Thursday, March 26, 2009

Sling Media submits SlingPlayer to App Store

Sling Media submits SlingPlayer to App Store
Sling Media has submitted its application for the iPhone and iPod touch, SlingPlayer Mobile, to the App Store for approval. The app will allow users to access their television content including local or cable channels, video on demand, pay per view and more. The company currently offers similar software for Symbian, BlackBerry, Palm and Windows Mobile platform. The service streams video over Wi-F...



Geotagalog 1.0 combines GPS tracklogs with images
Calf Trail has launched Geotagalog 1.0, a new software utility for geotagging photos using a GPS tracklog. The application provides a live view as it aligns camera times and tracklogs. Geotagalog also supports iPhoto '09's Places feature. It works with GPX tracklog files from handheld GPS receivers and offers a visual map display, showing the user where photos will be mapped. The software can make...



Mars Edit 2.3 adds Tumblr support

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MarsEdit has long been one of my Mac apps and save my writings for TUAW and Download Squad, it's what I use for almost all of my online publishing. For almost two years, I've been embroiled in a love/hate relationship with Tumblr. I love the idea of the service, but until recently, the simplicity it offers has come at the expense of features I really, really need. This week, I've come one-step closer to making Tumblr a bigger part of my digital life, because MarsEdit now supports Tumblr blogs!

MarsEdit 2.3, which was released on Tuesday now supports Tumblr, in addition to WordPress, Movable Type, LiveJournal and other blogging platforms. Daniel Jalkut, the developer of MarsEdit, announced that he was planning support for Tumblr back in December, after started working with Tumblr's Marco Arment on improving the Tumblr API.

After a brief beta period, official Tumblr support is finally here, and it is good. To my knowledge, MarsEdit is the only blog client, for Mac or Windows, that supports Tumblr. Sure, there are some great iPhone (and even a BlackBerry application), but there hasn't been any support for an actual desktop client.

Inevitably, some users will question why Tumblr needs client support at all. After all, isn't the whole point of Tumblr to be fast, easy and simple? Sure, but when composing longer entries or when you want to write drafts, an external client is still superior. There's nothing worse than having all of your hard work erased by a misbehaving web browser, or wanting to access a draft or an old post while on a plane or some other place without Internet access.

MarsEdit 2.3 supports text, photo, quote, link and chat post templates (though you can easily use HTML to embed video and audio in a regular text post). You can also easily add tags to a post. Image posting is extremely easy, just drag an image from the web, your own library or a folder into the image button at the top of the post.

If I had any real request, it would be that the "tweet this post" toggle be included as a MarsEdit option. Otherwise, my Tumblr needs have been addressed.

MarsEdit 2.3 is a free upgrade for existing users and news users can snag a copy for $29.95. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5.

TUAWMars Edit 2.3 adds Tumblr support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IbisMail take 2

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This is my week to take a second look at some iPhone apps that were less than thrilling on their first appearance, but have been updated with fixes and enhancements. Earlier, I took a look at VoiceMail, and today I'm taking a fresh look at IbisMail, [App Store link] an email client for the iPhone and iPod touch that offers some features Apple does not. The app is U.S. $0.99.

Although the specs indicate that almost all mail protocols are supported, last time around I had no luck with a simple POP3 account, and a complete fail at working with MobileMe. I'm happy to say it now works with both types of mail, although setting up MobileMe mail is not automatic, and the defaults the program enters are not correct. You'll have to do it manually, copying the same information you use on the Apple Mail app. I tried a couple of other IMAP mail accounts, and they worked OK.

Users of the latest version are having no luck with Gmail, and some POP3 port selections don't work, while others do.

There are two big features IbisMail offers that Apple doesn't. First is the ability to create folders and rules for mail. Second, it works in landscape mode. Apple has addressed the landscape feature in OS 3.0 that will be out this summer. There is no evidence so far that Apple will add folders with rules in all email protocols.

One of the other downsides of this app, pointed out in my last review, is that it can't run in the background, which is a pretty important feature for a mail program. That's not the fault of the developer, but Apple. OS 3.0 has some workarounds for this issue, but they still don't plan to support true multitasking in 3rd party applications. If the developers stick to the new Apple SDK, you can probably get alerts to new mail when you are running other apps.

So in summary, some bugs are fixed, some still appear to be there. If you really wanted landscape view for email, I'd wait for Apple to update the iPhone in a couple of months. If you really need rules and folders, IbisMail is worth a look, taking into account the app may not work with your particular mail setup.

TUAWIbisMail take 2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Speck launches new fitted cases for iPod touch, Nano
Speck is launching fitted hardshell cases for the iPod touch 2G and iPod nano 4G, expanding on the line that is already available for the iPhone 3G. The new cases are carrying patterned designs; some are colorful, others are designed with a refined look in mind. Among the cases are the BubbleSpotDot Aqua and CheeryPlum Purple for the iPod nano 4G and the Lovely Roger White/Pink, Lovely Roger Black...



Sling Media submits SlingPlayer to App Store
Sling Media has submitted its application for the iPhone and iPod touch, SlingPlayer Mobile, to the App Store for approval. The app will allow users to access their television content including local or cable channels, video on demand, pay per view and more. The company currently offers similar software for Symbian, BlackBerry, Palm and Windows Mobile platform. The service streams video over Wi-F...



Geotagalog 1.0 combines GPS tracklogs with images
Calf Trail has launched Geotagalog 1.0, a new software utility for geotagging photos using a GPS tracklog. The application provides a live view as it aligns camera times and tracklogs. Geotagalog also supports iPhoto '09's Places feature. It works with GPX tracklog files from handheld GPS receivers and offers a visual map display, showing the user where photos will be mapped. The software can make...



Mars Edit 2.3 adds Tumblr support

Filed under: ,



MarsEdit has long been one of my Mac apps and save my writings for TUAW and Download Squad, it's what I use for almost all of my online publishing. For almost two years, I've been embroiled in a love/hate relationship with Tumblr. I love the idea of the service, but until recently, the simplicity it offers has come at the expense of features I really, really need. This week, I've come one-step closer to making Tumblr a bigger part of my digital life, because MarsEdit now supports Tumblr blogs!

MarsEdit 2.3, which was released on Tuesday now supports Tumblr, in addition to WordPress, Movable Type, LiveJournal and other blogging platforms. Daniel Jalkut, the developer of MarsEdit, announced that he was planning support for Tumblr back in December, after started working with Tumblr's Marco Arment on improving the Tumblr API.

After a brief beta period, official Tumblr support is finally here, and it is good. To my knowledge, MarsEdit is the only blog client, for Mac or Windows, that supports Tumblr. Sure, there are some great iPhone (and even a BlackBerry application), but there hasn't been any support for an actual desktop client.

Inevitably, some users will question why Tumblr needs client support at all. After all, isn't the whole point of Tumblr to be fast, easy and simple? Sure, but when composing longer entries or when you want to write drafts, an external client is still superior. There's nothing worse than having all of your hard work erased by a misbehaving web browser, or wanting to access a draft or an old post while on a plane or some other place without Internet access.

MarsEdit 2.3 supports text, photo, quote, link and chat post templates (though you can easily use HTML to embed video and audio in a regular text post). You can also easily add tags to a post. Image posting is extremely easy, just drag an image from the web, your own library or a folder into the image button at the top of the post.

If I had any real request, it would be that the "tweet this post" toggle be included as a MarsEdit option. Otherwise, my Tumblr needs have been addressed.

MarsEdit 2.3 is a free upgrade for existing users and news users can snag a copy for $29.95. It requires Mac OS X 10.4 or 10.5.

TUAWMars Edit 2.3 adds Tumblr support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

IbisMail take 2

Filed under: , , ,

This is my week to take a second look at some iPhone apps that were less than thrilling on their first appearance, but have been updated with fixes and enhancements. Earlier, I took a look at VoiceMail, and today I'm taking a fresh look at IbisMail, [App Store link] an email client for the iPhone and iPod touch that offers some features Apple does not. The app is U.S. $0.99.

Although the specs indicate that almost all mail protocols are supported, last time around I had no luck with a simple POP3 account, and a complete fail at working with MobileMe. I'm happy to say it now works with both types of mail, although setting up MobileMe mail is not automatic, and the defaults the program enters are not correct. You'll have to do it manually, copying the same information you use on the Apple Mail app. I tried a couple of other IMAP mail accounts, and they worked OK.

Users of the latest version are having no luck with Gmail, and some POP3 port selections don't work, while others do.

There are two big features IbisMail offers that Apple doesn't. First is the ability to create folders and rules for mail. Second, it works in landscape mode. Apple has addressed the landscape feature in OS 3.0 that will be out this summer. There is no evidence so far that Apple will add folders with rules in all email protocols.

One of the other downsides of this app, pointed out in my last review, is that it can't run in the background, which is a pretty important feature for a mail program. That's not the fault of the developer, but Apple. OS 3.0 has some workarounds for this issue, but they still don't plan to support true multitasking in 3rd party applications. If the developers stick to the new Apple SDK, you can probably get alerts to new mail when you are running other apps.

So in summary, some bugs are fixed, some still appear to be there. If you really wanted landscape view for email, I'd wait for Apple to update the iPhone in a couple of months. If you really need rules and folders, IbisMail is worth a look, taking into account the app may not work with your particular mail setup.

TUAWIbisMail take 2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Speck launches new fitted cases for iPod touch, Nano
Speck is launching fitted hardshell cases for the iPod touch 2G and iPod nano 4G, expanding on the line that is already available for the iPhone 3G. The new cases are carrying patterned designs; some are colorful, others are designed with a refined look in mind. Among the cases are the BubbleSpotDot Aqua and CheeryPlum Purple for the iPod nano 4G and the Lovely Roger White/Pink, Lovely Roger Black...


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