The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone / SlingPlayer for Mac HDhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/06/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-slingplayer-for-mac-hd/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/06/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-slingplayer-for-mac-hd/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/06/slingplayer-mobile-for-iphone-slingplayer-for-mac-hd/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Our sister site Engadget is reporting that Sling Media, maker of the Slingbox, is going to be demonstrating SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone at Macworld Expo 2009 this week.

Sling had produced a proof-of-concept back in June of 2008. Now the word is that the app will be submitted to the powers-that-be at Apple for certification and acceptance into the App Store sometime before the end of March, 2009.

If you're not quite that into watching your Slingbox streams on an iPhone, Sling Media is also demoing a prototype of SlingPlayer for Mac HD. This application enables Slingbox PRO-HD owners to zap HD streams to their Macs. This Mac app is expected to be available free of charge, while pricing for the iPhone app has not yet been determined.

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of Macworld Expo 2009, where you'll find news, photos, and video of the flood of announcements coming out of Moscone Center.

[via Engadget]

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone / SlingPlayer for Mac HD originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone / SlingPlayer for Mac HD originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>macworld 2009Macworld2009mwsfSteven SandeTue, 06 Jan 2009 02:00:00 ESTEyeTV Hybrid hardware gets a performance boosthttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/eyetv-hybrid-hardware-gets-a-performance-boost/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/eyetv-hybrid-hardware-gets-a-performance-boost/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/eyetv-hybrid-hardware-gets-a-performance-boost/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Elgato's EyeTV Hybrid has long been the standout among the Mac options for HD television tuners, in large part because it comes with the excellent EyeTV software for program guide info, scheduling and recording. This week, the product gets an overhaul with refreshed hardware (including an FM radio tuner) and the new 3.1 version of the application with a bundled copy of Toast Basic for DVD burning; the combo is impressive. The revised software swaps out the TitanTV electronic program guide source for the more detailed (and, after the first free year, $20 paid-subscription) TV Guide data. The new EyeTV Hybrid is immediately available in the USA and Canada for US $149.95 and works on Mac OS X 10.4.11 and higher; decoding HD content requires an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU. EyeTV 3.1 will be released as a free update for existing owners in the coming weeks.

Update: Several commenters noted that earlier versions of the hardware allowed for decoding HD content with a Core Duo (as distinct from Core 2 Duo) processor, and questioned whether anything had changed. Per the specifications page for the new unit, a Core 2 Duo chip is indeed required for 720p or 1080i content.

EyeTV's hardware has always packed some impressive functionality into a small USB dongle; however, the previous units (designed and built by OEMs like Pinnacle and Hauppauge for bundling with the EyeTV app) didn't always shine when it came to holding onto weak HDTV signals, and recordings were sometimes plagued with dropouts and jitter when used with borderline-adequate antennas. The new hardware design has been insourced to EyeTV's team and custom-built with a focus on improving signal handling; the results are pretty good.

In my preliminary testing with the new unit I got much better signal on some stations that had previously been on the fringe, and the picture is still crystal-clear (HD sporting events on a 24" iMac screen are a revelation). The only annoying quirk I saw in the EyeTV 3.1 app was a propensity for the video aspect ratio to flop between 16x9 and 4x3 as commercials or other standard-ratio content interrupted a widescreen program. Other than that, it works quite well, even with a $12 pair of Radio Shack rabbit ears.

The new TV Guide program info is quite a bit more detailed than the Titan TV or over-the-air ATSC listings, with full cast and capsule review data available. EyeTV now allows for a 'season pass' preset that will capture all episodes of a particular program, and parental controls are now implemented to allow responsible adults some control over the viewing and recording habits of the household. Recording a show is still just as easy, although you need to maintain a Titan TV account to do remote scheduling; the iPhone and iPod conversion and WiFi sharing capabilities remain as before, and can be supercharged via the turbo.264 outboard compression dongle. As always, be sure to keep plenty of hard drive space available if you want to maintain a library of HD recordings.

We'll be stopping by Elgato's booth at Macworld Expo this week for a video tour of EyeTV 3.1; if you're at the show, you can catch them at booth #2126. See the gallery below for some views of the new hardware and software.

Gallery: EyeTV 3.1

EyeTV Hybrid hardware gets a performance boost originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)EyeTV Hybrid hardware gets a performance boost originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>elgatoeyetvhdtvMichael RoseMon, 05 Jan 2009 20:00:00 ESTMacworld Expo '09 rumor rounduphttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/macworld-expo-09-rumor-roundup/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/macworld-expo-09-rumor-roundup/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/macworld-expo-09-rumor-roundup/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As we draw ever nearer to Phil Schiller's Macworld keynote, we've been privy to more rumors than a high school cafeteria. What's the fun of a juicy tidbit that you can't share? Here's our roundup of the latest Macworld Expo rumors. Just don't tell anyone we told you.

AT&T Tethering A little birdie flew into TUAW headquarters earlier this morning and suggested that tethering between an iPhone and an Apple laptop was imminent. Specifics were sketchy, but MacBlogz suggested that a 5 GB data cap and $30/month supplementary cost is likely. For an additional $30/mo, I'll wait until I find a Wi-Fi hotspot. But I'm a cheapskate.

MegiPod Techcrunch suggested that a larger touch-based iPod is in the works. Supposedly all current apps will run on it, which suggests resolution independence or serious hocus-pocus. That's a technical term.

Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro This one seems likely, as the 17 inch MBP is the only Apple laptop without a sleek, new body. The juicy part of this rumor is the addition of a slim, non-removable and long-lasting battery. That should get the community fired up.

New iMacs The iMac has been the star of many Macworld Expos, and we wouldn't be surprised if it happened again this year. It's a consumer show, the iMac is Apple's consumer desktop and it's certainly due for a makeover. Rumors suggest that the new iMac will feature a similar form factor and a new 65W, low-power, quad-core desktop chip from Intel. There are also questions about a new cooling system, but we couldn't learn any more about that (read: the Magic 8 Ball said, "Ask again later.").

New Mac mini Probably the most reliable rumor of the bunch is the new Mac mini. We're glad that rumors of its discontinuation have been greatly exaggerated, because the diminutive mini is a great little workhorse. This rumor is twofold. First, it seems that the internal optical drive will changing to a SATA optical drive, which can be replaced with a second SATA hard drive. Secondly, the new mini will sport an aluminum body topped with black plastic.

Update: SeeFile pretty much spilled the beans on the new mini.

We've also compiled a wish list of things not necessarily floating around as rumors. First, an update to the AppleTV would be nice, especially if it came with Hulu support (think of an Apple version of Boxee). iLife '09 seems likely as well, though we haven't heard any rumblings. The iPhone nano case leaks are interesting but we haven't seen anything definitive there.

I hope we get a full demo of Snow Leopard and a release date. Sure, it won't have a lot of demo-friendly, whiz-bang new features, but we feel certain the changes that make the cut will please just about everyone.

That's what we've got so far. If you want to pass us a note in study hall, we're all ears.

Macworld Expo '09 rumor roundup originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Macworld Expo '09 rumor roundup originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>macbook proMacbookPromacworldmacworld expomacworld09MacworldExporumorsDave CaoloMon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 ESTRumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFilehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/rumor-mac-mini-supports-1tb-storage-seefile/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/rumor-mac-mini-supports-1tb-storage-seefile/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/05/rumor-mac-mini-supports-1tb-storage-seefile/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ars is reporting that software company SeeFile may have exposed at least a part of Apple's plans for the new Mac mini. According to a poorly timed press release (it's actually dated January 6th, the same day as Phil's keynote), the "New Apple Mac Mini hardware [will] be supported by revolutionary SeeFile web sharing DAM software." The SeeFile software is used to build a no-fuss, digital asset manager accessible via a web browser and starts at $499US.

Here's where it gets interesting. Towards the end of the press release, we find this

"Complete bundled server systems including a Mac mini server with 1 terabyte of storage are available starting at $1,495. The hosted Web service will be available starting in February 2009 at several pricing tiers, starting at under $50 per month."

We can only assume that SeeFile will be selling minis bundled with their software and not Apple. Many people use minis as home servers, and with the rumor of 1TB of internal storage all but confirmed by this press release, building a similar, web-accessible setup should become very easy indeed.

Either way, the lesson here is the same: Don't hit your web editor's "Publish" button unless you really mean it.

Rumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFile originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Rumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFile originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>mac miniMacMinimacworldmacworld expomacworld09MacworldExporumorsseefileDave CaoloMon, 05 Jan 2009 15:30:00 ESTRumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Prohttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/04/rumor-unibody-17-inch-macbook-pro/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/04/rumor-unibody-17-inch-macbook-pro/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/01/04/rumor-unibody-17-inch-macbook-pro/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Both 9to5Mac and AppleInsider are reporting on rumors that a 17-inch, unibody MacBook Pro will debut at this week's Macworld Expo. Most interesting is the rumor about the machine's battery.

Specifically, the alleged laptop's battery would be non-removable, very slim (consider the MacBook Air's battery) and able to run "...much longer" than the current model. The announcement of a new 17 inch MacBook Pro wouldn't be a very big surprise, but a non-removable battery would. People like removable batteries for obvious reasons.

Mike Rose guessed that we'd see a new 17 inch laptop when we all listed our predictions. We'll all see what happens in just a couple of days.

For full Macworld Expo coverage, bookmark the TUAW Macworld Expo 2009 landing page.

[Via Engadget]

Rumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Rumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>batterymacbook proMacbookPromacworldmacworld09unibodyDave CaoloSun, 04 Jan 2009 21:00:00 ESTTen Apple products Jobs had nothing to do withhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/ten-apple-products-jobs-had-nothing-to-do-with/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/ten-apple-products-jobs-had-nothing-to-do-with/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/ten-apple-products-jobs-had-nothing-to-do-with/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is very interesting -- while investors and consumers alike are panicking every time someone says "Jobs" and "sick" in the same sentence, MacLife has decided to take a more optimistic view of the prospect of His Steveness leaving the company, by compiling a nice list of ten Apple products they say Jobs had nothing at all to do with. As you probably already know, Steve left the company once before, from 1985 to 1996, and during that time, while Steve was working on NeXTstep (which would eventually become OS X), Apple didn't exactly sit on its laurels.

The Newton is first and foremost, and while some may laugh at the handwriting recognition, let's not forget that it can still do things the iPhone can't. And while many of Apple's products were finalized under Jobs' watch, their beginnings come from before his return: the Powerbook, Macintosh TV (which could definitely be seen as a precursor for the AppleTV), and the Power Macintosh were all released without Jobs. Even among the most faithful Apple fans, you have to agree that Apple is willing to get wacky without Jobs to squelch some really crazy ideas: the Twentieth Anniversary Mac, the eMate, and the adjustable keyboard are all examples of that.

Of course, you could definitely argue that Apple's most popular products (iPods, the iPhone, the MacBook lines) wouldn't have happened without Jobs. But there's something to be said for Apple sans Jobs, too. "The Power to Be Your Best" might not be quite as memorable as "Think Different," but it's got its own charm.

Ten Apple products Jobs had nothing to do with originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Ten Apple products Jobs had nothing to do with originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applejobsmacintosh-tvnewtonos-xpower-macintoshsicksteve-jobsstocksthe-power-to-be-your-besttwentieth-anniversary-macMike SchrammWed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:00 ESTDate/time bugs throughout the years for Applehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/date-time-bugs-throughout-the-years-for-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/date-time-bugs-throughout-the-years-for-apple/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/date-time-bugs-throughout-the-years-for-apple/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As 30GB Zune owners deal with the sudden bricking of their systems after midnight this morning, hopefully they can take comfort in the fact they are not alone in this. Throughout the years, Apple products had their share of time & date problems.

In February 2000, Newton owners began reporting that they were having issues with the Newton being rather confused about what century it was in. Some users discovered that when they entered two-digit numbers as part of birthdays and other common abbreviated dates, things got wonky. For example, if I entered my birth date as 2-28-80 on the Newton, it interpreted the number as being February 28, 2080 rather than 1980. Entries of full dates in the 1900s were also affected. Other users stated that when they tried finding 20th century dates in the Find applet of the Newton, the system actually performed the search using 21st-century dates.

Fixes included resetting the system clock back to 1999 to enter those dates before resetting it again back to 2000 and applying software patches. Sadly, it's a bug that HAL-9000 forgot to mention. Apple even reported back in 1998 that the Newton was Y2K-compliant. Of course, this won't even begin to cover the problems that Newton owners still using the product will have in 2010. If you see our own Newton-sporting Steve Sande at Macworld, be sure to tease him about it.

A Tiger bug discovered in 2005 revealed that Safari's RSS reader would list some items as being an hour ahead of when they were actually posted -- news from the future is not catastrophic, but certainly could be confusing.

Our research this morning hasn't turned up any date-related iPod or iPhone hiccups, but if you know of any examples please let us know in the comments. As for the Zune bricks, there's been no word yet from Microsoft regarding the failures, but Engadget's readers have already come up with a number of theories including blaming it on Steve Jobs, the year 2008 being one-second longer, and other conspiracy theories that are sure to come throughout the day.

Date/time bugs throughout the years for Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Date/time bugs throughout the years for Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>brickbrickedbugsdatenewtontimezuneMegan LaveyWed, 31 Dec 2008 11:30:00 ESTRumor Watch: New Mac mini go for launchhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/rumor-watch-new-mac-mini-go-for-launch/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/rumor-watch-new-mac-mini-go-for-launch/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/31/rumor-watch-new-mac-mini-go-for-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When it comes to the Mac mini, there are people out there who know everything there is to know... and now, those savvy sources are telling TUAW that they are confident a new Mac mini is set to be announced at Macworld Expo 2009 next week. While many details are still vague -- we still have no idea if the dimensions of the new mini are at all different from the existing model -- some details are starting to emerge.

First, the internal optical drive is changing to a SATA optical drive that can be swapped out for a second SATA hard drive, probably as a build-to-order (BTO) option. For those using Mac minis as departmental / small business servers, having a second internal hard drive adds a great deal of utility to the mini in a server role; RAID 1 mirroring becomes simple. Companies like MacMiniColo.net that colocate thousands of Mac mini servers will save rack space as external drives will no longer be mandatory for backups.

The second detail is that the new Mac mini won't be made of topped with white plastic like the current model seen above; instead, it will follow Apple's new design meme by using black plastic and aluminum. No more smooth sides, either -- the new mini has a "lip" similar to the Time Capsule. The optical disc slot is hidden under the lip so it won't be obvious in case the owner chooses to have two hard drives instead of a hard and optical drive combo. The lip also provides cooling, so the vents on the back of the mini are no longer needed.

For those of you who have been hoping for a new mini, there are many signs that your dreams are about to come true.

Thanks Mr X!

Rumor Watch: New Mac mini go for launch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Rumor Watch: New Mac mini go for launch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsmac miniMacMinimacworld expo 2009macworld09MacworldExpo2009rumorSteven SandeWed, 31 Dec 2008 07:00:00 ESTHP's MediaSmart works with Time Machine, iTuneshttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/hps-mediasmart-works-with-time-machine-itunes/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/hps-mediasmart-works-with-time-machine-itunes/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/hps-mediasmart-works-with-time-machine-itunes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Earlier this week, HP announced the availability of two new home servers, the MediaSmart ex485 and ex487. It's true that both are based on Microsoft's Windows Home Server platform, but the interesting thing for Mac users is that they're recognized by Time Machine as backup targets, and they can act as an iTunes server. At $599US for the ex485 (750GB of storage) or $749US for the ex487 (1.5TB), that's not a bad deal.

Other specs include a 2GHz Celeron CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, one eSATA jack and four internal HDD bays. Note that total storage on these units can be scaled up to 9TB.

HP will begin taking pre-orders in January for shipment in February.

For now, I've got a G4 iMac in my basement acting as a home media server, as it were, to the Apple TV. Two external drives are attached -- one for Time Machine and one for a SuperDuper! clone, scheduled to update weekly.

A third, pocket-sized drive is updated via SuperDuper! weekly and lives off-site (read: my wife's desk in her classroom, don't tell!). Do you have a home-spun backup and streaming solution?

[Via Engadget]

HP's MediaSmart works with Time Machine, iTunes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)HP's MediaSmart works with Time Machine, iTunes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>backupexhome serverHomeServerhpitunesleopardtime machineTimeMachineDave CaoloMon, 29 Dec 2008 14:00:00 ESTApple Expert connections not very fast or personalizedhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/apple-expert-connections-not-very-fast-or-personalized/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/apple-expert-connections-not-very-fast-or-personalized/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/29/apple-expert-connections-not-very-fast-or-personalized/#commentsFiled under: ,


Now that you've read up on what to do with that shiny new iMac, MacBook, or MacBook Pro and spent some good time with the instruction manual in one hand and mouse in the other you've probably come to realize that these things aren't exactly perfect. Using a Mac is about as close to heavenly bliss as one can get while using a computer but let's face it, at some point you're going to run into a problem. Luckily for you there's an Apple Genius Bar right around the corner. What's that you say? You live hours away from the nearest Apple store? Fear not faithful reader; Apple is here for you! Read on for my experience setting up a fast, convenient, and personalized appointment with an Apple Expert.

Continue reading Apple Expert connections not very fast or personalized

Apple Expert connections not very fast or personalized originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Apple Expert connections not very fast or personalized originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>apple expertAppleExpertmacsupportAron TrimbleMon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 ESTSo you just got a hard drive -- now what?http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/25/so-you-just-got-a-hard-drive-now-what/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/25/so-you-just-got-a-hard-drive-now-what/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/25/so-you-just-got-a-hard-drive-now-what/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

All day on December 25, TUAW presents "Now What?" We've got first steps and recommendations for all the Apple gifts you (hopefully!) found under the tree today. Happy holidays!

Some good soul gifted you with a hard drive for the holidays. I can't think of a better gift! There are two ways to use that extra disk space -- the right way, which I'll get to in a moment, and the way many people do it, which is to just expand their disk space because they are running out of room.

I'm here to tell you that is the wrong thing to do with a new hard drive if you don't have a backup strategy already. Let's make a few assumptions here. The new drive has a USB 2.0 interface, or it has a Firewire 400 or 800 interface. It also is at least as large as your primary hard drive. Even better if it is bigger. Use that drive as a backup device, not for more disk space. Old hands around computers already know this, but if you are just getting started, it really is extra important to have all your files duplicated on another drive.

With any computer, stuff happens, like a sudden power surge, a drive failure, or a kid in the house who loves to see how the Mac trash can works. Can you really afford to lose all those pictures, emails, documents and CDs you lovingly ripped to iTunes? I didn't think so.

Getting a heavy duty back up is not too challenging. If you plug a brand new drive in, your Mac (assuming you have Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard) will ask you if you'd like to use it as a Time Machine drive. Time Machine is Apple's built-in backup solution, and it is great for people who constantly change or update files and sometimes have a good reason to go back and get the old versions. The larger your extra drive, the further you can 'go back in time'. Time Machine allows you to restore all the data, but it can take several hours and may require your original system DVD if your machine isn't bootable.

Read on for more...

Continue reading So you just got a hard drive -- now what?

So you just got a hard drive -- now what? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)So you just got a hard drive -- now what? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>backupCarbon Copy ClonerFeaturessecuritySuperDuperTime MachineTimeMachineMel MartinThu, 25 Dec 2008 17:30:00 ESTSocial networking getting bigger on mobile phoneshttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/23/social-networking-getting-bigger-on-mobile-phones/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/23/social-networking-getting-bigger-on-mobile-phones/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/23/social-networking-getting-bigger-on-mobile-phones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This is a big duh to anyone (like me) who's switched to a smartphone within the last year or so, but according to "new research" (I've never heard of them either), social networking applications and websites are blowing up on mobile phones, including none other than the iPhone.

Things are going both ways -- social networks are reaching out to mobile users with mobile versions of their sites and device-specific applications, and mobile phones are reaching back by allowing quick and easy ways to take pictures or upload text or video. That dude on his phone in the bar next to you is just as likely to be texting his entire network as he is texting that friend he's waiting for.

The end of The Guardian's article about this notes that search is up on mobile phones, too. Throw one more tick on the list of ways the iPhone has influenced how, when, and where we're using the Internet on our phones.

[via textually]

Social networking getting bigger on mobile phones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Social networking getting bigger on mobile phones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookiphonemobile-phonesmyspacephotossocial-networkingsocialnetworkingtext-messagestwitterMike SchrammTue, 23 Dec 2008 12:00:00 ESTThe case for AppleCarehttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/22/the-case-for-applecare/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/22/the-case-for-applecare/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/22/the-case-for-applecare/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With the holidays approaching, I know more than one family will be getting a new Mac. Many first time buyers whom I've guided through the purchase of their first Mac ask me, "is AppleCare worth it?"

For your new Mac, absolutely; I speak from first-hand experience. Now, I'm a pretty capable guy. I can fix application problems, recover data, and reinstall operating systems like a champ. I've replaced power supplies, installed memory, and upgraded hard disks. I thought I didn't need AppleCare. That is, until I bought my iMac G5 a few years ago.

It was a great computer, but it had some manufacturing defects that reared their ugly heads well after the standard one year warranty expired. Turns out I needed a new logic board (or motherboard, for our PC friends). Outside of the one year warranty, that was a $900 proposition.

Continue reading The case for AppleCare

The case for AppleCare originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)The case for AppleCare originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applecarehardwarerepairRobert PalmerMon, 22 Dec 2008 15:30:00 ESTDoes Imagination license spell HD-out for future iPhones?http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/19/does-imagination-license-spell-hd-out-for-future-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/19/does-imagination-license-spell-hd-out-for-future-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/19/does-imagination-license-spell-hd-out-for-future-iphones/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Over at Ars Technica, Chris Foreman dives into yesterday's story that Imagination Technologies Group, developer of the PowerVR chip for mobile device displays, has a licensing agreement with Apple for its chip designs (long suspected by AppleInsider but only just confirmed) and that Apple has picked up a chunk of ITG stock; cnet puts it at $5 million worth for a 3.6% stake. The 'smoking gun' press release from Imagination that was linked yesterday has mysteriously disappeared from the company's press page, which does lead one to wonder if the news wasn't quite ready for prime time -- but the speculation about what future iPhones might be capable of in the video-out department is still quite enticing. (You can see the Google-cached version of the PR blurb here.)

Foreman notes that the ITG chip designs Apple might use (the PowerVR SGX and VXD) would provide a dramatic boost to 3D performance, with Open GL ES 2.0 support, and also allow for HD-quality video out via the dock connector. Adding the playback power of an Apple TV (or better) to a mobile device, while reducing the power consumption required to pull off the trick? Add in a low-power 802.11n chipset for wireless streaming and you've just turned the home theater and set-top box market completely upside down.

If your iPod touch or iPhone could take over all your video playback needs at HD resolutions, would it find a home on your media center shelf? Mine would.

Does Imagination license spell HD-out for future iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Does Imagination license spell HD-out for future iPhones? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>graphicshdiphonepowervrvideoMichael RoseFri, 19 Dec 2008 12:30:00 ESTiBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPodhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/18/ibreathalyzer-is-yes-a-breathalyzer-for-your-ipod/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/18/ibreathalyzer-is-yes-a-breathalyzer-for-your-ipod/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/18/ibreathalyzer-is-yes-a-breathalyzer-for-your-ipod/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


It's late Friday night, you're stepping out of the bar into the cold after a few drinks, and as you head towards the car, you stop, realizing that it might not be the right time to drive. But how can you know for sure? Simple -- you just pull out your iPod. Because the iPod hasn't had enough random things attached to it, there's the iBreath, a breathalyzer that connects to the bottom of your iPod or iPhone and will not only tell you what your BAC is, but transmit your iPod's audio to your FM radio as well.

You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.

But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.

iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>accessoriesalcoholbarbreathalyzerdrinkinghumoribreathiphoneipodsillyMike SchrammThu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:00 ESTGift Guide for the Twitter addicthttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/gift-guide-for-the-twitter-addict/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/gift-guide-for-the-twitter-addict/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/gift-guide-for-the-twitter-addict/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

From applications to new friends, finding the right gift for the Twitter addict isn't as easy as it sounds. They're just so busy with all that "tweeting" nonsense. Here are plenty of ideas at a variety of price points that should make your job as the gift-giver a little more pleasant.

How do you know if you've got one on your list? Just answer a few simple questions. Does s/he
  • Check Twitter immediately before going to bed? Possibly while in bed? From multiple devices?
  • Have a stagnant blog, but a bulging Twitter stream?
  • Stare at the display for hours at a time so as not to miss a landmark follower or tweet (like #500)?
  • Added his or her Twitter handle to business cards, web sites, etc?
If so, you've got yourself an addict, my friend. Here's how you can be their #1 enabler.

Apps

This one goes without saying. No self-respecting Twitter addict is going to want to load twitter.com every time the blue-winged muse strikes. There are several options. Twitterrific and TweetDeck are nice for the desktop, while Tweetsville , Twinkle and mobile Twitterrific are great for the iPhone and iPod touch.
Additionally, TwitterFox is a (free) Firefox plug-in that lets you send and receive messages from within Firefox.

Update: Several of you suggested I consider Tweetie ($2.99US) as a Twitter client for the iPhone and iPod touch, which I did. It's very snappy indeed with lots of nice features, like trend monitoring, support for several accounts and more. It's really quite nice. Of course, this isn't a reivew of Twitter clients, but I'm still happy to add another to the list.

Reference

The Dictionary of Concise Writing will help you shorten those lengthy sentences. While you're at it, grab a copy of Webster's New World Thesaurus.
Read on for more!

Continue reading Gift Guide for the Twitter addict

Gift Guide for the Twitter addict originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Gift Guide for the Twitter addict originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuresgiftsholidayholiday gift guideholidaygiftguidetwitterDave CaoloTue, 16 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST30 years of Apple in three minuteshttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/30-years-of-apple-in-three-minutes/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/30-years-of-apple-in-three-minutes/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/16/30-years-of-apple-in-three-minutes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Megan's great roundup of Apple history from the other day wasn't enough nostalgia for you? It should have been -- wow there was a lot of old Apple stuff in there. But just in case your itch for the days of Apple yore isn't yet scratched, here's a great little video compilation of every Apple product from the last thirty years, squished into three minutes and set to Fiona Apple's cover of "Across the Universe."

The IIe! The PowerCD! The QuickTake! And even those early notebooks, which look so blocky today, were impressive in their time. Unfortunately, this video won't tell you much about what these products all were, but just the sight of some of these old units is enough to make the memories come flooding back for us old Apple fans. The iPhone and the iPod are so much hipper, it seems, compared to the units of Apple's past -- you think we'll ever look back with such nostalgia on the first touchscreens we got? A product like the Newton was so charming because it was so quirky, but the iPhone is sleek, popular, and impressive. Do you think future generations will look back at today's Apple products with the same fondness?

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

30 years of Apple in three minutes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)30 years of Apple in three minutes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appleapple-historyapple-iiehistoryipodnewtonnostalgiapower-cdvideoMike SchrammTue, 16 Dec 2008 11:15:00 ESTFound Footage: Pete's FishCamhttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-petes-fishcam/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-petes-fishcam/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-petes-fishcam/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Remember the remote-controlled dog treat dispenser from a few weeks ago? Now Pete Raumann has come up with Pete's FishCam, which comes complete with an iPhone interface so that he can remotely watch his fish swimming around in a nicely appointed aquarium.

It's more than just a webcam, though -- Pete can also turn the lights on and off (both tank and accent spotlights), pan the camera left and right, and open and close the "treasure chest" in the tank. Pete used the same equipment and web-based applet generator from ioBridge that was used to create the dog treat dispenser.

Note to Pete: your next assignments are to build an aquarium-cleaning robot and fish feeder that you can control from the iPhone. The video below shows how the interface works on the iPhone, complete with narration by Mr. Raumann.

What are your ideas for something you'd like to be able to watch and/or control from your iPhone? Put it in a comment, and please remember to keep it clean!

Found Footage: Pete's FishCam originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Found Footage: Pete's FishCam originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aquariumiphoneipod touchIpodTouchremote controlRemoteControlSteven SandeMon, 15 Dec 2008 17:00:00 ESTBlast From the Past: Apple patents, ads, and catalogshttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/blast-from-the-past-apple-patents-ads-and-catalogs/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/blast-from-the-past-apple-patents-ads-and-catalogs/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/blast-from-the-past-apple-patents-ads-and-catalogs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

A trio of nostalgic finds covers everything from a visual history of Apple patents to the ads and catalogs that marketed these products to consumers.

Andrew McConnell received an old mail-order computer catalog from 1980, with the first 12 pages featuring Apple products. For the low, low price of $974.95USD, you could purchase a 16K Regular Apple II that weighed less than 12 pounds! Or, if you're really crazy with your money, you could spend $1123.95USD on a 48K Plus system.

The really neat thing about browsing through this catalog is seeing all the accessories available for the system at that time. A $34.95 device called Bright Pen was touted as an alternative to the keyboard or game paddle input, and seemed to be an ancestor of the Wacom tablet. Further in, another accessory called Light Pen appears to be a more expensive Wacom predecessor. SuperTalker added voiceover capabilities to the Mac and SpeechLab allowed for dictation. There was a music synthesizer, the ability to add a real-time clock for $200, basic software, and more.

RedLightRunner has compiled a page of some of the best-known Apple ads from the past couple of decades. Its earliest offering is the infamous 1984 ad and there are several early 80's and late 90's offerings there. My favorite is the ad from 1999 for the Airport Base Station. The device sails across the screen like a UFO, complete with creepy B-movie music that is sure to give some people nightmares. It's definitely not a comprehensive collection of ads - it's missing all the current ones and others from the 80's such as this ad from 1986. But, it is a great start at building a collection.

Over on the Technologizer blog, Harry McCracken has posted a visual history spanning 31 years of Apple patent filings - featuring everything from Woz's drawings of the original Apple II in April 1977 all the way to the "multi-functional hand-held device" from December 2007 which turns out to be the iPhone. It's not all the patents filed by Apple, but it's a great summary of some of the devices Apple has come up with. You can find more articles about various Apple patents here at TUAW as well.

Many thanks to all those who submitted tips!

Blast From the Past: Apple patents, ads, and catalogs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Blast From the Past: Apple patents, ads, and catalogs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blastfromthepastcommercialmanualpatentMegan LaveyMon, 15 Dec 2008 14:30:00 ESTFound Footage: A fanboy's Mac mini concepthttp://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-a-fanboys-mac-mini-concept/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-a-fanboys-mac-mini-concept/http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/15/found-footage-a-fanboys-mac-mini-concept/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Mac mini has an amazing following. It's a great machine for switchers who want to use their existing keyboard, mouse, and monitor, there are companies devoted to using them as small colocated servers, and the mini is the machine to use for all sorts of cool hacks.

TUAW reader, designer, and Mac mini fanboy Sait Alayali decided that it's time for a new look, so he created his own conceptual design for a new mini. Rather than the little flat box we know and love, it's designed like a right angle. It has a low-speed fan for quiet and effective cooling, a design that makes it simple to swap out drives, and it can be placed on a surface in a number of ways.

Call me old-fashioned, but I like the "boxy" look of the existing Mac mini. They're easier to stack and there are plenty of matching peripherals. I'd prefer to see a new Mac mini made with some of the MacBook Air tech so it could be thinner and smaller. How 'bout you? Leave a comment with your ideas for a new Mac mini design.


The New Mac Mini Concept from Sait Alanyali on Vimeo.

Found Footage: A fanboy's Mac mini concept originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Found Footage: A fanboy's Mac mini concept originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>conceptfanboyfound footageFoundFootagemac miniMacMiniSteven SandeMon, 15 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST