ out for the Mac App Store with new content
Cave Story is a freeware PC game that came out back in 2004, a 2D action platformer created by a one-man team named Pixel. Since then, it's come out on quite a few consoles (I've got it on my DSi, though it's on the Wii as well), and now it's available as Cave Story+ on the Mac App Store. The app is US$9.99 and available for download right now. Wait a minute, you might be asking: Why do we have to pay $10 for a game you just called freeware? Good question. The original PC title is still downloadable for free, but the Mac App Version is a plus version with new graphics and music created for the WiiWare upgrade, as well as a new level called the Wind Fortress. Pixel is also reportedly planning to add more content to the Mac App Store version in the future, and this is such a lovely and awesome game that it's worth supporting with a few bucks anyway. If you've never played Cave Story and you enjoy a good "Metroidvania" platformer, you're in for a treat this weekend. Go pick Cave Story+ up right now.
'Cave Story+' now available on Mac App Store, with new content
If you want to try out the updated version of Cave Story that hit WiiWare in 2009 -- but, like, on a computer -- you can do so right this second. Developer Nicalis has released Cave Story+ on the Mac App Store. Of course, Cave Story was originally a freeware game for PC, so why buy a computer version, beyond the positive feeling of giving Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya some compensation for his delightful game? This version includes the (optional) updated graphics and music from the WiiWare release, as well as a new "Wind Fortress" level designed by Amaya, with promises of more content updates in the future. Wind Fortress is "kind of tough, but features new enemies no one has seen," Nicalis producer Tyrone Rodriguez told Joystiq. A Steam version for PC will follow soon, the press release notes. And, of course, a fully 3D remake of Cave Story -- completely different from this 2D update -- is due for 3DS in November.%Gallery-132997%
Daily Update for Sept. 8, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Final Cut Studio on sale again via Apple telesales, video editors worldwide breathe sighs of relief
If you're one of the many Final Cut Pro users unhappy with Apple's latest version -- and you haven't been lured into Adobe's open arms -- today brings good news. According to MacRumors, Cupertino will continue to offer the previous, discontinued version via telephone sales. Calling 800-MY-APPLE and asking for Final Cut Studio (part number MB642Z/A) will net you Final Cut Pro 7, Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, DVD Studio Pro 4, Color 1.5 and Compressor 3.5 for $999, or $899 for qualified educational customers. That's a far cry from the $299.99 for Final Cut Pro X, but if you're interested in, say, opening legacy projects or outputting to tape, you might grudgingly pony up the extra dough.
Mac App Store highlights 'Enhanced for OS X Lion' apps
Apple has highlighted several apps on the Mac App Store that have been "Enhanced for OS X Lion." Apple's own iLife and iWork apps occupy the top spots, naturally, but over forty third-party apps are featured too. In Apple's words, "OS X Lion is packed with innovative features including Multi-Touch Gestures, Full-Screen Apps, Resume, Auto-Save, and Versions. Here are the apps and games currently taking advantage of these new enhancements." Apple's featured a wide array of apps, so there should be something there for everyone. If you're running OS X Lion, it's definitely worth a look.
Sparrow co-founder tells why the Mac App Store is crucial to his success
Sparrow co-founder Dominique Leca gave an interesting interview to Business Insider (BI) in which he reveals his thoughts about the Mac App Store from a developer's perspective. We've covered Sparrow, the popular third-party OS X email client, many times before. It launched on the Mac App Store at the beginning of the year and since then has become a hit, not only for its design, but for its tight integration with Gmail. The US$9.99 price for a full-featured app doesn't hurt either. But how does Leca feel about Apple taking almost a third of each sale? He's got no problem with it whatsoever. "We think the Mac App Store gives us a fair deal," Leca told BI. "It is required to get noticed, especially for an app like Sparrow. People don't wake up in the morning thinking they want to change their mail client. So more than any developer, we need to be there." He notes that after Sparrow debuted on the Mac App Store, the company started selling a licensed version on its website. After six months, only 2% of Sparrow sales come from their website, and 98% come from the Mac App Store. In six months of sales from the Mac App Store, Sparrow has made more than half a million dollars. That's more than enough to make Leca a fan of Apple's store. However, he does have some suggestions as to how Apple could improve the Mac App Store. He points out that users seem to be confused between the App Store for iOS devices and the Mac App Store. Many don't understand why they have to go to two different places to buy apps. He hopes that Apple will begin advertising the Mac App Store so users understand it better. He also notes that handling app updates is a bit of a pain in the Mac App Store. If there's a bug in an app, it could take as many as three to four days to get the fixed app into the store. "But on the bright side, developers have to ship something almost perfect. Without this, the Mac App Store would be crowded with junk apps." Finally Leca says that he wishes Apple would segregate their apps into a specific section of the Mac App Store -- one that is outside of the top charts -- so third-party apps could get more exposure. Many of Apple's products like Pages, Keynote, Numbers, FaceTime, iPhoto, and OS X Lion consistently hold top-12 spots in the top charts, which means some good Mac apps stay hidden behind the tiny "Show All" button. Leca has some other interesting thoughts about Apple and the Mac App Store so be sure to check out the original interview over on BI.
Irem Arcade Hits brings Ninja Spirit to Mac app store
You can buy Ninja Spirit from the Mac App Store right now for $10. Well, OK, it's part of the Irem Arcade Hits collection by DotEmu, which also throws in games like Kung Fu Master, Vigilante, and Hammerin' Harry -- 18 in all -- but all you really need to know is that this is a convenient delivery system for Ninja Spirit, a truly excellent side-scrolling ninja game. The Mac version is a new release, but there's been a PC version available for some time now -- if that's your platform of choice for arcade collections, you can buy that direct from DotEmu, DRM-free.%Gallery-132061%
Daily Mac App: SiteSucker
Back in the pre-ubiquitous internet days, services like AvantGo allowed you to cache and store websites for offline viewing. These days there's little need for that kind of thing, simply because we're very rarely offline. Having said that, there are times when a solid internet connection just isn't available and it would be nice to keep on working, reading or browsing sites. That's where a program like SiteSucker comes in. SiteSucker, as the name suggests, sucks down a localized version of site of your choice to your Mac's hard drive for viewing offline. Simply type in the URL of the site you want and press "Download," SiteSucker will do the rest, scanning, downloading and processing the site into an offline viewable form for when you haven't got an internet connection on hand. The number of levels deep SiteSucker will scan and download can be user defined, so if you're looking for a small skim of the site, a one or two level archive will do. If you want a more in depth, browsable localised site something more like a four to six level download will probably be best. You can also set limits on the number of files downloaded, the minimum and maximum file size as well as a minimum image size to download. File type limits can also be imposed as can paths to include or exclude, and whether or not to limit it to the original site's server. Once you've got your site downloaded, it's just a case of opening it up in Safari or any other browser of your choice from your disk. If you've ever wanted to keep an offline version of a site for tinkering, browsing or analysis, SiteSucker gets the job done fast, efficiently and automatically, all for the great price of free from the Mac App Store.
Daily Mac App: ClamXav
Antivirus on a Mac might be a touchy subject, but if you'd like the reassurance of a virus scanner that's not intrusive and can be called on-demand, then the free ClamXav is a great choice. While you may or may not need a virus scanner on a Mac, there's no harm in having one that you can run as and when, perhaps if you're sending a file to a Windows using colleague for instance. Just because a potentially infected file goes totally unnoticed on your Mac, doesn't mean it's not going to wreak havoc on your poor unsuspecting friend's Windows box. ClamXav is the Mac GUI variant of the open source ClamAV project, and has recently entered the Mac App Store, making it even easier to get on-demand protection. Thanks to the ClamAV antivirus engine, ClamXav will detect both Mac and Windows threats and remove them quickly and easily. You get a Services menu option, which allows you to scan files as and when, be it that PDF you just downloaded or your entire disc. You can define file exclusions and even save your favorite scan locations for frequent scanning tasks. Virus definition updates are of course free, and you can get ClamXav to update when you first start the program or on a set schedule. While ClamXav may not be the fastest scanner on the block, it's free, gets the job done, and most importantly, won't bog your system down. If you ever share files with Windows users, or just want to make sure you're not going to fall foul of a Mac malware uprising if it ever comes into being, then ClamXav is a great occasional use scanner.
Daily Mac App: Full Deck Solitaire
Solitaire is one of the enduring classics of computer gaming, keeping all the skill and entertainment of the real thing and ditching all the shuffling and laying out. Full Deck Solitaire is fantastic free solitaire game available from the Mac App Store. Full Deck comes with 22 "deliciously delightful" solitaire games wrapped into one tight little package. You've got the old favorites like Klondike, Spider solitaire and Pyramid, combined with the less common likes of Thieves of Egypt and Tri Peaks solitaire -- there's something for almost everyone. The card movements are all well animated, with appropriate optional sound effects, and you've even got the option of an animated "video background" of the sea lapping up on the shore on a moonlit night. You can of course use your own background image if the stock green ones don't do it for you. You also have three decks to choose from antique, clean and large print, or if you hate all of them, you can define your own card backs from an image of your choice. You have three choices of card size too, meaning you can just about customise the whole card playing area to your liking, including playing full screen on Lion. Each game has a nice load of statistics, that tell you how many games you failed to win, at least in my case, and of course there's a full set of rules available should you have never played a particular game before. So, if you're looking for a decent solitaire game for your Mac on the cheap, you can't get much cheaper and better than the free Full Deck Solitaire.
OS X Lion 10.7.1 update hits Mac App Store - one week later
One week after its release through Software Update, the 10.7.1 update for OS X Lion has made its way onto the Mac App Store. It's not clear if the delay was intentional or not. Unforeseen technical issues may have complicated issuing an update to such a large piece of software on Apple's new app distribution platform. However, it's just as likely that this will be Apple's strategy going forward: offer OS X updates through traditional channels like Software Update and direct download to more tech-savvy users who typically watch for these kinds of things, give the update a week to settle, then offer the download to the more casual set who only updates via the Mac App Store. In that case, those of us who update right away might end up acting as de facto beta testers during that week. It's too early to tell either way what Apple's intent for future OS X updates will be. However, if the 10.7.2 Lion update has the same weeklong delay between Software Update and the Mac App Store, it makes it more likely that Apple plans to follow that pattern going forward.
Daily Mac App: War Pinball HD
Can't get enough pinball on your Mac? War Pinball HD from Gameprom takes the great pinball engine we saw in Pinball HD and adds some war film tie-ins to the mix. You've got three tables on offer in War Pinball HD, two based on Charlie Sheen flicks, Platoon and Navy Seals, and one on a Chuck Norris special, Missing in Action. Each table is stacked full of images, props and sounds from the movies. You've even got unique elements like Huey's, Subs and a giant Chuck Norris on the table that form part of the missions available to each table. Of course because it's war-themed you've got oodles of gun fire and explosions. Almost every action on the table has some sort of well thought out and integrated sound effect or clip from the respective movie, making the soundscape within War Pinball HD incredibly immersive. It draws you in and really adds to the action. In the settings there's a toggle for some of the more sweary clips, just in case youngsters are playing. Even the menu music and sound effects are great. If you're a fan of American war films, you're going to love it. The game's graphics look great of course, and you can even play it in 3D with some suitable glasses. Gameplay is top notch too, as each table plays really well, with enough side missions and targets to keep you entertained. If you're hankering for some decent pinball action on your Mac, the US$2.99 War Pinball HD brings pinball and war together to give you one of the best pinball games available in the Mac App Store.
Daily Mac App: Sunset
Sometimes your screen is just too bright in the evenings. For the sake of your eyes, Sunset lets you reduce the brightness of your monitor below that of the standard brightness controls and without having to adjust the backlight. If you reduce the brightness of your screen using the on-board controls, what you're doing is reducing the brightness of the backlight bulbs or LEDs behind the screen. Sometimes that can cause buzzing, or other droning noises, and sometimes that just isn't dim enough. Sunset takes a different approach purely in software that overlays a dimming mask over your screen with different levels to suit your brightness needs. This means that if your display makes an annoying sound when dimmed, or you just can't get it dim enough, Sunset will dim your display to your satisfaction without issue. Sure, dimming your display with Sunset doesn't affect electricity usage or the life of your backlight, but it will save your eyes at night. The little program sits in the menu bar and can be configured to respond to global shortcut keys like F1 & F2. If you have more than one display, Sunset can dim all of them to the same level or you can pick and choose which one to dim independently. The only thing missing is some sort of auto-dimming set to a specific timer, but the manual control works well. Sunset is great if your lowest monitor's brightness setting is just too bright, or it makes an annoying sound when not on full brightness. It's simple, easy to use and gets the job done for an introductory price of US$1.99 (regular price $3.99).
Browse vacation spots with Kayak Explore for Mac
Travel site Kayak.com has released its first OS X app, Kayak Explore. The app works as a sort of travel guidebook that helps users make up their minds about what destinations they should explore on their next trip. When you launch the app, you're presented with a map and five photos, each of which represents a different vacation destination. Beneath the photo, you'll find a price for the trip, including flights and hotel. At the bottom of the screen is a slider with back and next arrows, which cycles through the list of destinations. Adjusting the slider to the left or right allows you to select a price range. The filter bar allows you to customize the auto-generated vacation destinations. You can select from categories such as romantic, shopping, urban, historic, and more; change your departure airport; adjust the number of travelers and narrow your trip to a specific month. Clicking on any of the destinations brings up a details windows that shows flight prices from different airlines and details about the hotel, such as maps, photos, reviews and rates. If you want to book any of the flights or destinations, click the Book Now button, and it will take you to the provider's website where you can complete your purchase. I'm a fan of Kayak.com, and I think their Kayak HD app is one of the best travel apps for the iPad. However, the Kayak Explore Mac app seems almost pointless. It's more of a kiosk you'd expect to see at an airport or Kayak's website. While the effort is appreciated, I hope this isn't a sign of things to come in the Mac App Store: apps that are little more than branding materials for companies, serve little purpose or provide little more than shallow benefits for users. Kayak Explore is a free download from the Mac App Store.
