Category: I-phone

The Unicorn has landed! Rainbows! Starshine! Skittle poo! It’s like Christmas in…um…December! So why this exuberance and excitement? My Apple TV is right now, this very second, even as we speak, playing back a DVD of Finding Nemo. It’s seriously awesome. Why watch a DVD on a laptop when you can easily stream it to your Apple TV?

And it’s not even all that hard to do if you’re a bit of a do-it-yourself-hacker. Although, seriously, if the command line frightens and intimidates you, it’s time to move on to the next TUAW post.

Mac aficionado Erick van Rijk figured out how to use VLC to transcode a DVD in real time so that my AirFlick application could play it across to an Apple TV. The instructions, which you are heartily encouraged to follow only at your own risk, follow after the jump.

Okay? Deep breaths. Here we go.

Continue reading DVDs are playing back on my Apple TV using AirFlick and AirPlay!

DVDs are playing back on my Apple TV using AirFlick and AirPlay! originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has posted a few new patches in Software Update. There’s an update that sends iPhoto ’11 to version 9.1.1, allowing photos to be emailed with an external email client, and a size to be specified when sending (similar to the options already available on iOS). Additionally, the update fixes a few minor issues with Events and photo sorting, and adds a few new themes for emailing. iPhoto ’11 users can download the 65.6 MB update right now.

The iPhone Configuration Utility has been updated as well, though since the program is really only used for things like updating provisioning profiles and checking out device logs, only the developers will probably need to worry about that one. Most users can just deal with their iPhone configuration through iTunes itself. Nevertheless, there’s two updates from Cupertino to install if needed.

[via MacUpdate]

Apple updates iPhoto ’11 and the iPhone Config utility originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winter Break is in full force for us here in Denver, with weeks of “How do I entertain my own child without taxpayer supported public schools to do that for me?” looming ahead. If you, like I, believe each child deserves two proper parents (namely public school and television), here are a few suggestions for items you can pick up in the App Store.

Apps to play with during the holiday vacation are a great investment. They are cheaper than actual human babysitters, and help develop your child’s most meaningful relationships — i.e. with technology and gaming systems.

(Ed: She’s kidding here — we think. But after the link below, you can find four solid family app recommendations to play with the kids over the holiday break.)

Continue reading Four apps to keep the kids busy over holiday vacation

Four apps to keep the kids busy over holiday vacation originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’re heading into the final day before the App Store freeze on Thursday, and so there are lots more price drops popping up on Apple’s digital outlet for iOS apps. Here’s a few of the sales we’ve heard about so far.

• Bulkypix is holding a 99 cent sale on its titles.
• Freeverse has dropped a few apps to just a buck, including Skee-ball and Flick Fishing, and it’s giving away Moto Chaser for free.
• Sega has a big holiday sale going on, including Gunstar Heroes and Phantasy Star 2 for just 99 cents each.
• Telltale has a sale going on, including the excellent Puzzle Agent for just 99 cents.
• And don’t forget the iOS indie games “bundle“, offering up excellent deals on some of the best indie games on the App Store.

Lots of terrific games available for cheap on the iOS store this week. Stay tuned — we’ll probably see some more drops tomorrow, and then on Thursday, as Apple freezes store releases, everything will be nailed in for the busy holiday weekend.

Lots more iOS games on sale for just a buck originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sparrow is essentially what happens when Gmail and Tweetie for Mac hook up and have a baby. It’s very much what Gmail should be on the Mac — minimalist and classy. I tried out Mailplane a few months ago, but couldn’t quite bring myself to pull the trigger on the purchase. I won’t with Sparrow. It’s just that good — especially for a beta.

We had a couple of recent pieces announcing the plethora of updates to the program, but now we’re getting beyond the pretty icon and we like what we’re seeing.

Continue reading Sparrow for Mac beta hands-on review

Sparrow for Mac beta hands-on review originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Setting a computer to the correct time should be the simplest of tasks. It can easily be done by hitting a time server on the internet. Your home computers do it. Your iPhone gets the current local time from AT&T here in the states. It’s a built-in feature of just about every computer OS.

For iPad users, it’s a different story. I noticed it the other day with my 3G iPad, when I saw that the tablet was six minutes ahead of my iPhone and MacBook Pro. I checked my desktop, and it was ahead of that too. It was equally ahead of my wall mounted Atomic Clock that gets the time from the National Bureau of Standards. My iPhone, the government clocks, and my desktop and laptops all matched. The iPad was clearly out of sync. I restarted the iPad but that didn’t solve it. So I explored the iPad preferences, dutifully went to Date and Time, and guess what? There is no ‘set automatically’ option. There is one on the 3G iPad, but hitting a time server when connected to Wi-Fi is not exactly rocket science, so why isn’t it an option on the Wi-Fi iPad? All you get is the manual setting option. Not exactly high tech.

Continue reading Setting your iPad to the correct time may be harder than you think

Setting your iPad to the correct time may be harder than you think originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could the Internet-driven Anonymous movement possibly bring its DDOS attacks to bear on our favorite Cupertino company? Apple did remove the WikiLeaks application, after all. Not that you can’t still access WikiLeaks on the web, but Apple has got to be one juicy target for the Anonymous group. They’ve gone after not just companies like Visa and Mastercard, but have attacked Sarah Palin and the Swedish government as well. They have said (as much as the loosely-knit organization can speak as a group) it would be “in bad taste” to ruin holiday shopping, however, so maybe Apple will spare the group’s wrath, at least until after the season.

What do you think? Christmas weekend would appear to be an ideal time, in order to monopolize the attention span of the media on an otherwise slow news day. Imagine Anonymous moving to take the iTunes store down on the day everyone is getting a new Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad or an iTunes gift card. That would make for some major issues (for both Apple and app developers alike), without question. But again, Anonymous doesn’t appear to want to frighten the average consumer, so maybe the iTunes store would be a little too close to home.

We’ll have to wait and see what, if any, the response will be to Apple’s removal of the app. Feel free to chime in and share your opinions on the issue in the comments below.

Will Anonymous attack Apple? originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Make a free Apple-oriented Christmas Creche

Make a free Apple-oriented Christmas Creche originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here’s a bit of levity for your pre-holiday enjoyment. Comedians Harry Enfield and Ronnie Corbett elevated the play on words to a sublime level with this skit, reminiscent the famous “Fork Handles” bit.

A befuddled shopper turns to his grocer for help with his Blackberry and Apple. We won’t spoil the fun, so check it out after the break. Just put your drink down first to avoid a spit take all over your equipment.

Continue reading BBC comedians have fun with tech talk

BBC comedians have fun with tech talk originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Canadian government explores iPad use for high-ranking officials originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can you imagine waking up on Christmas morning surrounded by a pile of accessories for the Apple devices in your life? Or even better, giving someone a pile of fun gifts?

TUAW and the Max Borges Agency want to give two lucky readers the chance to win some holiday grab bags full of fun gear for the Apple fan. You’ll have to enter by midnight tonight (ET) to be eligible, because the goodies will be express-shipped to your homes to arrive on Christmas Eve.

To see what each of the grab bags contains and find out more about the giveaway, read on.

Photo credit: Julia Freeman-Woolpert, sxc.hu

Continue reading TUAW holiday grab bag giveaway: Everything for the Apple fan

TUAW holiday grab bag giveaway: Everything for the Apple fan originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The popular Humble Indie Bundle for the Mac has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity and has become an inspiration for other indie developers looking to follow their lead. In that spirit, six independent iPhone game developers have banded together and are offering their games at a US$2-$3 discount. The devs will give 1/3 of the sale proceeds to Child’s Play, a charity that provides toys and video games to children’s hospitals across the U.S.

The bundle includes six games which will be sold for US$0.99 each. Due to the limitation of the iTunes App Store, each title will be sold separately and not as a $6 bundle. The bundle includes titles like Osmos, a physics-based, cosmic survival game and Drop 7, a puzzle game that mixes the best of Sudoku and Tetris. Games rounding out this indie offering include Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, Solipskier, Eliss and Cannabalt. So head on over to the App Store and pick up some of these award-winning games. You will add to your arsenal of casual entertainment and help out a worthy cause.

[Via Kotaku]

Indie games on sale for iPhone (and a good cause) originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deals, fabulous deals! From dealnews.com, our partner in dealy deals. The app Navfree was covered by Engadget yesterday, complete with hilariously incorrect “compass” icon. Lonely Planet City Guides for free are a genuinely decent deal — I’ve used the San Francisco one with some success. Price drop on Where’s Waldo? and Justin Bieber Revenge, but there is no app called Where’s Justin Bieber’s Revenge, unfortunately. If Bieber isn’t your thing, check out the holiday MP3’s for sale.

• iTunes Store: Navfree USA for iPhone / iPod touch for free
• iTunes Store: Free Lonely Planet City Guides for iPhone / iPad / iPod touch
• iTunes Store: iPhone App Price Drops: Where’s Waldo?, Justin Bieber Revenge, more
• MacPromo: MacPromo Mac Time-Saving Bundle: 10 utilities for $50
• Meritline: IGg iPhone Camera 6x Zoom Telescope Case for $15 + free shipping
• iTunes Store: iPhone App Price Drops: Splinter Cell Conviction, Shrek Kart
• iTunes Store: iPad App Price Drops: Splinter Cell, Zombie Infection, Golf
• B&H Photo Video: Apple iMac Core i7 Quad 2.8GHz 27″ Desktop for $1,649 + free shipping
• iTunes Music Store: 69-cent Holiday MP3 downloads: Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, more
• Pennywise: Olympus 12.3MP Digital Camera w/ lens for $370 + 1-cent s&h
• HandHeldItems: Luxury Convertible Flip Case For Apple iPad w/$2 HHI credit for $20 + $3 s&h
• eBay: Ultra Bluetooth Wireless Speaker for $40 + free shipping

Daily Deals for December 21, 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide! We’ve sorted the treasure from the junk and are serving up suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving a little easier.

It’s getting late, the shopping season is nearly over, and you just haven’t found the perfect item for everyone on your list. Well, worry not: here are a few suggestions for your stocking stuffers that may align very nicely if that special someone is also getting an iPad, iPod touch or iPhone this year.

ClamCase Gift Card: The idea of combining a Bluetooth keyboard with an iPad case is so compelling, it’s no surprise that plenty of companies have introduced products along the same basic lines. Unfortunately, one of the most anticipated variants won’t ship in time for Christmas, but if you’ve got your heart set on giving a ClamCase, you have an option: a customized gift card, ready to give to your iPad-toting family member. As a bonus, you’ll save US$20 off the regular $119.99 cost of the case/stand/keyboard combo.

Kork Case: If you don’t need the keyboard but you do like the idea of keeping green when you encase your iPad, consider the Kork case. The lightweight 50-euro case is made from recycled (and recyclable) natural cork, giving you protection and peace of mind. Be sure to watch the instructional videos to avoid breaking your Kork when you put it on the iPad!

iPlunge: It’s a prop stand for your iPhone or iPod touch. It’s a tiny little plunger. Really, now, what more do you need? As they say, “just lick it and stick it” ($5.99).

Continue reading TUAW’s Holiday Gift Guide: Slightly wacky last-minute gifts

TUAW’s Holiday Gift Guide: Slightly wacky last-minute gifts originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve talked about 360 Panorama before — it’s a cool app that lets you capture 360° panoramic photos in real time by just moving your iPhone around in a circle. The $0.99 app (available here) has been out for a while, but keeps receiving amazing updates that improve its functionality and wow factor.

Now the wizards at Occipital have figured out a way for you to view those panoramas as if you’re actually standing at the site where they were taken. You simply open up Mobile Safari on an iPhone 4 (or any other gyroscope-equipped iPhone running iOS 4.2), point to a URL where the photo is stored, and then move the phone around. The gyroscope is detected by the browser, and then your movements control where in the panorama you are looking. The standard reverse-pinch gesture lets you zoom into a panorama, while pinching zooms out. All using HTML 5 and thanks to a recent update in iOS.

If you have an iPhone that supports iOS 4.2 and has a gyro built in, go to this site in Mobile Safari to see how the panorama viewing in Mobile Safari works. It’s pretty cool!

360 Panorama: view augmented reality panoramas in Mobile Safari originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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