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Using multi-network Meebo chat service on your iPhone
While Nik Fletcher at our sister site Download Squad discovered that Meebo works decently on an iPhone, it isn't without some catches. Meebo, for those who have never experienced, is a leading web-based multi-network chat service; in other words - chatting in a web browser is their business, and they've been doing it for a long time. Even though Nik is right, and Meebo might fill in for the lack of any kind of chat in the iPhone, it isn't without some UI quirks that can make the experience less than pleasing. Of course, it is entirely plausible that the Meebo team are already hard at work on getting their product to play nicely with an iPhone, but until then, I figured some tips and tricks were in order for those who are just dying to chat across AIM, Yahoo!, MSN and even ICQ on their iPhones. Save time logging in: You should probably make it easy on yourself and register a Meebo account with a real desktop browser. While you always have the option of manually signing into one or more services each time you visit Meebo, if you want to chat on more than one network, it's going to be a pain in the butt to keep zooming in and out while typing in your login credentials each time. From what I can tell, iSafari (Safari on the iPhone) doesn't properly save your login name and/or password, so it might simply be easier to create a Meebo account and attach all the network logins you want to it so you can simply log into all of them with one master Meebo account. The buddy list works - mostly: I'm no web 2.0 designer, but from what I can tell, Meebo is a pretty complex web-based chat app. Since Meebo is providing some pretty powerful functionality, I'm not surprised that it doesn't work quite right in iSafari, and the quirky buddy list is probably the first thing you'll notice. If you try to tap on any contacts, the entire buddy list gets that dark translucent overlay as if you just tapped on and selected the entire thing. What's worse, you might not even see a new chat window open up, even in landscape mode. Fret not, however: for some reason, Meebo (at least on my iPhone) places new chat windows far, far to the left. If you pinch and zoom out a bit, maybe even scrolling a tad, you should see any and every new chat window you opened by tapping on the buddy list. Handling windows: Once you get over that buddy list hump, the rest of Meebo works fairly well. Tapping in the text field area of a chat window will bring up the iPhone's keyboard, and I find that, given how much space the keyboard takes up, using the iPhone in typical portrait mode (vertically) here gives you a bit more space to see what you're typing and maybe the last word or line of what your buddy said. Simply pressing the Go button in the lower right of the keyboard will actually send your chat message. While windows don't seem to be drag-able, you can tap on their title bars to bring one or the other to the front, allowing you to tap in the text field and get typing. This, of course, is all going to require you to get real comfortable with zooming in and our frequently, because the iPhone will zoom in on the text field area when you want to chat, forcing you to zoom back out to see what your buddy is saying or any other chat windows you have open. It isn't perfect, but it works. Chat junkies will likely rejoice since they won't have to burn through SMS, and Meebo offers a better experience and more chat networks than that AIM-only experimental app we found last month. Aside from waiting for Apple to get on the ball here, keep your eyes on Meebo, as I would not be surprised if they're working on optimizing their web app for the iPhone.
Activation Video reveals some interesting details and... an 80GB iPhone?
Oh Apple, you're so sly with the way you slip in the useful (and sometimes bizarre) details with your iPhone demo videos. In the activation video posted today, more intricacies of what and how the iPhone synchs have been revealed with a walk-through of how to get one's iPhone set up at home with iTunes. First, it appears as though Apple and AT&T have thought of just about everything: The setup asks whether you already have an AT&T account and you'd just like to add your iPhone to it, or if you're creating a brand new account. Users can also activate two or more phones all from the comforts of their pajamas and iTunes.
Mystery Solved? 10.4.10, Yahoo!, and the iPhone
The addition of a Yahoo! sync framework in 10.4.10 certainly seems a bit puzzling on the surface, but after some grinding of my mental cogs, I think I've figured it out.If you will think back to MacWorld 2007 and the announcement of the iPhone, you'll remember that Steve Jobs brought three special guests on stage. Stuffed between Eric Schmidt and Stan Sigman (of Google and Cingular, respectively) was Jerry Yang from Yahoo! who used his time to talk about the free Yahoo! IMAP "push" email that will be bundled with every iPhone.With an email account comes a contact list, and in this day and age of do-everything service providers, a calendar usually comes with it. It makes sense then that Apple would make it possible to edit and sync these things from your desktop– thus the new framework. Sure, I can do all that from my iPhone, but do I really want to enter and tweak 300 address book entries on such a small device?Obviously, this is just idle postulation, but I'd be surprised if something like this didn't get announced before the release of the iPhone later this month.
Yahoo!Sync installed with OS X 10.4.10
TUAW reader Dustin Johnston tipped us off that a new OS X framework is getting installed with the OS X 10.4.10 update, namely Yahoo Sync. Located in /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks, YahooSync.framework contains an embedded Yahoo!Sync application. If you want to find it on your computer, choose Go -> Go To Folder in Finder and enter: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/YahooSync.framework/Versions/A/Resources Peeking inside the application and framework strings reveals that the synchronization will use a Yahoo! ID stored in Address Book and that you must (obviously) have a Yahoo! account set up in order to synchronize. It's not clear exactly what this application does, but it's likely to allow you to sync your Yahoo! calendar with iCal.
Great moments in game ad cheese
We like to complain about misleading CG sequences being passed off as gameplay, but a quick pass over these Top 10 Cheesiest Classic Game Commericals confirms that we really don't have a leg to stand on in the being tricked department. Take for instance, this Pole Position ad that implies the game replicates the thrill of having God pick up your family car and transform it into four race cars which you then drive until all of you explode. It almost makes us nostalgic for an era when we could still feel that way ... or at least be fooled into believing that we would.Also, you won't want to miss the Bezerk ad, which features a theme song so awful that, were cavemen to hear it, they would invent fire just so they could throw their sun-dried zebra skin drums into it and stop music from ever existing. But with only 10 ads here, are there any of your favorites left off the list?
North American BIS customers get upgraded
Over this past weekend, BlackBerry customers received a little treat if they're using Gmail or Yahoo! Mail accounts. RIM updated their BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) for what should be all service providers in North America from 2.1 to 2.3. With RIM's latest endeavor to reach a common ground for BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Service) functionality for the BIS subscriber, customers should now be rocking two-way wireless synchronization of deleted emails, auto forwarding from BIS email addresses, as well as read / unread message counts. From what we can tell, the upgrade went smooth with no issues -- which is exactly how BlackBerry users like it.
Microsoft and Yahoo: no deal
According to The Journal, the Microsoft / Yahoo merger talks which first took place a year ago (and then again "in recent months", as was discovered today) turned up nil -- that's right, the deal's off. Again. Not that it was ever on. Anyway, apparently discussions are in fact no longer active, and it was concluded that competing is apparently marginally more productive than merging for the two mammoth businesses. (Seriously, can you imagine how much product overlap there would have been between the two?) And trust us, the last thing 75k-large Microsoft needs right now is another personnel infusion of over ten thousand people having a hard enough time as it is keeping up with the business. Bottom line: looks like both companies are on their own against the big G. Best of luck to 'em. [Warning: subscription required for read link]
Microsoft aggressively courting Yahoo (again)?
In what would be one of the biggest business deals to go down -- well, ever -- Microsoft is rumored to once again be in talks to buy Yahoo after being rebuffed numerous times in past years. The New York Post is citing unnamed sources in reporting that Goldman Sachs is helping Team Redmond make a play for the web's perennial "number two," and arguing that an acquisition or merger would make sense for both companies. Microsoft would get a stronger online advertising presence -- something it clearly desires, as evidenced by its battle with Google for DoubleClick -- along with as an audience whose demographic supposedly skews younger and content that it could offer with Zunes, Xboxes, and the like. Yahoo would also serve to benefit, goes the argument, by picking up some of the much-needed technical expertise and financial backing required to dethrone the big G. Still, these two rivals have done the mating dance several times before without anything substantial arising -- save for IM interoperability -- so it remains to be seen whether the landscape has shifted enough in the eyes of both firms to solidify an agreement this go-round. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Flickr Uploadr 2.3
You are all familiar with Flickr, Yahoo!'s photo sharing site, I assume. Flickr provides Mac users with a free utility to upload, tag, and group photos called Flickr Uploadr. Sadly for Intel Mac users it wasn't a Universal Binary, but the wait is over. Flickr Uploadr 2.3 is a Universal Binary, starts up faster, and has a few new bells and whistles.Flickr Uploadr 2.3 is free.A few pics of the interface are waiting for you, after the jump.
Gracenotes and iTunes in lyrics talks
A deal between Apple iTunes and Gracenotes may be in the works according to this recent Reuters report posted by PC Magazine. Gracenotes has gained the rights to legally distribute lyrics from BMG, Universal Music, Sony/ATV and other content providers. A deal between iTunes and Gracenote is a natural evolution of this acquisition, similar to the existing agreement that allows Gracenote to supply iTunes with track information. Gracenotes CEO Craig Palmer expects lyrics to provide up to $100 million in annual revenues by a decade from now. An iTunes deal would create a portion of those revenues. TUAW recently showed readers how to add lyrics to iPods using iTunes' current features.
iTunes to get subscription service by year's end?
This rumor is just about as old as iTunes itself, and while it has remained fairly dormant due to Steve's insistence on maintaining the oh-so-lucrative existing model, the subscription-based iTunes question has somehow surfaced again. According to Les Ottolenghi, CEO of INTENT MediaWorks, Apple could be leaning towards implementing such a service "within the next six months," and even went so far as to suggest we not believe any Apple-based denials that could potentially follow. Interestingly, several analysts even suggested that subscription-based systems haven't garnered much fanfare simply because the head honcho in digital music distribution isn't playing along. Unfortunately, no hints were dropped in regard to future pricing schemes, but you'll only be waiting about half a year to find out, anyway.[Via Digg]
Samsung readies Yahoo-ready Ultra Edition II handsets
Samsung's Ultra Edition II lineup is about to receive a Yahoo-approved makeover, as the firm has reportedly decided to install Yahoo! Ready on the 10.9 (SGH-U600) slider to begin with, with the Ultra Edition 9.6 and Ultra Edition 5.9 to get internally branded soon after. Essentially, users can expect "enhanced web-searching along with quick access to Yahoo Mail, Messenger, Address Book and Calendar services while on the go." Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Yahoo widgets on a cellphone, and it seems like Samsung's lagging a bit behind Motorola's decision to pull this same stunt months ago, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on a Yahoo-stamped handset, the 10.9 should hit France before too long, while the 9.6 and 5.9 will launch in May. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Hands-on with the Sandisk Sansa Connect
At this point, WiFi-equipped DAPs aren't completely novel, but they're still novel enough to command a good deal of attention -- especially when they're coming from companies like Sandisk through collaborations with Zing. In fact, the $249 Sansa Connect bears a truly striking resemblance (both physically and in user experience) to the reference device Zing was showing off last year -- much more so than its distant cousin from the same Zing drafting board, Sirius' Stiletto. Though the Sansa Connect obiviously loses the Stiletto's satellite radio capabilites, it dominates the Stiletto (and the Zune, for that matter) in its effective use of 802.11 airwaves. Why most manufacturers have yet to pick up on the WiFi formula for this class of devices, we don't understand, but hey folks, it's easy: give us streaming, easy PC-free downloading, and firmware updates over the air. We're all awash in hotspots at this point, so let's take full advantage, yeah? The Connect is tied to Yahoo! Music Unlimited for its subscription download model and streaming radio, and we've gotta say, a WiFi DAP really brings the model into its own. It almost trivializes the need for serious storage in the device -- this one makes do with 4GB plus microSD expansion -- because you can get literally any music in Yahoo's catalog whenever you have a data connection handy. All of Yahoo's features carry over, too: ratings can be saved from the Connect, album art is downloaded in real time, and you've even got Messenger on here. All of LAUNCHcast's stations are available to stream, and of course, you can build your own station based on personal tastes. And for users of other services that employ secure WMA, rest easy: you'll be able to pull your songs into Yahoo Music Jukebox (or, if you subscribe to Unlimited, just grab the song again if you're so inclined). We tested this with URGE and it worked like a champ.%Gallery-2473%
Yahoo! Widgets 4 released
We give Apple's Dashboard widgets a lot of time in the spotlight (hah!) here at TUAW, but that doesn't mean we aren't paying attention to Yahoo!'s Widgets community. Today, the company released a major v4.0 update that apparently was a long time coming, and they dropped 'Engine' for a name change to simply Yahoo! Widgets 4 (nice move). A meaty blog post on their official blog explains all the major new features in detail, and our own sister blog Download Squad got the scoop last night in their own lengthy post with more screenshots and a review. To summarize the new features, we're looking at: a 40% reduction in memory usage, automatic updates for widgets, a new widget browser, much improved UI and options, as well as some big new features for widget developers like SQLite support.If you haven't looked at Yahoo! Widgets Engine lately, this jam-packed new release just might have enough to warrant another go-around. What have you got to lose? After all, it's free.
Wii dominating the competition
In a recent Yahoo article, Nintendo is declared as taking the lead in the current console war. Of course, the article focuses on Nintendo's amazing sales figures for the month of January, as well as the console's accessibility to people of all ages, from all walks of life. The article also talks about Sony's attempt to sway Australian interest by bundling a free Blu-ray version of Casino Royale with the first 30,000 consoles sold in the region.The article eventually ends up talking about the stories of weight loss some Wii users have experience, pointing out a strong advertising option for the company. And really, it is a smart way to market their product to a different demographic. Do you think Nintendo will begin doing that in the near future?
Why make 300 a PSP exclusive?
It's a question that's always been our minds: why is 300 a PSP exclusive? Certainly, the bigger, badder consoles could do the franchise a bit more justice, no? Well, according to Yahoo!, it simply had to do with time:"We wanted to do Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but everyone has in mind what they want to do with marketing and everything. By the time they get around to pulling the trigger and they want a day and date with the movie, we ended up with the PSP. I'm completely happy with the game we made. I think it's cool."
Metareview: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters just came out on PSP and a lot of gamers have high hopes for the title given the history of the series. We here at PSP Fanboy love Ratchet & Clank, but what about everyone else? It seems like most critics agreed with us, but let's see why: IGN (90/100) "It's packed with fantastic single-player content, has a strong multiplayer element, boasts a great visual and thematic presentation, and excels with razor-sharp gameplay mechanics." Yahoo! (100/100) "For the last two titles, the developers of Ratchet & Clank have done a wonderful job building full-featured multiplayer support into their games. Size Matters is arguably the best attemt to date. Although it only supports four players at a time, the maps and modes are meticulously build to wring the most out of multiplayer matches." 1UP (70/100) "If you're looking for a game that matches the quality of the previous games in the Ratchet franchise...well, keep looking." Not sure what game 1UP was playing, but they're the only one to even give the game anything close to that score, so if you're a fan I think you need to check out Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters.
Better keyboard and AIM client released by fans
Qaz from DCEmu (registration required) has released a pretty nice AIM/MSN/Yahoo client for the PSP. It's pretty easy to install and use ... so long as you're willing to struggle with the PSP's pathetic phone-like virtual keyboard. Too bad ZX81's newly released Virtual Keyboard isn't compatible: certainly, conversations would be far more manageable. Regardless, these are two appreciated apps that will certainly help a great number of people, especially because it doesn't involve homebrew. Simply download, extract, and access from the PSP's internet browser.
Yahoo Music exec agreeing with Jobs' DRM-free sentiment?
It's not everyday that you see two rivals agreeing on a subject where they become the vast minority in a horde of DRM-enforcing media protectors, but it seems like this parallel universe isn't so far out after all. According to an interview by SiliconValleyWatcher, the head of Yahoo Music (Dave Goldberg) seemed to agree with Steve Jobs that ridding music of DRM was best for sales. The exec even stated that he had "long advocated removing DRM on music," and noted that an internal research study found that sales of DRM-free tunes were greater than those laced in protection. Interestingly, it seems that Mr. Goldberg was aiming his comments at questions regarding the general difficulty for the average consumer to get purchased music "off the PC" and into places like DAPs and vehicles, but insinuated that stripping digital tracks of DRM was at least a reasonable option to a challenge in which he "didn't know the best solution." C'mon Dave, do a bit of fast talking in order to throw DRM to the wind and set a new standard for others to follow, pretty please?[Via Macworld]
Yahoo!, Monster supports Jobs in DRM battle
Looks like Steve Jobs has found allies in the form of Yahoo! Music and Monster Cable executives in the quest to banish DRM. An executive from competitor Yahoo! Music, Dave Goldberg chimes in with: ``I've long advocated removing DRM on music because there is already a lot of music available without DRM, and it just makes things complicated for the user." Claiming Microsoft's brand of DRM ``doesn't work half the time", the exec claimed Yahoo! made several attempts to offer music with or without DRM, and the removal of DRM has improved sales. Additionally, Monster Cable backed up Jobs with a statement from head Noel Lee: ``Monster Cable shares Mr. Jobs' vision of breaking constraints for legal music downloads.... DRM is a complex and political issue, but digital music compatibility is even more complicated to consumers and limiting to the industry.... We are proud to support an open format and leaders like Steve Jobs who are making the efforts to get us there." The Monster Music branch offers a music format known as SuperDisc, which contains high definition surround tracks and DRM-free files. So... what now? Will other companies continue to stand up, or will Apple and the others buckle under the continued pressure from major labels to keep the DRM system intact?
