Apple's iPhone has emerged as a serious videogame platform, fulfilling the long-held promise of mobile phone gaming and positioning itself as a legitimate competitor to handheld consoles.
Widget Watch: hiddenfiles
Filed under: Widget Watch
Ever wonder what files your Mac is hiding from you? Maybe not, but once in a while there's a need to peek at the stuff OS X keeps you from viewing. Finder does a nice job of hiding the "guts" of some folders, you see, but there are occasions (troubleshooting, setting up a web server, looking for some folders, etc.) when you'll need to view and/or edit these files or folders. Enter hiddenfiles, a simple and unobtrusive widget that'll show those hidden files and folders.Sure, you can use Onyx or Terminal and do some command line work. But it's much easier to drop into Dashboard, hit "Show" on the blue button and have Finder relaunch, showing all invisible files. I had to click on Finder in the Dock to actually launch it again, but when I did there were those lovely .DS_Store files, staring me down. I use this to remove the hidden _files off my daughter's PC-friendly MP3 player. That way she doesn't have to scroll through resource-fork versions of her songs.
The widget is free and available from developer Matthew Hansen's page.
TUAWWidget Watch: hiddenfiles originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
First Look: Geocaching 2.0 for iPhone 3G
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, First Look
Hey, it's your resident geocaching geek here. I was scoping out iPhone app updates tonight and was pleased to find that Geocaching.com's official application for the iPhone 3G has been updated to version 2.0. In case you're not familiar with the terminology, geocaching is a game/sport/hobby in which participants use a GPS receiver and information on the Geocaching.com website to find hidden containers with logbooks and loot.When the Geocaching 1.0 launched, a lot of iPhone-carrying cachers were less than thrilled with the app. You still needed to switch to Safari to check out hints and see where local caches were in relation to your coordinates. In addition, the app was slow and the compass pointer was often inaccurate.
It's obvious that the developers from Groundspeak were listening to the criticism, as Geocaching 2.0 (click opens iTunes) has added speed, embedded maps (topo or street) showing the location of nearby caches, and the ability to save caches for offline use. If you don't like the maps, you can view single caches on your choice of Google, Windows Live Search, or Yahoo Maps.
Version 2.0 retains the ability to submit field notes for found caches, which was added in an interim update. The app is $9.99, and well worth the cost if you'd like to try geocaching but don't want to spend money on a dedicated GPS receiver. Be sure to check the app page on the Geocaching site for scads of screen shots.
TUAWFirst Look: Geocaching 2.0 for iPhone 3G originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
As if things aren't bad enough... AT&T terms change targets Sling
Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
AT&T has quietly changed their TOS (terms of service; it looks like the revision is targeted directly at the Sling software that is due out for the iPhone, and also other Sling apps that are currently running on other mobile phones on the AT&T Network.Here's the nasty little section:
This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices and/or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices is prohibited.
They also added this language:
On the 5GB DataConnect Plan, once you exceed your 5GB allowance you will be automatically charged $0.00048 per Kb for any data used. On the 200MB Data Connect Plan, once you exceed your 200MB allowance, you will be automatically charged $10 for an additional 100MB. Unused data from either your initial allowance or any overage allowance (e.g., the 100MB) will not be carried over to the next billing period; all data allowances must be used in the billing period in which the allowance is provided. On other plans with a monthly megabyte or gigabyte allowance, once you exceed your allowance you will be automatically charged overage as specified in the applicable rate plan information.
This can't be good news for those using Sling or Orb software, or those who were expecting the iPhone app. Other carriers do have similar language, but in my old days on Verizon I was able to use the SlingPlayer software on a Windows Mobile phone without hassle or threats.
After everyone already got pretty mad at Sling for making older SlingPlayers obsolete for use with the iPhone app, AT&T can now be added to the roster of offenders.
A Sling spokesperson, Jay Tannenbaum, told me today via email: "The most cost effective way to enjoy streaming content on any phone is by taking advantage of an unlimited data plan, something that we suggest to all our users. If there is no data cap, there's no problem. That said, we try to have good relations with all the carriers and try to deliver the best quality experience within the constraints of bandwidth and technology."
This quote doesn't specifically address the TOS changes, but at least it's dialogue.
Here's a link to the new TOS from AT&T Wireless. It will be interesting to see how this all sorts itself out.
Thanks to Jason and others who pointed this out.
TUAWAs if things aren't bad enough... AT&T terms change targets Sling originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Friday Favorite: Woopra
Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet Tools, Friday Favorite
A few months ago I was looking for an alternative to Google Analytics and found Woopra. It's still in beta so don't expect it to replace your current solution, but I'm having a lot fun using it on a few WordPress blogs. Setup is easy, if not a bit time consuming. First you've got to submit your site for approval for inclusion in the beta program. The first site I submitted took weeks to get approved. The second only took two days. The developers claim that they're working on a first come, first-served basis.
Once you're approved, all you've got to do is paste a single line in one of your site's pages and launch the desktop app. The main screen displays a lot of information. Two charts display pageviews and visits. Your top 20 pages are listed in order of popularity, as are search terms and incoming Google traffic.
That's only the start. You can watch visitors come and go in real time (even chat with them via a pop up) or tag certain visitors to chart their history. There are some really nice reports built in. For each of the general categories -- Visitors, System, Pages, Referrers and Searches -- there are several sub-categories. For example, view popular pages, landing pages, exit pages, outgoing links and downloads via easy-to-read, real-time bar graphs. You can even create custom notifications should a given event occur. I love it.
It works with the iPhone provided that you upload a certain collection of files to your server (there's no official app). As I said, it isn't quite ready for prime time, but they're definitely going in the right direction.
TUAWFriday Favorite: Woopra originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Entries for 2009 Apple Design AwardsThe Now Accepted
In a short email sent to the ADC network, Apple announced that applications for the Apple Design Awards can now be submitted. The dead-line is n May 4th. As usual, the winners will be announced during the WWDC.
Let your creativity shine as we honor the year's best-designed applications for Mac and iPhone at WWDC 2009. Winners will take home prizes of great Apple hardware—along with the respect, admiration, and envy of their peers from around the world. Enter today and put your work in the spotlight.
This year Apple decided to deliver awards to the best iPhone and best Mac applications:
Best iPhone OS Applications
Enter your iPhone OS app and gain the recognition of your peers as you take center stage to showcase your best work.
Awards will be presented to:
- Up to four winners who have designed applications using iPhone SDK for iPhone SDK 2.2.1 (applications must be released versions and available on the App Store).
- One winner who has designed an application using iPhone OS 3.0 beta (application must be a pre-release version)
- One student winner who has designed an application using iPhone SDK for iPhone SDK 2.2.1 (application must be a released version and available on the App Store).
Best Mac OS X Applications
Submit your Mac OS X application and show off your hard work, innovation, and excellence in development and design.
Awards will be presented to:
- Up to four winners who have designed applications using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (applications must be released versions).
- One winner who has designed an application using Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (application must be a pre-release version).
- One student winner who has designed an application using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
(application must be a released version).
Yes, you read it correctly, there will ba an award dedicated to an application developed for Snow Leopard, the forth coming Mac OS X only available for developers!
As usual, the price is composed of a nice package:
Great Software Deserves Great Prizes
Winners will receive two 15-inch MacBook Pros (best configuration), two 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays, two 16GB iPhone 3Gs, two 16GB iPod touch, an ADC 2009 Premier Membership, and reimbursement of their WWDC 2009 E-ticket.
Student category winners will receive one 15-inch MacBook Pro, one 30-inch Apple Cinema Display, one 16GB iPod touch, one 8GB iPhone 3G, one ADC 2009 Student Membership, and reimbursement of their WWDC 2009 E-ticket.
Entries will be accepted beginning Thursday, April 2 and ending at 5PM (PST) Monday, May 4, 2009.
Be the first to submit, we all benefit of having ground-breaking applications awarded. Let's hope the selection board will pick some cherries among the growing numbers of Mac and iPhone applications based on the GUI and user experience, and not according to some dark rules as those granting access to the iPhone AppStore.
Apple Ordering 3.2 and 5-Megapixel Camera Sensors for iPhone and Future Product?
In a brief report, DigiTimes claims that Apple has placed orders with OmniVision Technologies for both 3.2 and 5-megapixel image sensors. The 3.2-megapixel sensor is reportedly destined for the next-generation iPhone, while the 5-megapixel sensor is...
Apple exploring motion-adaptive Mac OS X interface elements
As rumors swirl over Apple's plans instate changes to the Mac OS X user interface with this year's release of Snow Leopard, a newly discovered filing shows the company has been exploring the use of user interface elements that change their appearance based on movement.
Skype for iPhone Sparks Battle Between Consumers and Carriers
The release of an official Skype application for the iPhone appears to have been controversial for both mobile carriers and consumers. The Voice-Over-IP software allows iPhone users to make phone calls over Wi-Fi to other Skype users or even to regu...
Apple's iPhone emerges as gaming platform
Apple's iPhone has emerged as a serious videogame platform, fulfilling the long-held promise of mobile phone gaming and positioning itself as a legitimate competitor to handheld consoles.
Widget Watch: hiddenfiles
Filed under: Widget Watch
Ever wonder what files your Mac is hiding from you? Maybe not, but once in a while there's a need to peek at the stuff OS X keeps you from viewing. Finder does a nice job of hiding the "guts" of some folders, you see, but there are occasions (troubleshooting, setting up a web server, looking for some folders, etc.) when you'll need to view and/or edit these files or folders. Enter hiddenfiles, a simple and unobtrusive widget that'll show those hidden files and folders.Sure, you can use Onyx or Terminal and do some command line work. But it's much easier to drop into Dashboard, hit "Show" on the blue button and have Finder relaunch, showing all invisible files. I had to click on Finder in the Dock to actually launch it again, but when I did there were those lovely .DS_Store files, staring me down. I use this to remove the hidden _files off my daughter's PC-friendly MP3 player. That way she doesn't have to scroll through resource-fork versions of her songs.
The widget is free and available from developer Matthew Hansen's page.
TUAWWidget Watch: hiddenfiles originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
First Look: Geocaching 2.0 for iPhone 3G
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, First Look
Hey, it's your resident geocaching geek here. I was scoping out iPhone app updates tonight and was pleased to find that Geocaching.com's official application for the iPhone 3G has been updated to version 2.0. In case you're not familiar with the terminology, geocaching is a game/sport/hobby in which participants use a GPS receiver and information on the Geocaching.com website to find hidden containers with logbooks and loot.When the Geocaching 1.0 launched, a lot of iPhone-carrying cachers were less than thrilled with the app. You still needed to switch to Safari to check out hints and see where local caches were in relation to your coordinates. In addition, the app was slow and the compass pointer was often inaccurate.
It's obvious that the developers from Groundspeak were listening to the criticism, as Geocaching 2.0 (click opens iTunes) has added speed, embedded maps (topo or street) showing the location of nearby caches, and the ability to save caches for offline use. If you don't like the maps, you can view single caches on your choice of Google, Windows Live Search, or Yahoo Maps.
Version 2.0 retains the ability to submit field notes for found caches, which was added in an interim update. The app is $9.99, and well worth the cost if you'd like to try geocaching but don't want to spend money on a dedicated GPS receiver. Be sure to check the app page on the Geocaching site for scads of screen shots.
TUAWFirst Look: Geocaching 2.0 for iPhone 3G originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
As if things aren't bad enough... AT&T terms change targets Sling
Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
AT&T has quietly changed their TOS (terms of service; it looks like the revision is targeted directly at the Sling software that is due out for the iPhone, and also other Sling apps that are currently running on other mobile phones on the AT&T Network.Here's the nasty little section:
This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices and/or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices is prohibited.
They also added this language:
On the 5GB DataConnect Plan, once you exceed your 5GB allowance you will be automatically charged $0.00048 per Kb for any data used. On the 200MB Data Connect Plan, once you exceed your 200MB allowance, you will be automatically charged $10 for an additional 100MB. Unused data from either your initial allowance or any overage allowance (e.g., the 100MB) will not be carried over to the next billing period; all data allowances must be used in the billing period in which the allowance is provided. On other plans with a monthly megabyte or gigabyte allowance, once you exceed your allowance you will be automatically charged overage as specified in the applicable rate plan information.
This can't be good news for those using Sling or Orb software, or those who were expecting the iPhone app. Other carriers do have similar language, but in my old days on Verizon I was able to use the SlingPlayer software on a Windows Mobile phone without hassle or threats.
After everyone already got pretty mad at Sling for making older SlingPlayers obsolete for use with the iPhone app, AT&T can now be added to the roster of offenders.
A Sling spokesperson, Jay Tannenbaum, told me today via email: "The most cost effective way to enjoy streaming content on any phone is by taking advantage of an unlimited data plan, something that we suggest to all our users. If there is no data cap, there's no problem. That said, we try to have good relations with all the carriers and try to deliver the best quality experience within the constraints of bandwidth and technology."
This quote doesn't specifically address the TOS changes, but at least it's dialogue.
Here's a link to the new TOS from AT&T Wireless. It will be interesting to see how this all sorts itself out.
Thanks to Jason and others who pointed this out.
TUAWAs if things aren't bad enough... AT&T terms change targets Sling originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Friday Favorite: Woopra
Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet Tools, Friday Favorite
A few months ago I was looking for an alternative to Google Analytics and found Woopra. It's still in beta so don't expect it to replace your current solution, but I'm having a lot fun using it on a few WordPress blogs. Setup is easy, if not a bit time consuming. First you've got to submit your site for approval for inclusion in the beta program. The first site I submitted took weeks to get approved. The second only took two days. The developers claim that they're working on a first come, first-served basis.
Once you're approved, all you've got to do is paste a single line in one of your site's pages and launch the desktop app. The main screen displays a lot of information. Two charts display pageviews and visits. Your top 20 pages are listed in order of popularity, as are search terms and incoming Google traffic.
That's only the start. You can watch visitors come and go in real time (even chat with them via a pop up) or tag certain visitors to chart their history. There are some really nice reports built in. For each of the general categories -- Visitors, System, Pages, Referrers and Searches -- there are several sub-categories. For example, view popular pages, landing pages, exit pages, outgoing links and downloads via easy-to-read, real-time bar graphs. You can even create custom notifications should a given event occur. I love it.
It works with the iPhone provided that you upload a certain collection of files to your server (there's no official app). As I said, it isn't quite ready for prime time, but they're definitely going in the right direction.
TUAWFriday Favorite: Woopra originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Entries for 2009 Apple Design AwardsThe Now Accepted
In a short email sent to the ADC network, Apple announced that applications for the Apple Design Awards can now be submitted. The dead-line is n May 4th. As usual, the winners will be announced during the WWDC.
Let your creativity shine as we honor the year's best-designed applications for Mac and iPhone at WWDC 2009. Winners will take home prizes of great Apple hardware—along with the respect, admiration, and envy of their peers from around the world. Enter today and put your work in the spotlight.
This year Apple decided to deliver awards to the best iPhone and best Mac applications:
Best iPhone OS Applications
Enter your iPhone OS app and gain the recognition of your peers as you take center stage to showcase your best work.
Awards will be presented to:
- Up to four winners who have designed applications using iPhone SDK for iPhone SDK 2.2.1 (applications must be released versions and available on the App Store).
- One winner who has designed an application using iPhone OS 3.0 beta (application must be a pre-release version)
- One student winner who has designed an application using iPhone SDK for iPhone SDK 2.2.1 (application must be a released version and available on the App Store).
Best Mac OS X Applications
Submit your Mac OS X application and show off your hard work, innovation, and excellence in development and design.
Awards will be presented to:
- Up to four winners who have designed applications using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (applications must be released versions).
- One winner who has designed an application using Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (application must be a pre-release version).
- One student winner who has designed an application using Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard
(application must be a released version).
Yes, you read it correctly, there will ba an award dedicated to an application developed for Snow Leopard, the forth coming Mac OS X only available for developers!
As usual, the price is composed of a nice package:
Great Software Deserves Great Prizes
Winners will receive two 15-inch MacBook Pros (best configuration), two 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays, two 16GB iPhone 3Gs, two 16GB iPod touch, an ADC 2009 Premier Membership, and reimbursement of their WWDC 2009 E-ticket.
Student category winners will receive one 15-inch MacBook Pro, one 30-inch Apple Cinema Display, one 16GB iPod touch, one 8GB iPhone 3G, one ADC 2009 Student Membership, and reimbursement of their WWDC 2009 E-ticket.
Entries will be accepted beginning Thursday, April 2 and ending at 5PM (PST) Monday, May 4, 2009.
Be the first to submit, we all benefit of having ground-breaking applications awarded. Let's hope the selection board will pick some cherries among the growing numbers of Mac and iPhone applications based on the GUI and user experience, and not according to some dark rules as those granting access to the iPhone AppStore.
Apple Ordering 3.2 and 5-Megapixel Camera Sensors for iPhone and Future Product?
In a brief report, DigiTimes claims that Apple has placed orders with OmniVision Technologies for both 3.2 and 5-megapixel image sensors. The 3.2-megapixel sensor is reportedly destined for the next-generation iPhone, while the 5-megapixel sensor is...
Apple exploring motion-adaptive Mac OS X interface elements
As rumors swirl over Apple's plans instate changes to the Mac OS X user interface with this year's release of Snow Leopard, a newly discovered filing shows the company has been exploring the use of user interface elements that change their appearance based on movement.
Skype for iPhone Sparks Battle Between Consumers and Carriers
The release of an official Skype application for the iPhone appears to have been controversial for both mobile carriers and consumers. The Voice-Over-IP software allows iPhone users to make phone calls over Wi-Fi to other Skype users or even to regu...
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