Apple News

Hillcrest Labs, makers of the Loop pointer, have released Kylo, a media browser designed with a computer-connected TV in mind.

Filed under: iPad

Want to get a new iPad but a little short on cash? Trade in a bunch of your old CDs or DVDs to a company called iPodMeister and your problems are solved. Sound too good to be true? It's not, reports the New York Times. iPodMeister was founded by a group of musicians and students who realized that though CDs are virtually worthless in the US, they often fetch higher prices abroad. Their business model is to collect your discarded CDs or DVDs, giving you an iPod, iPhone, or iPad in return, and sell your CDs and DVDs for a profit in other countries. A fringe benefit of this is that your old CDs and DVDs actually get used for something instead of just going into a landfill.

The cool cats at iPodMeister do have strict rules regarding what CDs and DVDs are acceptable, but note that if you bought your CDs in a record store, you're probably good to go. They do require both the original jewel case (remember those?) and the original album artwork, however. If you've got binders full of original CDs, but no inserts, you're out of luck.

So what will the various iterations of the iPad cost you? The full breakdown's past the link below, but you might be surprised -- an iPad ain't cheap.

iPad w/ Wi-Fi 16 GB = 600 CDs or DVDs.
iPad w/ Wi-Fi 32 GB = 700 CDs or DVDs.
iPad w/ Wi-Fi 64 GB = 800 CDs or DVDs.
iPad w/ Wi-Fi + 3G 16GB = 950 CDs or DVDs.
iPad w/ Wi-Fi + 3G 32GB = 1050 CDs or DVDs.
iPad w/ Wi-Fi + 3G 64GB = 1150 CDs or DVDs.

All in all, it doesn't seem like a bad deal - especially if you've tried selling your CDs to a used record store lately. iPodMeister even pays for the shipping costs of the CDs and offers the digitizing them for an extra "cost" of 70 to 250 CDs depending on the amount you've sent them.

TUAWiPodMeister gives you an iPad for your old CDs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: App Review

I'm a Google Analytics geek. I think it's one of the coolest things Google has ever invented. I only have a few websites but I've injected Google Analytics code into all of them so I can track who's viewing my pages, for how long, and where from. Needless to say, I was astonished when I checked Google Analytics on my iPhone and I didn't see an iPhone-optimized page like their mobile search and Gmail pages.

Thankfully Thomas Blackburn has picked up Google's slack and created the slickest Google Analytics app I've seen. Called Analytics Pro, the app provides a simple but powerful UI to access Google Analytics on your iPhone. The default summary reports give you gives you a clear view of recent visitor activity in five different categories: Visitors, Traffic Sources, Referral Sources, Top Content, Top 10 Countries and Operating System.

But the app goes way beyond the basics as it has myriad reports and sub-reports under the headings of Visitors, Traffic Sources, Content, Goals, and E-Commerce. Throughout your data you can drill down into your daily and hourly statistics and the intuitive date picker lets you easily choose a date or range of dates in just a few taps. All your metrics graphs and maps can be viewed in horizontal or landscape views. Analytics Pro even supports multiple Google Analytics accounts.

Google Analytics on the web is such a massively layered service it can be hard to navigate for the uninitiated. Analytics Pro has succeeded where Google failed, by making all your data, charts, and metrics easily accessible on an iPhone. Matter of fact, it's even easier to view my reports in the Analytics Pro app than it is on the Analytics web site.

If you're a website owner who needs to view his sites analytics on the go, I high recommend Analytics Pro. The app is $6.99 in the App Store and requires iPhone OS 3.1.2 or later.

Gallery: Analytics Pro

TUAWAnalytics Pro, the app that Google forgot originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Podcasts

Our trademark talkcast goes on the air once again this evening at 10pm Eastern, and it's going to be a heck of a show. We're right in the middle of the runup to the iPad, so we'll be talking about Apple's rumored scramble for content deals, those test units hidden in the wild, and the doors opening up for app submissions on the App Store. And "iPad" isn't the only word on the street -- Apple has chosen to ban protective screens for some reason, 10.6.3 could be sneaking out this week, and we've even got new hardware rumors (but then again, don't we always?).

It's sure to be a good time full of discussion about the biggest Apple stories of the past week. Join us, won't you?

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, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk with you then!

TUAWTUAW Talkcast tonight at 10pm Eastern originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your existing iPhone (yeah, even the original) can surf the information superhighway at 4G speeds. Today. Who knew, right? Sprint's Overdrive -- whic

Filed under: Apple, iPad

Apple's "Meet iPad" ad, which debuted during the Oscars, became the second-most viewed viral video ad last week. Michael Learmonth, writing for AdAge, points out that "Apple has had a YouTube channel since 2005, but only recently started using it. In the past, they'd focused on driving views on Apple.com, but for the iPad, they allowed the video to be embedded across the web, and views were distributed across 100 different placements."

Those 100 different placements totaled a cool 2.5 million "Meet iPad" ad views last week. The only ad that beat "Meet iPad" was E*Trade's popular "Milkaholic" Superbowl ad, which had increased views due to interest from Lindsay Lohan filing suit against E*Trade claiming the ad was a parody of her. "Meet iPad" was produced by the TBWA/Chiat/Day ad agency.

TUAWApple's iPad ad goes viral originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Opera has always had a tough time taking on the big guys in the desktop browser market, but anyone who has given Opera Mini a try on their smart phone platform of choice would probably be pleasantly surprised

Do read the original comic strip this detail comes from, oh, and wait for a wave of comics for the iPad (led by Marvel/Disney) and if you think you might like eComics, be sure to buy the physical ones too...

Thanks to Foxtrot

Quite an interesting development here, LuLu.com – the haven for self-publishers seeking out a low risk means to publish their book or other non-digital product – has launched an iPad format conversion service for authors.

In an email despatched to members today, the service asks “Are You iPad Ready?”, and puts its pitch as follows:

“The time to join the ePub boom has never been better.

“Lulu now offers ePub conversion services to take your book into the future. Get your book ready for the iPad, Sony Reader and other electronic devises with our ePub conversion service. We offer three service packs depending on the number of pages in your manuscript.”

The company’s ePub service includes the following:

• Tagging and linking of the Table of Content (TOC)
• Proofing of the illustrations to make sure they’re resized properly
• Removal of the original page numbers and page headers (to prevent them from appearing in the middle of the page)
• Re-flowing of the text by chapter and re-pagination of the entire book

ePub conversion takes between 4-6 week.  In some cases, conversion may take longer at which point we will provide you with a time line for your file conversion.

Only books published through Lulu are eligible for the service.

The caveat emptor in this? “Creating an ePub version of your book will not guarantee distribution on 3rd party external e-readers,“ the company warns.

Filed under: Education

Apple, through the Apple II, served as the gateway to computing for me; my third grade classroom had two Apple IIs neatly tucked away in metallic lock cases. With them, I was exposed to word processing, printing and, most importantly, Carmen Sandiego.

Education is deeply ingrained in the Apple ethos. During his keynote at Macworld 1997 -- where he made his return -- Steve Jobs, in a not so understated way, said that "Apple is the largest education company in the world" and that this provided the company "an incredible foundation...and legacy to build off of." This legacy lives on, as Apple, through its retail stores, offers a variety of mediums to teach kids about and expose them to computing and content creation.

Last week, Apple opened up spring registration for field trips to its retail stores. Breaking with the tradition that students are to bring apples to their teachers, Apple provides a way for teachers to their students to the Apple...store, that is. During these field trips, K-12 students can create a variety of digital masterpieces: a photo album using iPhoto, an edited video using iMovie, or a song in GarageBand, among them. When complete, students can showcase their creations with others in the store. Now that's a class act.

[hat tip to The Loop]
Field trips to the Apple store are offered every fall and spring, and registration is currently open for weekday events February 22 through May 1. Apple states that field trips are limited to 25 students (if you have more, you can make arrangements with the store), and can last anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes.

Unlike field trips, in which those up to 12th grade can participate, Apple Youth Workshops are geared toward a younger crowd and toward specific applications. Kids ages 6 to 13 can participate in workshops in which they can work on photos, music, movies, and even presentation skills. You can check which workshops that are being offered at a particular retail store at the Apple Youth Workshop page. From my checks of various stores in California, there were no upcoming workshops scheduled at this time.

Lastly, there's Apple Camp. Like Apple Youth Workshops, Apple Camp is geared toward younger audiences (8 to 12 year-olds). Campers get to make movies, put together iPhoto photobooks, and compose songs at the Apple Store. At the end of the day, their keepsakes include a spiffy free t-shirt and a DVD of their creations. The Apple Camp site is currently not up, but Apple says that it will open up registration beginning in May.

To learn more about Apple's youth programs, visit the Apple Youth Program site here.

TUAWApple preps 2010 school field trips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paper Boat Race is a novel racing game where you race paper boats around a pool—by blowing into your iPhone’s microphone! While the game has its moments of nerdy joy, blowing into the microphone while trying to control the boat is hard to do—and there’s really anything else going for the game.

Filed under: iPhone

I just tried out PhotoNest, a cool new way to view just the images posted to your Twitter stream. It picks up just the photos, and presents them in a slide format, captioned with the tweet they were posted with. You can quickly flick through and see what your friends are up to (based on the photos they post).

Given that Twitter doesn't have a genuine photo-posting mechanism, this seems like a grand idea to me. I've done something similar to collect and expand just the links posted to my stream, but this app does a great job of pulling photos posted with multiple services and presenting them in an easy-to-navigate format.

The only trouble I ran into with PhotoNest was a login issue: when I mistyped my password on the first try, it gave me an error and took me back to the login screen. After that, though, a correct password just kept landing me back at that screen without any message. However, quitting the app and starting it again logged me in automatically without a hitch, so I assume it's a small bug that will be squashed in the next update.

The app will also let you post photos (with a tweet) to your Twitter account, and you can filter your view based on favorite contacts. PhotoNest is available on the App Store for $1.99US. If your Twitter friends post a lot of photos (and people with iPhones tend to), it's a fun way to keep up and worth checking out.

TUAWPhotoNest: your Twitter stream, in pictures originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3G access may cost European iPad users around €25-35/month, a report claims.

According to a German newspaper T-Mobile sources are suggesting the carrier will charge between €25-35 per month for 3G services in Germany. No word yet from other carriers or European territories.

These prices are the equivalent of around £22-£31.50 per month for UK users and circa $33.80-$47 per month in US currency. For comparison, AT&T in the US is charging either $14.99 or $29.99 per month for different iPad data deals.

We’ve had no clear confirmation on European iPad prices. Apple execs are reportedly touring Europe in an attempt to finalise 3G deals and (we speculate) meet with content providers, presumably including publishers, with a view to extending iPad-focused media services into the region.

In related news, MacRumors informs Apple’s offering ten-packs of iPads to educational institutions at a twenty-dollar per iPad discount.

Filed under: App Store

Earlier this week, Wired posted a story about what they call "App Store Payola" -- the practice of sites that solicit cash payments (or other compensation) in order to expedite or publish app reviews. This isn't anything new. Ever since the App Store first went online, there have been sites that have offered developers a chance at the spotlight in return for behind-the-scenes payment. Apparently, it is still going on, and Wired's piece takes a good look at what's under the table.

It should go without saying, but for the record: TUAW isn't involved in this practice, and never has been. We will use promo codes for reviews rather than buying the apps directly, but a promo code doesn't guarantee a review and it definitely doesn't influence our stated opinions on the products we cover. Informally, our editorial team gives a thumbs up to the OATS standard, although TUAW hasn't officially joined the sites promoting the 'code of conduct' for app reviews.

Nevertheless, this is an interesting issue. My main question actually revolves around whether or not this practice actually "works" for the developer -- do devs who pay the $25, or whatever these "Reviews R Us" sites are charging, actually see returns in their product's sales or downloads?




We know (based on detailed reports from multiple developers) that apps we review or mention here often see boosts in sales and performance in the App Store. We presume that's due in part to the fact that we don't do "payola" -- our readers trust us to post about worthwhile apps, and thus give their business to the ones we cite. Do these App Store review sites that are charging for their services see the same effect? Are these developers that are pouring $25 into "Joe's Review Shack" for an "expedited review" getting their money back in sales and/or downloads?

If they are, something is wrong -- either there's just not enough trusted outlets for apps out there, or even the App Store just isn't big enough for its own demand. If people are downloading and buying apps just because they see them mentioned anywhere (even on a site that they can't trust), then maybe there just aren't enough quality apps to go around. Payola doesn't work in the case of film reviews, because there are enough trusted reviewers and enough good films that you have the option to pick and choose the ones you like, paying attention to reviewers you agree with. But it does work in the case of old-school radio, where you only had one station to choose from, and you listened to (and bought) whatever songs they played.

Of course the first question is whether these sites work or not. If the $25 invested in one of these payola sites actually pays off for an app that clearly doesn't deserve it, then there might be a bigger issue with the App Store ecosystem as a whole.

TUAWApp Store payola, and what it means for the app ecosystem originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPhone

Silicon Alley Insider has posted an interesting chart that shows the total number of apps available across various mobile platforms. As you can see from the chart, Apple's iPhone leads the pack by a longshot with 170,000 apps according to AppShopper.com. AppShopper typically lists more apps than Apple publicly states it has because AppShopper updates its numbers on a daily basis. As of today's count, AppShopper says Apple has approved 198,924 apps with 171,722 available to download. The discrepancy between the numbers accounts for apps that either the developers or Apple have removed from the App Store. Apple officially states that it currently has 150,000 apps.

A distant second after Apple's App Store is Google's Android Marketplace with 30,000 apps. RIM's Blackberry trails with only 5,000 apps, while Palm has a paltry 2,000. Windows Phone 7 Series Applications were announce a few days ago with a limited number of developers signed on. Of course, these numbers don't take app quality into account at all (100,000 fart apps is still just a bunch of junk), but clearly in terms of available downloads, Apple has a huge lead.

TUAWApple leads the App Store race with 170,000 apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPhone

Sprint has released an ad that features the iPhone with its Overdrive 3G/4G Hotspot mobile router. The Overdrive allows you to use Sprint's 4G network with any WiFi capable device.

The ad features "Matt" and the appropriately-named iPhone-owner "Steve."

"My friend Steve's iPhone is cool, but it's limited to AT&T's 3G speeds," Matt says. "So I'm going to use the Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot to make it up to ten times faster. And while that's happening, I'm going to enjoy this tasty snack," at which point Matt pulls out an apple and takes a bite. Steve connects to the Sprint 4G WiFi network on his iPhone and quickly begins streaming a music video which leads him to exclaim, "Whoa. Done." The ad ends with Matt asking, "What can you do with 4G?" before the narrator chimes in, "Whatever you do, do it up to ten times faster than 3G with 4G from Sprint."

Sprint was one of the first to attack the iPhone but now, like most wireless providers, wants to be an official iPhone carrier. Last September Charlie Rose asked Sprint CEO Dan Hesse how the Pre was stacking up against the iPhone, to which he replied, "It's... it's doing well, but you can almost put the iPhone, to be fair, in a separate category. The Apple brand and that device have done so well, it's almost not... it's like comparing someone to Michael Jordan."

Well, if you can't beat the star, why not make some sweet accessories to go along with those Air Jordans?

TUAWSprint features iPhone in 4G ad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPad

MacRumors reports that Apple has begun offering iPad 10-packs to educational institutions at discounted rates. The discounts are relatively minor: $20 off of each iPad in a set of 10, or $40 off per iPad if they are ordered with AppleCare. The iPad 10-packs are shipped in a single box, which eliminates individual packaging. In addition to the ten iPads, the packs contain ten power adapters, ten USB-to-Dock cables, and one set of documentation. Currently, only the WiFi models are available in the educational 10-packs. Like the iPhone, there are no iPad educational discounts currently available to students or teachers.

Many believe that the iPad can revolutionize the tools for education. This educational 10-pack could be an early sign that Apple will aggressively pursue the iPad as an educational tool.

The iPad 10-packs begin shipping in April.

TUAWEducational institutions: Get your discounted iPad 10-pack originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Registrants will need a passport or business documents to register domains

In a bid to cut down on fraud and inappropriate content, the organization responsible for administering Russia's .ru top-level domain names is tightening its procedures.

Filed under: OS

Charles Miller, a computer security researcher who's worked with the NSA, is planning to reveal 20 zero-day security holes in Mac OS X at CanSecWest, a digital security conference, in Vancouver BC next week. A zero-day security hole is a weakness in software that neither the makers of the software nor other individuals have any knowledge of. Hackers then take advantage of the exploit on the day it becomes general knowledge. Miller revealing that Mac OS X has twenty of them makes Apple look like they didn't do the job right the first time and also suggests Apple needs glasses to see what they've missed - and he's not wrong.

"Mac OS X is like living in a farmhouse in the country with no locks, and Windows is living in a house with bars on the windows in the bad part of town," Miller said, suggesting that while both OSes have their security flaws, the Mac OS is safer because of the lack of people threatening to exploit it.

But software is software, and no matter how much more secure Mac OS X is than Windows, it's still bound to have some security issues. I'm all for Charles Miller digging around the OS to find flaws, but come on, if you find them, why announce them to the world and open up a potential new round of attacks? Wouldn't it be better to report them to Apple instead of to the host of hackers that pay attention to CanSecWest? There's no question about it, Apple should have caught these holes in the first place and Miller is right in calling them out on it. But while I understand that public outings go a long way to ensuring that people or companies don't make the same mistakes again, you can call Apple out without showing people - especially the wrong people - the specific cracks in the system.

TUAW20 zero-day security holes in Mac OS X to be revealed originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Gaming

Do you need a weapon that's not as clumsy or random as a blaster, or perhaps, an elegant weapon from a more civilized age? Soon, there will be an app for that. THQ Wireless, the maker of several Star Wars-themed iPhone apps including The Force Unleashed and Star Wars: Trench Run, will release a new app called Lightsaber Duel early in April. Overall, the app sounds similar to another app called Lightsaber Unleashed, which allows you to swing your iPhone around and make "vvvmmm, vvvmmm, tssshh!" noises come out of the speaker.

Lightsaber Duel will expand on that idea. Rather than merely going all Star Wars Kid with your iPhone, you'll actually be able to engage in duels with your fellow wannabe Jedi or Sith via a Bluetooth connection with their iPhone. You'll also be able to play music during the duel. However, we're not yet sure if that means only music bundled with the app, or if you'll be able to play your iTunes music. "Duel of the Fates" and "Battle of the Heroes" are fine lightsaber battle tunes, but the übernerd in me wants to be able to mix it up and throw in a little "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy VII or "Burly Brawl" from Matrix: Reloaded.

THQ hasn't released pricing info yet, but assuming it isn't heinously expensive, this is an app that's likely to hit the top of the App Store charts within hours of its release.

[Via Mashable]

TUAWComing soon: Lightsaber duels on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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