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The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
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First generation Apple TV owners: checkout aTV Flash 8 Sep 2010, 8:00 am
Like many first generation Apple TV owners, I was sad to see that we were being left behind with the advent of the new Apple TV. That said, I have no plans to get rid of my original Apple TV. In fact, Apple's decision spurred me to take action I have been thinking about for a long time: installing aTV Flash.aTV Flash is a set of programs that add features to your Apple TV. It adds SSH/FTP access, allows you to use an external hard drive for additional storage, adds Boxee support, and much more. One of the big additions is the ability to watch AVI, MP4, MOV, WMV, and DVD (VIDEO_TS) files. You can even install Firefox and use the AppleTV as a web browser.
I've actually owned the aTV Flash software for over a year but had never gotten around to using it, because after each Apple TV update I'd have to wait for the software to be updated again. aTV Flash updates come out fairly regularly, but it was just the hassle of the process that made me averse to doing it. Now that Apple has declared the product to be essentially End Of Life, I figured there was no better time to start.
Installing aTV Flash couldn't be any simpler. You simply download the installer (available for Mac or Windows), and it installs the aTV Flash software onto a USB flash drive. Unplug your Apple TV, plug in the aTV Flash formatted flash drive, reboot the Apple TV, and wait for it to finish. The whole process took only a few minutes. After being updated, the Apple TV interface looks mostly the same, except there are some new menu options to choose from.
The aTV Flash software sells for $50 and includes a year of updates. They are planning to keep developing additional features for the first generation Apple TV units, including Last.fm support. When I first looked into this about a year ago, there were apparently ways to do much of what aTV Flash offers by yourself if you had the time and inclination to find the instructions on a variety of websites. Personally I found it well worth it to pay for an easy way, but if you are looking to save some money, you might take a look via Google to see what's available; it may have gotten easier since I last checked.
TUAWFirst generation Apple TV owners: checkout aTV Flash originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iTunes 101: Play other people's music, increase contrast 8 Sep 2010, 7:00 am
Mac OS X Hints also shares a tip for those disappointed by the look of the grayed-out icons in the iTunes 10 sidebar. By putting a certain line into Terminal, you can enable "high contrast mode" for the app. It won't bring back the colors (it basically just inverses the sidebar from black-on-white to vice versa), but if you need a little more action in the iTunes sidebar, you can give it a shot.
TUAWiTunes 101: Play other people's music, increase contrast originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW's Daily App: Skies of Glory 8 Sep 2010, 6:00 am
I actually picked up Skies of Glory a while back, but it wasn't until I finally nabbed my iPhone 4 this weekend that I got to see it running in its full, well, glory. Skies of Glory is a World War II air combat simulator -- it walks a nice line between simulation and arcade, as you don't need to worry too much about controlling the plane (the iPhone's accelerometer is used to great effect), but you'll still need to keep your bearings to take out enemies. It's challenging, but spending the time to get your plane lined up is actually pretty rewarding, not to mention that it's awesome to see a fully implemented air combat sim on the iPhone.
The game's model will probably rub some folks the wrong way, but there's actually plenty of content for free. The game itself is a free download, and includes a tutorial mission, a first combat mission, and a set of dogfights, along with the ability to play multiplayer over WiFi. After that (and it will take you a good evening to finish that content), you can buy extra planes and mission packs with in-app purchases, just a couple of bucks each. Or if you want to go a more traditional route, you can buy a Battle of Britain app for US $6.99, which has planes and mission packs already included.
Either way, Skies of Glory is worth checking out. I wouldn't say it rivals flight sims on other platforms -- it doesn't have the graphical glitz of a game like HAWX on consoles, and it definitely doesn't match up to super professional flight sims on the PC. But on the iPhone, especially running at full speed on an iPhone 4, it's pretty impressive.
TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Skies of Glory originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone 101: Using Ping on your iPhone 8 Sep 2010, 5:00 am
Along with the desktop version of Ping, you can also utilize Apple's new social network on your iPhone. It's actually proven to be my favorite method of using the service.However, Apple does make it a bit difficult. At this time, you can't activate a Ping account from your phone -- it must be done through iTunes 10. Otherwise, you'll get the lovely message as seen in our screenshot gallery. Once you get Ping activated, it integrates nicely with the existing mobile iTunes.
Read on to see Ping in action on the iPhone, or check out the gallery.
TUAWiPhone 101: Using Ping on your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Extended iTunes song previews delayed, licensing may be to blame 7 Sep 2010, 11:00 pm
One of the things that was widely rumored to appear but ultimately absent from Apple's music event last week was an extension of song previews on the iTunes Store from their current 30 seconds to 60 or even 90 seconds. According to CNET, we can blame the Byzantine licensing arrangement of the music industry (surprise, surprise). Apple had a deal worked out with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), all four major record companies, and a contract with American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) that never limited preview lengths in the first place. Apparently that still wasn't enough to increase preview lengths, because CNET says the National Music Publishers Association objected and basically said, "No, you have to make a deal with us, too."
All of which just makes me wonder: how many different licensing associations does this
The music industry giants gave up a lot of their power (and money) to Apple in the mid-2000s, and it seems they've learned their lesson. Unfortunately for us users, this obstructionism means we end up losing out on neat features. As CNET notes, the current mini-battle over song previews is likely just a warmup for the headliner bout: Apple's predicted music streaming service.
Music industry execs already tried to get Apple to pay "performance fees" for its 30-second song samples; I can imagine Steve Jobs's response to that one was something like maniacal laughter followed by a hearty "No." If Apple does finally manage to get 90-second previews pushed through, it could be a good sign for its music streaming aspirations.
[Via MacRumors]
TUAWExtended iTunes song previews delayed, licensing may be to blame originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ping reaches a million, attacked by spam 7 Sep 2010, 9:00 pm
Apple's new social network, Ping, has been around for about a week now, and all of the pundits have had their chance at weighing in on what Apple got wrong and right. And what's the result? Not bad, but not great -- more than a million people joined the network in just 48 hours. That's not terrible at all, but it's a far cry from the millions of people who actually use iTunes, presumably every day. Apple's success in this area, in other words, isn't going to come easy.The company has already had to put in a little more work. In addition to all of those members, the network was also hit by spam early on, with fake accounts for people like Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive, plus links that led off to contact-stealing scripts and other trouble like that. Apple has already cracked down on most of the offenders, but clearly it was an issue early on that they didn't foresee.
The interface has already been updated a bit -- Apple has added "back" and "forward" buttons to the service, to match the rest of the in-app browsers in iTunes. I still maintain that Ping won't reach its full potential until you can actually "like" songs and albums in your personal library, so hopefully a few more updates and tweaks are on the way.
TUAWPing reaches a million, attacked by spam originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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In Brief: Canadian App Store allows gift card purchases 7 Sep 2010, 7:15 pm
Drop that curling broom and get downloading! Reader Jacques writes in to let us know that the Canadian edition of the App Store has begun accepting iTunes gift cards as payment for app purchases, a policy change that seems to have quietly taken effect back in June of this year.You may recall (or maybe not) that Canada's iPhone-toting population was previously shut out of using gift cards for apps, although the reasons why aren't entirely clear.
Congratulations, Canada, and enjoy.
TUAWIn Brief: Canadian App Store allows gift card purchases originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPod touch makes up 38% of iDevices shipped 7 Sep 2010, 6:00 pm
It's somewhat surprising to me that the touch is so popular, given that the iPhone and the iPad have gotten most of the press for iOS. But then again, it makes sense -- the iPod touch, as Jobs himself joked during the event, is like an iPhone "without the contract," and it's the cheapest of all the devices. While it's lacking a bit of functionality, iOS, the main selling point, is still there and running, so all of the super popular apps like Angry Birds and Doodle Jump are able to be bought and played. It makes a lot of sense that the iPod touch would be so popular -- maybe what's surprising is that Apple has waited until now to update it with the iPhone 4's big features as well.
TUAWiPod touch makes up 38% of iDevices shipped originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Safari updated to 5.0.2 7 Sep 2010, 5:18 pm
Apple's notes on the update say that it "contains improvements to compatibility and security" including:
- Fixes an issue that could prevent users from submitting web forms
- Fixes an issue that could cause web content to display incorrectly when viewing a Google Image result with Flash 10.1 installed
- Establishes an encrypted, authenticated connection to the Safari Extensions Gallery
TUAWSafari updated to 5.0.2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 19:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Game Center is live... mostly 7 Sep 2010, 4:45 pm
The server is reportedly having some start-up issues including connectivity and crashing issues, but developers who were limited before are now able to create full accounts and full-on matchups. Currently Game Center is live in 4.1, which we expect to arrive soon. Developers can submit Game Center applications to iTunes Connect using the 4.1 GM seed.
Once the app and iOS 4.1 are available we'll have a full review.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
TUAWGame Center is live... mostly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Australian carriers feel heavy burden from iPhone 4 7 Sep 2010, 4:00 pm
Stop us if you've heard this one. Apple releases the iPhone 4, and the tremendous demand from customers keeps store shelves bare. That's the case in Australia, where suppliers Telstra, Optus and Vodafone Hutchison Australia are struggling to keep up.As online stores generate increasing backlogs, shipping times increase. As of this writing, most customers are being asked to wait between two and three weeks for their orders to arrive. It's beginning to wear on shoppers and store owners alike. "Even one to two weeks, or up to three weeks, waiting time is not ideal," said an unidentified representative from Vodafone Hutchison Australia.
Meanwhile, Apple is sending out fresh supplies weekly. "Shipments of the iPhone 4 continue to be made," an Apple rep told The Australian. Supplies were strained in the US for quite a while after launch, but Apple seems to have finally caught up, as customers can now find iPhone 4s in Apple Stores and AT&T stores.
The whole thing reminds us of Monty Python's Cheese Shop sketch, in which a hungry patron is trying to buy cheese from a shop that doesn't have any:
Shop owner: "[Our cheese shop is] the finest in the district."
Customer: "Explain the logic behind that conclusion."
Shop owner: "Well, it's so clean."
Customer: "It's certainly uncontaminated by cheese."
Here's hoping our friends down under get their
[Via MacDailyNews]
TUAWAustralian carriers feel heavy burden from iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Retro new iPhone dock has pricey, film noir feel 7 Sep 2010, 3:15 pm
If you're feeling nostalgic and have US$250 burning a hole in your pocket, perhaps we've found the iPhone dock for you.The iRetrophone Skyliner, designed by artist Scott Freeland, is a retro-style iPhone dock (compatible with 3G, 3GS, and iPhone 4) within a custom-designed, old-style desktop telephone. The iPhone connects via a standard connector within the dock, providing charging power and a working handset -- yes, the handset works.
Combine this dock with the aptly-named iRetroPhone iPhone app, and your iPhone retro-izing is complete. But for $250? They lost me there.
[via iPhone Savior]
TUAWRetro new iPhone dock has pricey, film noir feel originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iWeb updated to 3.0.2 7 Sep 2010, 3:00 pm
TUAWiWeb updated to 3.0.2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MobileMe iDisk app and Find My iPhone updated with bug fixes 7 Sep 2010, 2:30 pm
If you've been having problems with the Apple MobileMe iDisk app, or even if you haven't noticed anything weird, it's a good idea to get the latest update. The newest version (1.21) fixes a problem opening Keynote files in some circumstances on the iPad. Rotated images now show in the correct orientation, and there are the usual unspecified 'stability and performance improvements.'Meanwhile, the Find My iPhone app has been bumped to version 1.01. The updated app supports the new iPod touch and fixes some translation issues in French, German and Japanese. There are also 'various bug fixes.'
The apps work on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, so check the app store for the free updates pronto.
TUAWMobileMe iDisk app and Find My iPhone updated with bug fixes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Review: Griffin Loop for the iPad 7 Sep 2010, 2:00 pm
When I saw the Loop for the iPad, I knew it was going to be something that I wanted to use. As shown above, it will hold your iPad in either "portrait" or "landscape" orientation, but if you look at the very front of the Loop, you will see a slight edge there as well. You can rest the iPad at a lower angle, which is more comfortable for typing (see image here).
What is harder to see in the pictures is that the notches to hold the iPad in the upright position (as shown above) are cut a little wider than necessary. This turns out to be a big benefit if you use a case for your iPad, since you can use the Loop without taking it out of the case. Another nice touch is that, when held in portrait mode with the dock connector on the bottom, there is enough clearance to keep the iPad plugged in. The same is not true for the SD card reader and USB camera connector kit accessories for the iPad, but I use those far less often than the sync cable.
The Loop is heavy enough that it won't move around, even if you are tapping on the touchscreen. It has some non-slip material on the bottom of it as well. My only (relatively minor) complaint is that the material doesn't cover the entire bottom of the base, which seems like a strange decision to make; it means there are several edges that can get caught and pulled off, making the Loop uneven. I haven't actually had this happen, it just seems like a risk that could have been easily avoided.
At US$30, the Loop is on the more expensive side of the various iPad stands out there, but it's versatile enough to give you different ways of using it. If my experience with the iCurve is any indicator, you should be able to use this for many years to come. The ability to keep the case on the iPad is a big "win" for me. Given that the Loop's notch is open, I suspect that whenever Apple announces the second version of the iPad, the Loop will be able to hold it securely, too (even if Apple "tweaks" the design, as they have shown they like to do with the iPhone). Of course, only time will tell.
TUAWReview: Griffin Loop for the iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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QuickBooks 2011 to add multi-user support, more 7 Sep 2010, 1:00 pm
Intuit is preparing to release QuickBooks 2011 for the Mac on September 27th with some great new features like multi-user support (finally!), mileage tracking, and more. We had a chance to explore this new version with William Lynes, QuickBooks product manager. It's quite Mac-like, and I suspect it will be a welcome update for QuickBooks users.The marquee feature of this update is multi-user support. "It was our number one request," Lynes told us. Many customers have experienced the frustration of wanting to work in QuickBooks, only to be denied because another user has a certain file open. Stop us if you've heard this one before. Fortunately, QuickBooks 2011 fixes all of that.
TUAWQuickBooks 2011 to add multi-user support, more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts 7 Sep 2010, 12:00 pm
I admit it. I've always thought that the Nike+ shoe sensor thing was kind of lame. Even though I actually do own the right shoes, I never thought it worth while to pick up the optional pedometer sensor just so I could take advantage of the built-in iPhone feature. I know that there are people out there who really loved using the Nike+ features on their iPhone but I've much preferred using other tracking apps and skipping the shoe tie-in.
Now, several years after GPS debuted on the iPhone 3G, Nike has finally made the move to shoe-less positioning. For $1.99, you can pick up a copy of Nike+ GPS. The reviews on the iTunes site have been generally positive, but it's clear that this is a slick yet limited application.
TUAWRun app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Shippity-do-dah: Apple starts shipping new iProducts 7 Sep 2010, 11:30 am
Shippity-do-dah, shippity-day, my oh my what a wonderful day! There's plenty of iProducts shipping your way. Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!Our TUAW tip line is getting inundated over here with your happy shipping missives (yay -- we're excited too!), so we decided to open up a thread so you can share your excitement with the rest of the TUAW community. Are you about to receive a new nano? A 4th gen iPod touch? Hop into the comments and share the fun with the rest of us.
Don't forget to send us your unboxing pics!
TUAWShippity-do-dah: Apple starts shipping new iProducts originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Aqua: Digital paintings made up of OS X elements 7 Sep 2010, 11:00 am
Here's more proof that beauty can often lie hidden, even though it's right before your eyes. Digital artist Johannes P Osterhoff found an artistic quality to Apple's Aqua user interface and decided to base a series of digital "paintings" using several of its elements. With a few simple and subtle alterations, Osterhoff was able to make what looks like actual water droplets or ice, only using elements of Aqua (hence the series' name), at least at first glance.
So far Osterhoff is making use of very few elements of the Aqua UI, so I'd like to see what can be done with something else. There's only so much that can be done with bubbles and bars.
[via today and tomorrow]
TUAWAqua: Digital paintings made up of OS X elements originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Macworld Mobile to orbit App Planet at MWC 2011 in February 7 Sep 2010, 10:00 am
The Mobile World Congress, a huge mobile-oriented conference convening in February in Barcelona, Spain, has been dominated by the iPhone over the last several years. However, there has never been a formal presence by Apple or many major players in the iPhone ecosphere at the event. That's going to change in February of 2011 when the first Macworld Mobile will be held at MWC to showcase iOS developers.As with the annual Macworld Expo event in San Francisco, Macworld Mobile is organized by IDG World Expo, which is partnering with the MWC parent organization (GSMA) to bring the event to Barcelona. As with Macworld, Apple does not plan on participating in Macworld Mobile. The event is scheduled for February 14-17, 2011 and offers a developer track with a number of technical sessions.
Macworld Mobile is an offshoot of this year's highly successful "App Planet" at MWC, which provided 20,000 showgoers with a detailed look at more than 150 mobile app companies. More than 6,000 developers attended the premiere event in Barcelona this February, and with the new emphasis on iOS development provided by Macworld Mobile, the event should be even bigger in 2011.
TUAWMacworld Mobile to orbit App Planet at MWC 2011 in February originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Best apps for road warriors and business users 7 Sep 2010, 9:00 am
Business Insider has compiled a list of the 10 best free iPhone apps for business and the 20 best iPad apps for business travelers. The lists are pretty comprehensive, and just because you don't fly around from one meeting to the next doesn't mean you need not check them out.From Todo and Evernote for the iPad (which has been extensively covered here on TUAW) to Yelp and Bump for the iPhone, there are some real gems to help you stay ahead of the game.
If you've got a shiny new iPad or iPhone, but you're struggling to sift the good from the bad on the App Store, this is a great place to start.
Business Insider even points out that, if you put the apps to good use, maybe you can claim the paid ones back on expenses. That's good thinking!
TUAWBest apps for road warriors and business users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Voice Tutor puts vocal exercises in your pocket 7 Sep 2010, 8:00 am
Whether you fancy yourself the second coming of Pavarotti or just the best vocalist in your own shower, the truth isn't always pleasant to the ear: not everyone can sing. Everyone, however, can learn to sing better -- and that's the point of Voice Tutor, a sharp app from the experienced vocal coaches at IMPACK and Kimad Productions. For US$4.99, it lets your iPhone or iPod touch provide a full menu of workouts, fixes, and expert tools for polishing your voice and fixing the issues that may hamper your rock and roll nights.
There's one important point about this app that may not be immediately obvious, and it's the source of some sour notes in the App Store reviews: it does not record your singing performances or do any direct analysis. This misperception isn't helped by the microphone-themed graphics in the app, unfortunately.
The initial diagnostic pass on your personal vocal issues is done by manually comparing your sung scales by ear to four sample recordings from the app; it may help to have a trusted friend or straight-faced spouse listen to you and the samples to give an objective assessment. You self-assign a category of practice to your specific situation; whether you sing with tension, breathiness, cracking, or with a connected and smooth tone, there's a full set of exercises for you. A screencast of the app in action is watchable here.
I consider myself a reasonably solid amateur singer, with musical improv training and performance experience (not to mention plenty of karaoke), so I was pleased to come up as "connected" on the diagnostic pass in Voice Tutor -- I had my children help classify me. The training philosophy of the app centers around mastering the "break," the transition between chest voice and head voice that tends to divide vocalists into the traditional SATB parts. In Voice Tutor's world, you work toward a "connected" voice to maintain a smooth and relaxed vocal style regardless of whether you're singing from your chest or head voice.
Each vocal challenge area includes special workouts to help address the problems or issues you may have when singing, with almost 200 individual program segments in the Vocal Focus part of the tool. Once you graduate from your training session, you can head into the Give Me a Workout section anytime you need to warm up or "clear the pipes" before an audition or performance. The app's final section, Riff n' Run, is designed to give more experienced vocalists the tools they need to handle more complex phrasing and develop an individual style fingerprint.
Even in a relatively brief pass with Voice Tutor, I can already feel the exercises and instructional content gently nudging my voice in a better direction; the workouts made me stretch without straining, and I noticed some rough spots starting to come around. It's not pretending to be a substitute for a qualified vocal coach and a tireless accompanist, but consider how much musical instruction is squeezed into the app and how often you might need a warm-up or workout on the go -- at five bucks, you can have it for a song.
TUAWVoice Tutor puts vocal exercises in your pocket originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mongoliad project has launched, apps still coming soon 7 Sep 2010, 7:00 am
Unless, that is, you want to actually wait for it on the iPhone. Originally, this was announced as a project that would make its way to mobile devices (like the iPhone), but it looks like we'll have to wait for that. The main page of the project says that they'll "soon be taking subscriptions for app delivery to some of the most popular mobile devices," so I'll probably wait on paying any money until that service comes up -- don't want to pay twice. But we'll keep an eye out for it and let you know when it's available.
TUAWMongoliad project has launched, apps still coming soon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW's Daily App: Texto SMS Favorites 7 Sep 2010, 6:00 am
The app's only 99 cents, but I'll admit it's not for everybody. If you don't text a whole lot already, you probably don't need a whole other app to handle your most frequently-sent messages. And obviously, sending a pre-written message is a little impersonal. Your significant other might realize you're blowing them off the fifth time you send a "Sorry, I'm busy, call you soon," message to them. There's one other caveat: you can only use this one in iOS 4.0, due to the way it interacts with the SMS app.
For the right user, Texto can be really helpful, and it's got the bonus of having a great and simple interface that's free of ads and clutter.
TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Texto SMS Favorites originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple photoshops iPhone into iPod touch 6 Sep 2010, 5:00 pm
Apple has since updated the images on its website, but it's good to know that not even Apple's copywriters get their hands on the devices before we do. They apparently have to Photoshop it all together, and then preorder and wait for their devices just like us common folk.
TUAWApple photoshops iPhone into iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone 4 case turns your iPhone into an audio tape 6 Sep 2010, 4:00 pm
Very, very cool. It's not available yet, but the case is supposed to ship in October for US$20. Yes, if you have an iPhone 4, you've already got a free case from Apple, but man, something this cool might just be worth the extra money anyway.
[via Unpluggd]
TUAWiPhone 4 case turns your iPhone into an audio tape originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Unofficial iPhone launch dates for Korea, Taiwan 6 Sep 2010, 3:00 pm
At long last, we have (unofficial) launch dates for the iPhone 4 in Korea and Taiwan.
In Korea, pre-orders began last month despite the lack of an official launch date. According to MacNN, distributor KT Corporation has announced that the iPhone 4 will hit store shelves on September 10th. KT's official site is a bit confusing, though; a news post says "October" in the headline and simply "September" in the body of the post. But that could be a translation error.
Meanwhile, Taiwan channels are reporting that the iPhone 4 will go on sale in that country on September 15th. Demand has been huge in Taiwan, where eager customers have reportedly placed 150,000 pre-orders since August.
We'll let you know when we hear anything official. If you're in Korea or Taiwan and find any compelling news on the subject, please let us know. Above is a TV ad that ran prior to the iPhone 3G's release in Korea.
TUAWUnofficial iPhone launch dates for Korea, Taiwan originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pro Australian photogs have a go at the iPhone camera 6 Sep 2010, 2:00 pm
There's no question that photography with the iPhone is really catching on. Now, with iPhone 4, the camera quality is up, and people seem to be using it more and more for pictures they want to keep instead of casual snaps.A pro group of photographers, the ACMP (Australian Commercial and Media Photographers) ran a competition soliciting photos taken with an iPhone. The requirement was that the entrants use the Hipstamatic app to acquire the images, and that no further image manipulation could be applied. Hipstamatic emulates old styles of analog photography, along with classic lens emulations and different film characteristics. The app is US $1.99.
The results are interesting and artistic. I've put a couple of the winners in a gallery, and I've provided a link so that you can see all the entries. The grand prize winner of the competition, Andrew Evans from Sydney, received an iPad.
Thanks to Gavin Blue for letting us know about the contest. Gavin was also a winner.
TUAWPro Australian photogs have a go at the iPhone camera originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Cool mod: iPhone as digital microscope 6 Sep 2010, 1:00 pm
Here's a great and super-simple mod that turns an iPhone 4 into a portable digital microscope. Using an inexpensive microscope found on Amazon (seven bucks as of this writing), an iPhone case and some superglue, this user has hacked together a stable, portable digital microscope that also takes pictures.
The iPhone's flat back makes attaching the microscope super easy. After getting it glued to the case, simply snap it onto the iPhone and start observing things close up! For bonus points, pair the iPhone with BlueCam for iPad, which feeds an iPhone 4's live video stream to an iPad via Bluetooth for big-screen observations.
We love this mod! Very well done.
[Via DVICE]
TUAWCool mod: iPhone as digital microscope originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SAP deploying 1000 iPads to employees, more on the way 6 Sep 2010, 11:00 am
SAP has embraced its devotion to mobile solutions by distributing 1,000 iPads to employees with more to come. ZDNet reports that SAP's CIO Oliver Bussmann shared news of the iPad program late last week on Twitter.Bussmann notes that the iPads are ready for duty. Each is equipped with access to Citrix tools via a virtual private network (VPN) and email for participating employees. Additionally, the users will pilot the Mobile Sales for SAP CRM app for iOS. The iPads have been spread across SAP employees around the world.
We can assume this is just the beginning of the program, as Bussmann took to Twitter once again to suggest that there's "more to come." Best of luck to SAP in their new initiative.
TUAWSAP deploying 1000 iPads to employees, more on the way originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Safari extension highlight: Naked Twitter 6 Sep 2010, 9:00 am
Here's an extension that's quite at home with Cleaner YouTube. Naked Twitter relieves your Twitter account's homepage of all the sidebar clutter. The only remaining links (profile, replies, direct messages and log out) are represented by small icons at the top of the page. Additionally, there are no pop-up hover tips or lists. Boy it looks nice.It's certainly not for everyone. Like I said, the groups, lists, trending topics, etc. that typically populate the page are gone. If you use those things, don't install the plug-in. However, if you like the clean simplicity as I do, you should definitely check it out.
Speaking of YouTube, developer Jacob Bijani has released Naked YouTube as well. Much like Naked Twitter, Naked YouTube removes everything but your video.
TUAWSafari extension highlight: Naked Twitter originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iHome reveals first AirPlay wireless speaker system 6 Sep 2010, 8:00 am
iHome, makers of iPhone and iPod accessories, is the first to announce an AirPlay compatible wireless speaker system. So far, the details are slim, but what we do know is that it will incorporate Apple's new AirPlay technology, have a rechargeable battery, and be available for the holiday season!In related news, Apple's official AirPlay website reveals a lineup of other featured partners who are incorporating the AirPlay technology. JBL, Marantz, B&W, and Denon have also signed up, but as of yet, no further information is available.
In case you missed it, our own Richard Gaywood did a great piece on why he's looking forward to Airplay. If streaming music, video, and picture tickles your fancy, check it out here.
We'll keep you posted on any further Airplay developments as they happen.
TUAWiHome reveals first AirPlay wireless speaker system originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Fake.app makes powerful Web automation easy 6 Sep 2010, 7:00 am
Todd Ditchendorf (Celestial Teapot Software) is probably best known for creating Fluid, a Site-Specific Browser app that we love to talk about. While Fluid was a great and well-executed idea, Todd's latest app, Fake, is truly inspired. The easiest way to describe Fake is to say it's Automator for the Web. It may not have the mass appeal that Fluid does, but its target audience (Web designers and developers, as well as Web power users) will have no trouble appreciating its capabilities.
Fake, like Automator, offers an Actions library and allows you to create drag-and-drop workflows with Web-specific capabilities. Fill a form, click a button, follow links ... basically, you can automate anything that deals with HTML and DOM elements. You can even inject CSS and JavaScript into pages, which opens doors to extensive security testing, among other things. Sound intriguing? Read on ...
TUAWFake.app makes powerful Web automation easy originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW's Daily App: TiltShift Generator Free 6 Sep 2010, 6:00 am
I finally picked up an iPhone 4 last Friday, and one of the best things about the new handset is the beautiful shots I've taken with the camera. I'm not a professional photographer by any stretch, and people who have actually done tilt-shift photography might have a whole lot of bones to pick with the "'shopped" version of the technique, but I've already had plenty of enjoyment from TiltShift Generator Free. It's one of a few apps on the store that will edit taken pictures to give them the short depth of field and selective focus that creates the effect. The aptly named TiltShift and Tilt Shift Focus are two other (slightly more expensive) options, but TiltShift Generator Free worked great for just messing around, and it has the added bonus of being completely free. With the free app, you get options to blur or "vignette" (that's the shadow effect seen around the outside frame) the images, as well as adjust the saturation, brightness, and contrast. Once you save the image, you can put it back on your photo reel or export it out to email, Twitter, or Facebook. Getting the paid version for 99 cents allows a higher resolution for output, but as an amateur just having fun, I had no issues with the free version.
Again, if you're a photographer who knows his or her way around Photoshop, something like this probably isn't what you need; you already know how to dive in and edit pictures, and your best shots probably aren't taken with an iPhone anyway. But as a super casual photographer who likes the tilt-shift look and playing around with the iPhone 4's great camera, I really enjoyed this free app. It's definitely worth a download.
TUAWTUAW's Daily App: TiltShift Generator Free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iLife '11 Family Pack shows up on Amazon 6 Sep 2010, 5:00 am
A while ago, we reported on an iLife 2010 for Dummies book that showed up on Amazon France, complete with production cover. A day after our post, the book was pulled from the site. That day, an iWork '10 book also showed up on Amazon Germany (and it's still there). Many readers rightly pointed out that there is very little likelihood that Apple would call the next version of iLife and iWork "10" since the year is almost over. Plus, only a week later, there were rumors circulating that iLife '11 was going to be released in time for back to school or at Apple's September media event. So far, it has yet to materialize.
However, a sharp-eyed reader pointed out that an iLife '11 Family Pack listing has appeared on Amazon.com. A Macworld reader found it a few weeks ago, and it appears it has been listed on Amazon since July 27th. The family pack's price is US$99, and its shipping time is listed as "2 to 4 weeks." The TUAW reader who tipped us off on it said she attempted to purchase it without problems and "Did not finalize the order, but was able to get right up to the final confirmation without an error."
While TUAW doesn't have reason to believe this is clear proof that an iLife '11 release is imminent, it's certainly another drop in the bucket signaling an upcoming iLife refresh. The only question is, "How soon?"
UPDATE: Amazon has now pulled the iLife '11 Family Pack listing.
TUAWiLife '11 Family Pack shows up on Amazon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Talkcast reminder: iTunes, iPods and all the week's news, 10pm ET 5 Sep 2010, 5:45 pm
Holiday weekend or no holiday weekend: we're live tonight on Talkshoe, so call in and chat with us. Of course, there were a few announcements of note this week, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about anything besides iTunes 10 or new iPods! Bring your interests, your questions and/or your gripes and we'll lay it down. To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (take advantage of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8.
If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac or your PC, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients or using the Talkshoe client's ShoePhone tool; basic instructions are here.
We'll kick things off at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT. See you there!
TUAWTalkcast reminder: iTunes, iPods and all the week's news, 10pm ET originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mac 101: Use Preview to display a slideshow (update) 5 Sep 2010, 4:30 pm
Over the weekend I went to visit some relatives I haven't seen for some time. As is required by such family gatherings, I brought a large number of photographs to share with them.I planned to show the photographs on my MacBook, which has recently been refurbished, but hasn't had iPhoto reinstalled on it. Running late, I didn't have time to install it as planned. As a last resort, I thought I'd just show the photos using Quick Look and scroll through them in full screen.
When I eventually got round to showing off my photos (you know, that rather drowsy time just after dinner), I realized that Quick Look won't let you scroll through items when in full screen,
Well, to say the least, with hundreds of photos to get through, people already getting bored, my finger hurting from scrolling and my wife giving me the look that says "I told you so," I began to wish I had made the time to reinstall iPhoto. There was no internet access either, so I couldn't even download something like Picasa.
At that point my cousin strolled into the room and said, "That must be taking you ages, why don't you just do a slideshow using Preview?" He then selected all the photos in the folder, right clicked and selected 'Open With Preview.' With the Preview app open, he selected 'View' from the menu bar and then 'Slideshow.' It was that simple.
Thankfully, I was able to leave the photos to display themselves. People could watch as much or as little as they wanted, when they felt like it (the way such photo exhibitions should be!).
You can check out more things to do with Preview at this Apple support page.
Update: A few bright commenters have pointed out that you can, in fact, do a slideshow using Quick Look. First, select more than one photo, then hit the space bar or the Quick Look button. By selecting more than one photo the slideshow options will appear in the Quick Look window. Thanks!
TUAWMac 101: Use Preview to display a slideshow (update) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iTunes 10 drops custom ringtone purchasing 5 Sep 2010, 11:00 am
Along with the up-front iTunes 10 changes (social awareness, monochrome sidebar, new-attitude icon), it looks like Apple has quietly dropped one store-centric feature from the latest version. Roberto Baldwin at Mac|Life notes that the feature allowing users to buy a section of a track from the iTunes Store for use as a custom ringtone has gone AWOL between 9.2.1 and 10.Granted, there are lots and lots of ways to make DIY ringtones from tracks you already own or other sources, but the iTunes-authorized method was certainly convenient. Apple may be proud to announce that Ping already has over 1 million users, but now we know that none of them are making ringtones straight from the store.
[via MacRumors]
TUAWiTunes 10 drops custom ringtone purchasing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Found Footage: WNBC anchor shows Earl via iPad 5 Sep 2010, 9:45 am
Nobody ever claimed that the iPad was weatherproof, but that didn't stop news anchor Chuck Scarborough from taking his tablet out to the seashore. Reader Michael Neumann saw the veteran NYC broadcaster using his iPad to show weather radar during Hurricane Earl's race up the US east coast. He could have saved money on that case, though.
Chuck's app of choice looks to be the Weather Channel's iPad offering, but we've seen lots of TV-centric solutions for the magical and revolutionary gadget. If you have a favorite clip or featured appearance of the iPad on the tube, drop a link in the comments below.
Thanks Michael!
TUAWFound Footage: WNBC anchor shows Earl via iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Parallels Desktop 6 appears on store shelves 5 Sep 2010, 8:30 am
No official announcement from the virtualization mavens at Parallels, but it appears that the next version of the company's Mac app for Windows virtual machines is already popping up at retail. Sharp-eyed reader Matthew Fern snapped this shot of Parallels Desktop 6 already on sale at Fry's Electronics in Roseville, CA.
We've got a call into the Parallels press office to find out about upgrade options and actual yes-we-admit-it release info, but chances are we'll have to wait until after the Labor Day holiday to get the final word.
Thanks Matt!
TUAWParallels Desktop 6 appears on store shelves originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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