Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Odds and ends, Apple Financial
Does that mean it's time to sell the AAPL stock? Probably not -- as you can see from the graph, there's still been a nice steady growth in market share since 2006, and the current economy has all ships falling a little bit with the tide as it goes out. But it does mean that Apple might be having more trouble than they want breaking out into more of the market. If that is their goal anyway -- Gartner's report also notes that Apple's relatively higher ASP (Average Selling Price) "created challenges for it in the tough economy," but when have we ever known them to go cheap?
So Apple's not up in the short term, but who is? Well maybe Goldman Sachs is. But we don't entirely trust those guys. And in case you're wondering: none of this is actual financial advice, and none of it should be used to make any decisions that might lose you money. You've been warned.
[via TechMeme]
TUAWApple market share drops slightly in the past year originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
A really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Reversi, sometimes known under the trade name Othello is a really terrific board game. The game goes back to at least 1888, and is said with some truth that it takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Reversi has been very popular as a computer game for many years. In most versions you can play another human, or play against the computer. It seems popular among Mac enthusiasts, and Ted Landau, who created and oversees the venerable MacFixit web site is a one time National Champion of the game, and came in 3rd in the World Championships in 1984. Go Ted!
The iPhone/ iPod touch has had many Othello/Reversi games available. Some play OK, some do fairly well, but doing quality artificial intelligence on a phone is no small challenge.
That brings me to the app at hand, called ReversiSister [no App Store link yet], from Japanese game authors DigiDock. To call it a new approach to the game would be an understatement. As you play, music blares in the background, while an animated cheerleader shouts at you. As Reversi is a game that takes concentration, I can't imagine why on earth someone would think this is a smart approach to game design. On top of that, the game does not play very well, and in my first game the app crashed near the end so I don't know who won, but I was ahead when the game went south.
You can turn down the sound and the irritating cheerleader, but that really doesn't improve the game play, and even if the cheerleader is turned off you can still see her waving her arms around.
There are some pretty fair Reversi games at the app store, including Morocco, Reversi and Black and White, but Ted Landau, who plays far better than I has looked at most of them and thinks they are all pretty poor.
Well, good or bad there is nothing worse than ReversiSister. It's loud, irritating, plays badly and crashes every so often. I'd give you the link to the game, but it's not yet listed in the US App Store. That's probably a good thing, but watch for it if you are a masochist. Here's a link to a YouTube video of the game play. Consider yourself warned. The game is going to sell for $0.99US.
Here's a collection of screen grabs:
TUAWA really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
AOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
The first key feature to note is the free real-time equity quote service, provided from the BATS Exchange; major exchange (NYSE & Nasdaq) quotes are delayed, though. You can quote individual symbols or watch your entire portfolio with ease, whether you enter it on the device or link to your existing lineup under your AOL or AIM screenname; up to 25 separate portfolios can be managed. You can also view up-to-the-minute financial and market news from the AP and other sources.
The other standout feature of this app is its comprehensive charting support. Clicking the chart button on an equity page brings up a straightforward chart, but rotate your device into landscape mode and you're in a Cover Flow-esque lineup of all the charts in your portfolio. Double-tap a chart to access a full suite of advanced comparison options (vs. markets, vs. peers, seasonality, showing events like earnings & splits, and custom symbol comparisons). Holding down a finger on a single-line chart enables a crosshair cursor that lets you see the specific data for any point on the chart. All the functions are intuitive and easy to use; the charts are cached so you can see most of your data even if your device is disconnected from WiFi or cell service.
If you're of a mind to keep an eye on the markets while you're on the move, you may find this app has the tools you're looking for. Check out the gallery below for a few screenshots.
Editor's Note: TUAW's parent company Weblogs, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL.
TUAWAOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mac 101: How to set a default printer
Filed under: Mac 101
Over time you may wind up with several printers set up for your Mac. This results in a list of available printers every time you go to print. If the default (the first one selected) isn't to your liking you can always change it. To do so, bring up System Preferences and go to Print & Fax. Now right-click (you can hold the Ctrl key down if you don't have a 2-button mouse) on a printer in the list and choose: Set default printer. There you go!
Note the plus and minus signs below the list of printers. If you're just getting started, click the plus to add a printer. If you've sold a printer, click the minus to delete one after selecting it. Apple has an excellent 101 of their own about setting up a printer on your Mac.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Mac 101 section.
TUAWMac 101: How to set a default printer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Sims 3 Will Require Mac OS X 10.5.7
As a proof that Mac OS X 10.5.7 is just around the corner, the official Sims 3 website indicates the following information:
One can now expect that the future OS update will bring significant improvement for the graphic rendering, as this is usually the weak point of our OS.
Living on Air: A Windows guru spends two weeks with a Mac
So it was with more than a little trepidation that I accepted a new assignment from my editor (sort of a follow-up to my article "Living free with Linux: 2 weeks without Windows") to give up my PC and try living for two weeks on the Mac. Talk about sleeping with the enemy!
Nambu native Twitter client for Mac
Filed under: Freeware, Internet Tools
Nambu is a native Mac application designed for multiple social networking services, but in practice it seems like its primary strength is as a Twitter client. It offers support for multiple Twitter accounts, which can in turn be viewed in several different ways. It also integrates support for the tr.im URL shorting service and the pic.im image service.
There's the standard list view which will automatically integrate tweets from multiple accounts into a single timeline. There's a three-pane view, somewhat similar to Mail, with a sidebar allowing you to choose between accounts, and finally (my favorite) there's a multi-column view reminiscent of the Adobe AIR-based TweetDeck and you can, of course, choose what appears in each column: main timeline, replies, sent messages, searches(!), etc.. In addition, replies are automatically threaded so they appear indented under the most recent tweet from the person to whom you are replying (as well as within the normal timeline). Another nice feature is that it automatically displays the domain of shortened URLs that appear in your timeline.
In short, I think I've found my new Mac-native Twitter client. Nambu is a free download from The Nambu Network.
TUAWNambu native Twitter client for Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New discoveries turn up in betas of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software
Developer sources familiarizing themselves with betas of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software have uncovered a handful of additional tweaks and improvements to the system in recent weeks, including changes to Safari's window handling, new battery status indicators and notification preferences, as well as the advent of data detectors in certain apps.
AT&T needs Apple, but does Apple need AT&T?
The chief of AT&T is dying to hold on to its exclusive iPhone deal with Apple, which expires next year. And I can't blame him.But it might not be a great deal for Apple.
Verizon says iPhone deal more likely with advent of 4G network
Although his company snubbed Apple on the first go-round, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg now says the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once a 4G cellular network is in place.
Apple market share drops slightly in the past year
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Odds and ends, Apple Financial
Does that mean it's time to sell the AAPL stock? Probably not -- as you can see from the graph, there's still been a nice steady growth in market share since 2006, and the current economy has all ships falling a little bit with the tide as it goes out. But it does mean that Apple might be having more trouble than they want breaking out into more of the market. If that is their goal anyway -- Gartner's report also notes that Apple's relatively higher ASP (Average Selling Price) "created challenges for it in the tough economy," but when have we ever known them to go cheap?
So Apple's not up in the short term, but who is? Well maybe Goldman Sachs is. But we don't entirely trust those guys. And in case you're wondering: none of this is actual financial advice, and none of it should be used to make any decisions that might lose you money. You've been warned.
[via TechMeme]
TUAWApple market share drops slightly in the past year originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
A really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Reversi, sometimes known under the trade name Othello is a really terrific board game. The game goes back to at least 1888, and is said with some truth that it takes a few minutes to learn but a lifetime to master. Reversi has been very popular as a computer game for many years. In most versions you can play another human, or play against the computer. It seems popular among Mac enthusiasts, and Ted Landau, who created and oversees the venerable MacFixit web site is a one time National Champion of the game, and came in 3rd in the World Championships in 1984. Go Ted!
The iPhone/ iPod touch has had many Othello/Reversi games available. Some play OK, some do fairly well, but doing quality artificial intelligence on a phone is no small challenge.
That brings me to the app at hand, called ReversiSister [no App Store link yet], from Japanese game authors DigiDock. To call it a new approach to the game would be an understatement. As you play, music blares in the background, while an animated cheerleader shouts at you. As Reversi is a game that takes concentration, I can't imagine why on earth someone would think this is a smart approach to game design. On top of that, the game does not play very well, and in my first game the app crashed near the end so I don't know who won, but I was ahead when the game went south.
You can turn down the sound and the irritating cheerleader, but that really doesn't improve the game play, and even if the cheerleader is turned off you can still see her waving her arms around.
There are some pretty fair Reversi games at the app store, including Morocco, Reversi and Black and White, but Ted Landau, who plays far better than I has looked at most of them and thinks they are all pretty poor.
Well, good or bad there is nothing worse than ReversiSister. It's loud, irritating, plays badly and crashes every so often. I'd give you the link to the game, but it's not yet listed in the US App Store. That's probably a good thing, but watch for it if you are a masochist. Here's a link to a YouTube video of the game play. Consider yourself warned. The game is going to sell for $0.99US.
Here's a collection of screen grabs:
TUAWA really bad approach to Reversi on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
AOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
The first key feature to note is the free real-time equity quote service, provided from the BATS Exchange; major exchange (NYSE & Nasdaq) quotes are delayed, though. You can quote individual symbols or watch your entire portfolio with ease, whether you enter it on the device or link to your existing lineup under your AOL or AIM screenname; up to 25 separate portfolios can be managed. You can also view up-to-the-minute financial and market news from the AP and other sources.
The other standout feature of this app is its comprehensive charting support. Clicking the chart button on an equity page brings up a straightforward chart, but rotate your device into landscape mode and you're in a Cover Flow-esque lineup of all the charts in your portfolio. Double-tap a chart to access a full suite of advanced comparison options (vs. markets, vs. peers, seasonality, showing events like earnings & splits, and custom symbol comparisons). Holding down a finger on a single-line chart enables a crosshair cursor that lets you see the specific data for any point on the chart. All the functions are intuitive and easy to use; the charts are cached so you can see most of your data even if your device is disconnected from WiFi or cell service.
If you're of a mind to keep an eye on the markets while you're on the move, you may find this app has the tools you're looking for. Check out the gallery below for a few screenshots.
Editor's Note: TUAW's parent company Weblogs, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL.
TUAWAOL Daily Finance app raises the bar for iPhone investment tools originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mac 101: How to set a default printer
Filed under: Mac 101
Over time you may wind up with several printers set up for your Mac. This results in a list of available printers every time you go to print. If the default (the first one selected) isn't to your liking you can always change it. To do so, bring up System Preferences and go to Print & Fax. Now right-click (you can hold the Ctrl key down if you don't have a 2-button mouse) on a printer in the list and choose: Set default printer. There you go!
Note the plus and minus signs below the list of printers. If you're just getting started, click the plus to add a printer. If you've sold a printer, click the minus to delete one after selecting it. Apple has an excellent 101 of their own about setting up a printer on your Mac.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Mac 101 section.
TUAWMac 101: How to set a default printer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Sims 3 Will Require Mac OS X 10.5.7
As a proof that Mac OS X 10.5.7 is just around the corner, the official Sims 3 website indicates the following information:
One can now expect that the future OS update will bring significant improvement for the graphic rendering, as this is usually the weak point of our OS.
Living on Air: A Windows guru spends two weeks with a Mac
So it was with more than a little trepidation that I accepted a new assignment from my editor (sort of a follow-up to my article "Living free with Linux: 2 weeks without Windows") to give up my PC and try living for two weeks on the Mac. Talk about sleeping with the enemy!
Nambu native Twitter client for Mac
Filed under: Freeware, Internet Tools
Nambu is a native Mac application designed for multiple social networking services, but in practice it seems like its primary strength is as a Twitter client. It offers support for multiple Twitter accounts, which can in turn be viewed in several different ways. It also integrates support for the tr.im URL shorting service and the pic.im image service.
There's the standard list view which will automatically integrate tweets from multiple accounts into a single timeline. There's a three-pane view, somewhat similar to Mail, with a sidebar allowing you to choose between accounts, and finally (my favorite) there's a multi-column view reminiscent of the Adobe AIR-based TweetDeck and you can, of course, choose what appears in each column: main timeline, replies, sent messages, searches(!), etc.. In addition, replies are automatically threaded so they appear indented under the most recent tweet from the person to whom you are replying (as well as within the normal timeline). Another nice feature is that it automatically displays the domain of shortened URLs that appear in your timeline.
In short, I think I've found my new Mac-native Twitter client. Nambu is a free download from The Nambu Network.
TUAWNambu native Twitter client for Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
New discoveries turn up in betas of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software
Developer sources familiarizing themselves with betas of Apple's iPhone 3.0 software have uncovered a handful of additional tweaks and improvements to the system in recent weeks, including changes to Safari's window handling, new battery status indicators and notification preferences, as well as the advent of data detectors in certain apps.
AT&T needs Apple, but does Apple need AT&T?
The chief of AT&T is dying to hold on to its exclusive iPhone deal with Apple, which expires next year. And I can't blame him.But it might not be a great deal for Apple.
Verizon says iPhone deal more likely with advent of 4G network
Although his company snubbed Apple on the first go-round, Verizon's chief executive Ivan Seidenberg now says the chances of an iPhone on his network will be greater once a 4G cellular network is in place.
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