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Growl 1.3 now available on the Mac App Store
Growl, perhaps the most well-known and popular notification system for OS X, has just released version 1.3 as a Mac App Store exclusive. The previously free notification system has become a paid app with Growl 1.3. As Macstories points out, the reason the Growl team decided to make what was previously a free System Preferences pane into a US$1.99 app was so users would be provided with an up-to-date app utilizing the latest Apple technologies. So what's new with Growl 1.3? Almost everything. Growl has been rewritten from the ground up using a new architecture, sporting a new UI, and adding lots of features previous iterations of Growl never had. But not to worry, Growl 1.3 still retains everything you loved about Growl 1.2, they've just added a lot of cool new features to it. Among the coolest new features is a Notification Center-like Rollup window. The window, which is accessed from the Finder's menu bar (where you find Growl now), keeps a history of all your notifications that you've received from various apps that use Growl. This is especially handy when you're away from your computer and want to see what notifications you missed. Growl 1.3 is $1.99 in the Mac App Store. Users also can still download the free System Preference pane version 1.2.2 here.
Toyota demos Prius' proximity notification system, touts 'futuristic' purr (video)
Silence may be a virtue under most circumstances, but not when you're driving around a leafy, residential neighborhood in your Toyota Prius. That's why the manufacturer came out with its very own vehicle proximity notification system last year -- a "futuristic," underhood noisemaker designed to alert pedestrians and the visually impaired to the plug-in's presence. Now, Toyota has offered more details on its safety system, in a freshly released demo video starring the 2012 Prius V. The car's artificial engine noise, as the company explains, only kicks in at speeds below 15 miles per hour, allowing it to broadcast its audible heads-up across parking lots or other low-speed zones. The sound itself, meanwhile, emanates from external speakers and consists of a blend of high and low frequencies that won't be by muffled by background noise or physical obstacles. The vehicle's pitch shift technology also enables the tone to rise in pitch as the car speeds up and to fall as it slows down, giving others an idea of how fast it's approaching. Accelerate past the break to see the full video for yourself, while John Kerry nods in silent approval.
Apple reportedly adds earthquake warning to Japanese iOS
Apple is supposedly adding an Earthquake widget to its Japanese version of iOS 5. The widget will connect to Japan's earthquake warning system and will alert iPhone owners of an impending natural disaster. The system will tie into iOS 5's new notification center and give Japanese residents a few extra minutes to prepare for an earthquake and possible Tsunami. The early notification could lower your battery life, but that's an acceptable trade-off for public and personal safety.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: HardwareGrowler
Have you ever wanted to keep an eye on what's happening with the hardware on your system using pop-up notifications? Well a little known extra to a very well known program called Growl could be just the ticket. HardwareGrowler (HwG) comes packed with Growl in the "Extras" folder on the Growl disk image (as seen above) and can be installed just like any other application. Once up and running, HwG will notify you of any hardware changes to your system. If the MagSafe adapter gets yanked out or the power cuts out, HwG will tell you. If you plug in a USB drive or a network drive disconnects, HwG will let you know. In fact if anything changes behind the scenes on the hardware front HwG has you covered. It's a nice simple application that has no user-configurable preferences to speak of, simply launch and you're ready to go. If you want to change the style or sounds associated with the notifications all you have to do is change it in the Growl Preference pane. HwG has a persistent dock icon, but you can get rid of manually with quick tweak. So if you've been after a program to notify you if your MacBook gets accidentally unplugged, or you lose connection to a vital network or network drive, HardwareGrowler is a brilliant free little utility that you probably already have but just didn't know it. HardwareGrowler can be downloaded as part of the free Growl package from Growl.info. Thanks to miguelpontes for the suggestion.
Google+ runs out of disk space, floods inboxes with notification spam
If you're one of the lucky ones who landed themselves a Google+ account, you might have felt a little less fortunate when your inbox was bombarded by repeated notifications. Vic Gundotra, the Goog's social mastermind, took to the fledgling service to apologize and explain what happened. Turns out the servers in charge of tracking notifications ran out of disk space for about 80 minutes -- causing them to repeatedly send and resend the same messages. In his Plus posting Gundotra admitted, "we didn't expect to hit these high thresholds so quickly, but we should have." Sure, it may have been annoying to get 17 alerts that your old college roommate added you to his circles, but we've got to give credit to Vic for owning this mini fail. The company better hope it can scale up capacity quick -- Google+ invites are still a hot property and it's got a lot of growing to do before it can truly compete with the likes of Facebook.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: UnPlugged
The Magsafe is a fantastic innovation, but it has made it slightly easier to disconnect your Mac from the AC outlet by accident without realising it. UnPlugged is a little free utility that notifies you via Growl when the power cord is disconnected. Now it's true that if you're running a portable Mac the screen is set to dim automatically on battery power by default, plus the power icon in the menu bar is set to change between a battery symbol to one with a AC plug. But if you happen to be running your Mac solely with an external display, it could be easy to miss the warning signs that you're now running on battery power. UnPlugged runs in the background keeping out of your way till its called upon. It'll also display updates on charge status, notifying you on changes in power percentage intervals, which you can set with a slider from 1% to 50%. Just like apps like DiskAlarm, UnPlugged doesn't do anything that Mac OS X doesn't do for you already, but it does make it more obvious and could be the alert you need to keep you from running out of juice when you thought you were plugged in. If you need a simple power notifier, give UnPlugged a whirl and download it for free from the Mac App Store.
Facebook 2.0 finally brings push notifications to Windows Phone 7
On the heels of yesterday's release of Mango for the developers out there, Facebook has finally dropped version 2 with support for push notifications -- Toast and Live Tile. For those of you that've been waiting with baited breath, included are notifications for: messages, wall posts, feed comments and replies, photo tags and replies, or in short about everything your addiction requires. We've not had a chance to light our screens up with this just yet, so why not be a dear and give it a go and let us know what you think.
iOS 5 beta 2 blocks Gevey SIM Unlock, brings photo album curation to iDevices
It's only been a few days since Apple released iOS 5 beta 2, but we've already received a bevy of tips from developers who've spent some quality time with the update and uncovered a few of its more salient features. Here are some highlights. It looks like Apple has blocked Applenberry's Gevey SIM software, which allowed users to unlock devices running iOS 4.3 or iOS 5 beta 1 without having to jailbreak. (Read) According to Dev Team member MuscleNerd, iOS 5 beta 2 can still be jailbroken using the RedSn0w 0.9.8b1 tethering tool, released earlier this month. (Read) The beta refresh also brings a few tweaks to iOS 5's notifications system. Traditional alerts and reminders now pop up on the lock screen in larger typeface, alongside their appropriate icon. If left unattended, the notifications will eventually be added to the Android-like banner menu, at the top of the lock screen. (Read) Users can now create and curate photo albums directly from their iDevices, though the feature isn't without its quirks. A tipster informs us that photos added to new albums remain in the original collection, as well. If you migrate an image from one album to another and delete the original, both pics will disappear. The next beta release might be issued over the air. When a tipster checked for updates on an iPad running beta 2, he received a "No updates were found" message, suggesting that users may be able to find future refreshes without syncing their devices with iTunes. (Screenshot after the break.) Update: We're hearing from many of you that the gallery functionality was actually a part of beta 1. But, you're encouraged to continue enjoying it here, in beta 2. [Thanks to everyone who sent these in]
MobileNotifier dev snapped up by Apple to work on iOS framework?
We said that MobileNotifier unobtrusive notifications might be the single best reason to jailbreak your iOS device, and it sounds like Apple may agree -- Redmond Pie reports that lead developer Peter Hajas has been spirited away by the Cupertino computer company to work on iOS itself. Hajas wrote that he was taking a break from MobileNotifier, and some newfangled detective work dug up the rest -- a thinly-veiled reference to Steve Jobs, a tweet mentioning a California "fruit" company, and finally an alleged screenshot of Hajas' entry in Apple's employee database. We're feeling slightly bittersweet about the whole thing, to tell the truth, as while we'd rather not have to smash our iPhone chains, the notion that this is all happening now suggests we won't see greatly improved notifications in iOS 5, come Monday. [Thanks, Jeff]
Facebook granted patent for tagging digital media
It's taken the US Patent and Trademark Office four and half years to consider it, but Facebook now finally has a patent on one of its central features: photo tagging. Applied for in October 2006 and just granted this week, this legal doc gives Mark Zuckerberg and a couple of his buddies credit for designing a method for identifying users in "a selection of an item of digital media." That could be photos, video, audio, or text -- the main drive of the patent is that it lets people associate a given chunk of media with a person and inform others of this association. The wording of Facebook's claims is rather specific -- you have to, for example, allow the identified person the opportunity to reject the identification -- so having this patent need not necessarily preclude other sites like Flickr from engaging in similar, but not identical, behavior.
Notificant is a helpful reminder no matter where you are
Carmel Cloud has released the iOS version of Notificant, which ties schedule notifications made on your Mac with your iOS device. The Mac version of this program debuted shortly after the Mac App Store rolled out in January, but the lack of iOS integration caused many not to use it to its full potential. Notificant also syncs with a web app, which allows you to access your notifications via any browser; that's handy for when you have to integrate a Windows computer into your daily workflow like I do. Notificant is a fairly simple app. You get a 160-character limit to write a detailed schedule reminder, including URLs that can be shortened using a built-in shortner, and you can set a time for the reminder to trigger. What sets it apart from notifications through iCal and Google Calendar is that you can specifically target where the notification goes. For example, I can write a notification using the web app at work and have it go to my iPhone at a specific time. Or, my husband can use my iMac at home to send a schedule reminder to my MacBook Air when I'm out without it going to my iPhone or email. The one thing that I wished Notificant had was the ability to add extra email addresses. It would be handy for sending reminders to my husband or to my work email. Notificant also does not do repeating events, which can be a turn-off for some potential users. Notificant for iPhone is US$2.99, and a universal version for the iPad will be available in the future. Notificant for Mac is $4.99 and is available on the Mac App Store.
Karotz to start shipping, Nabaztag to return from dead for Easter
Cadbury aside, nothing says Easter quite like a good resurrection tale, and this story's got it -- starring a rabbit, no less. Owners of Nabaztag, the email-reading / weather-forecasting / and generally adorable WiFi-enable desktop buddy, have been reporting a massive die-off of their beloved ambient bunnies, a tragic end due to a recent server move. The rabbits' manufacturer tells us that the network issues should be resolved by next week -- something of a belated Easter celebration. The rebirth is also perfectly timed to welcome Nabataztag's second coming as Karotz -- those who pre-ordered should start seeing the glowing woodland creature in their mailboxes next week.
MobileNotifier: iPhone alerts improved (video)
If you haven't jailbroken your iPhone yet then MobileNotifier might just push you over the edge -- a place you're probably already teetering upon given Apple's pathetic push notification implementation. MobileNotifier beta v3 is a free open-source rewrite of iOS' notifications from Peter Hajas (lead developer) and Kyle Adams (UI and UX). Perhaps the biggest feature of MobileNotifier is the addition of unobtrusive alerts that appear at the top of your existing app. Unlike Apple's interfering popups, MobileNotifier alerts can be ignored, leaving them on the display without inhibiting use of the device. You can also take immediate action on alerts or tap them away for later. Pending alerts can be found in the AlertDashboard -- the previously unused area above the app switcher, accessible with a double-press of the iPhone's home button. Pending alert counts are also displayed as a line item on the Lockscreen. We've been running MobileNotifier for a few hours. While it's not perfect (opaque windows?) we have no plans to remove it either. At least not until we see what Apple has in store for iOS 5 which, with any luck, will be revealed on Wednesday for a summer launch. Another screenshot and demo video can be found after the break.
Google adds HTML5 Gmail and Gtalk notifications for the desktop, makes you envy Chrome users
Oh, come on, Google! If you're going to give us desktop notifiers for our favorite email and chat clients, you've got to play nice and let us have them on more than your own browser, right? To be fair to the Chrome maker, it's standardizing the code it's used in its new HTML5 alerts so that other browsers can soon use it too, but as of today, you'll need to use the Google-sanctioned webscape navigator if you want its sweet new pop-ups on your desktop. We gave them a quick try and they're delightfully quick, with Gtalk message alerts updating themselves to the latest one received instead of stacking up and threatening your sanity. Hit the source link to learn how to enable the new notifications.
Real-life mailbox mod tells your iPhone when you've got snail mail (video)
Do you spend your days desperately awaiting credit card bills, coupons to Pizza Hut, and reminders from your dentist's office that it's time for another cleaning? We've pared down our dependence on USPS, but for those who still get physical communications of note, Make has developed an Arduino-based mailbox mod that sends push notifications when the post is in. Back in 2005, we saw a clunky device called POSTIN that did much the same thing. Thankfully, this system doesn't require an extra gadget, instead it sends messages straight to your iPhone. The postal alert system uses a snap-action switch, connected to an Arduino sensor, to signal when your mailbox is opened. A piece of code waits for the signal and then requests a URL from a PHP-enabled server, pushing an alert to your cellphone using the Prowl iPhone app. Die-hard USPS fans can check out the instructional video after the jump.
Brando's USB mailbox lights up, thrills your heart when email arrives
Is the plastic heap you're peering at above anywhere near as cute as the notifying papercraft Wall-E we spotted late last year? Not even close, but it's equally captivating. Crafted by the geniuses at Brando, the USB Mail Box Friends Alert works with Windows-based machines that happen to have an open USB port. Simply plug it in, install the software and link your Facebook, Twitter or email account; when a new message arrives, the mailbox lights up, a sound can be emitted and the flag can even raise to alert you. Never mind the fact that the flag should only raise when you've got something in the outbox -- you know you're dropping $18 on this, anyway.
iPad shipments en route, men in brown on high alert
Based on the flood of tips we just received, Apple is sending out the first batch of shipment notifications to all you pre-orderers. Your area is eligible for Saturday delivery isn't it? P.S. Apple news is going to get nuts as we approach the April 3rd launch. So if your brain can't filter out the news you don't care about then let Engadget do it for you. [Thanks, Bill K.]
Two Growl styles worth a serious look
Designer/Developer Christopher Lobay has been hard at work making some excellent Styles for the system notification app, Growl. Growl displays temporary, floating notification windows above your desktop to let you know about things like new messages, completed downloads, changes in Skype availability, etc. Many applications have Growl support built in, so if you're not using it already, you should check it out. Once you do, you'll want to customize the way it looks, and that's where Christopher, among legions of others, comes in. Published a while back, the first Growl style I want to highlight is "Basics." Basics provides a very minimalist black background on which it animates the icon of the application responsible for the notification. If you, like me, have grown all too accustomed to notifications popping up around your desktop, this little bit of animation (just a slide across the bar) can make the popups much more eye-catching, without being distracting. It is, as its name implies, basic, but has an air of class not always seen in Growl styles. Second -- and brand new right now -- is "Mono." This latest one is even more subdued, with a very nice bezel and it's the text that animates rather than the icon. This has much the same eye-attracting effect but is even less distracting. It's some great work by Christopher, and definitely worth a peek if you're using Growl. Both styles are available for free, so go get 'em!
Growl at 1.2, with 64-bit support
Ever since upgrading to Snow Leopard, the one remaining 32-bit niggle I have has been with Growl's preference pane. Today, however,* Growl has released v1.2 of its famous application notification system with, among other things, 64-bit support. While most of the updates in 1.2 are "behind the scenes," the biggest user-facing improvement is in the upgrade to 64-bit. What this means is that for Snow Leopard users, selecting the Growl preference pane does not require Preferences.app to re-launch in 32-bit compatibility mode. In addition to the Growl preference pane, GrowlMail and GrowlSafari have been updated to 64-bit and are now Snow Leopard compatible. Further, the Growl framework has been re-written in Cocoa dropping support for the Carbon-based API. You can see the full list of changes over at Growl's version history page. Growl users should have received a notification to download the update. Alternatively, you can head over to Growl's homepage and click "download" to get your ticket to the notification express. *Several readers have pointed out that version 1.2, while the current version, wasn't released today but in fact has been out for several weeks. Our apologies.
Get your notifications: experimental Mac app from Facebook
Mac-using Facebook fans are going to be happy to learn about Facebook's experimental Desktop Notifications app. Desktop Notifications sits in the menu bar, and pops up notifications (using Growl if you have it) when they occur. It also gives you quick access to your news feed, profile page, and quick ways to update your status or start a new Facebook email message. There are two things about Desktop Notifications that are compelling, yet have nothing to do with the app itself. The first is the fact that it's a native Mac application, rather than yet another Facebook client written on Adobe Air. The second is that it was actually developed by Facebook themselves [Update] Thanks to Raul and Nate for pointing out in the comments that the application is marked as "not developed by Facebook", though one of the developers listed works for Facebook. It's unclear at this point how serious this project is; it's clearly marked as experimental, which is clearly becoming the post-Gmail way of denoting that something is beta. In terms of raw functionality, Desktop Notifications is pretty barebones, since most of what it does is take you to a particular Facebook page. Personally I kind of like it that way. It's relatively light in terms of memory usage, and uses virtually no CPU cycles at all unless you are actively interacting with it, which is exactly what I want from a utility that is running all the time. My one beef is that the built-in hotkey that pops up a status update dialog box conflicts with another utility on my system, and there is no way to modify it. Since Desktop Notifications is still in the experimental stage, that's a pretty small complaint. [Update] Commenter Scott points out that there is a preference setting to change the hotkey. [via TechCrunch]
