Hands-On with the Altec Lansing iMT800 Mix Speaker Dock for iPod/iPhone

by Aric Annear on August 27, 2009

Altec Lansing has been making iPod docks for a while, but the new iMT800 Mix should grab your attention for two keys reasons:

It docks, charges, and controls the iPhone--even the latest iPhone 3G S--without the need for Airplane mode.

It's loud.

The first point alone makes the Mix stand out. iPhone users have been left out in the cold for a while when it comes to iPod docks; with hundreds of choices available on the market for regular iPods, only a few have been able to work with the iPhone and then usually only in Airplane mode. The Mix, however, welcomed my 32 GB iPhone 3G S with open arms. It controlled perfectly, with none of the chirping or buzzing that may sound familiar to you if you've left a cell phone near a pair of speakers for any length of time. Finally I can stream Pandora or imeem Mobile while charging my iPhone in an iPod dock, and let me tell you, it's sweet.

Second, this thing is built for volume. Barring notable exceptions like the B&W Zeppelin, many iPod docks tend towards the small side, geared toward a desktop or cubicle. The Mix is a full-fledged boombox, with two 5.25" woofers, two 3" mid-range drivers, and two 1" horn tweeters. During my first dry run, with both the Mix and the docked iPhone at 50% volume, it more than filled the medium-sized room we were testing in. The mids and tweeters are forward-firing while the side-firing woofers angle slightly to the rear, so sound dispersion is huge.

The Mix features three ways to listen to music: an FM radio, the iPod dock (of course), and there are two auxillary slots on top of the unit through which you can attach anything with a 3.5mm jack. Two male-to-male 3.5mm cables are even included in the box. Also included are a large number of interchangeable trays to fit whichever version of iPod or iPhone you're docking. So if you bring the Mix to a party, say, you can switch back and forth between the radio and three of your friends' MP3 players for a huge selection of music.

Switch between FM radio and multiple attached MP3 players with ease

There are several options for controlling a docked iPod/iPhone. You can, of course, simply use the controls on the docked iPod itself, or you can use the control buttons on the top front of the unit, or you can use the included IR remote. The slim remote sits in its own slot in the top rear of the Mix when not in use, and features a caribiner-style clip to keep on a belt loop or bag. The remote will control the radio and a docked iPod/iPhone, but can't control an auxillary-attached MP3 player (although it can switch to and from it as a source). There's an LCD screen on the front above the dock for album and artist information, system status, and for the 7-band graphical equalizer. You can even customize the power-on message with custom text--not a crucial feature, but a nice touch nonetheless.

The IR remote slides into its own housing when not in use

Another nice touch is the bracer around the iPod dock. The Mix is clearly intended to be moved around, thanks to the grab handles on each side of the unit, and the recessed position of the dock plus the bar means you can be reasonably assured that it'll stay secure while moving around a party or heading to the beach. Speaking of moving around, it's worth mentioning here that for a boombox with a class D amplifier in it, the Mix is pretty light for its size--I had no problem carting it around with one hand, though to be fair I didn't have the 8 D batteries in it required to run it without AC power either.

The bracer bar along with included matching dock trays keeps attached iPods/iPhones secure

The one thing I'll say about the grab handles: don't be too casual with them. Even though grabbing one of the side handles means carrying the Mix vertically, it's not designed to stand on its side. The woofer grilles protrude a little from the sides, and there are a lot of sharp angles, so either use the handle on top or be sure to take care when setting the Mix down. The Mix is not fragile, but it's not ruggedized either. (Maybe they should rubberize the Mix's corners on the next iteration?)

So how does it actually sound? Pretty darn good. In particular, the horn-loaded tweeters and mid-range drivers deliver incredibly crisp highs and mids that don't get harsh or sibilant at loud volumes. Bass is huge, especially if you have a wall or similar to reflect sound from the side-firing speakers off of, and will be more than enough to please an entire roomful of partygoers. I did notice that bass does start to muddy a bit at volumes above 65% or so; room acoustics will matter a lot here. At volumes 50% or below (which is more than loud enough for a room with a few people in it) the sound is rich and full. Even streaming Pandora on my iPhone, which uses compressed audio when streaming on AT&T's 3G network, sounded warm and clear and was very forgiving of compression artifacts.

In addition to the obvious party applications, the Mix makes perfect sense for a dorm room, kitchen, small office, poolside, garage, or anywhere else people might be congregating with their own MP3 players in hand.

The Altec Lansing iMT800 Mix has an MSRP of $299 and is available for pre-order now.

--Aric A.

Bites from the Apple: Number 9 Nexus

by Agen Schmitz on August 21, 2009

It's looking likely that the big Apple iPod/iTunes-related event is to happen on September 9, which is in line with previous years' rollouts of new iPods. But September 9 is an interesting choice for an Apple event this year as it also coincides with a product rollout that could easily eclipse anything even remotely insanely great that Apple could pull out of the hat. September 9 is the day that The Beatles release its Rock Band video game as well as remastered CDs of its catalog (check out the Amazon Beatles store for all the goodies; also, if you've not been hit with the hype yet, check out this story from last weekend's NYTimes Magazine about how the Beatles are entering the 21st century via a video game).

And thus begins the resurgence of hopeful rumors that the Apple event will also tie in with the Beatles event and finally bring digital distribution of the band's catalog to the iTunes store. This Beatles-to-iTunes rumors has been one of the longest running bits of wishful thinking in the Apple wing of the gadgetosphere--I can even date it back to an early post I did for this blog (when it was named Current and before I formalized the weekly news roundup into Bites) back on November 27, 2006. (Additionally, that post also includes the other white whale of Apple watchers--the Mac tablet PC.)

Some of the more sure-footed rumors surrounding the Apple event include new iPod touch and iPod nano models with cameras, a new version of iTunes that looks to include integration with Facebook, and the new code-named Cocktail digital album format that will include lyrics, videos and more. Another item that's almost a sure thing is non-appearance of the iTablet/iTouch tablet-ized Mac, as it's expected to be announced/released in 2010.

• Speaking of the iPod, Joachim Bean at TUAW found that Apple's online store was selling the first-generation, click-wheel, 5 GB iPod from 2001 (I still have mine in mothballs somewhere). Bean ordered the model, but was disappointed to learn that Apple wasn't going to fulfill that order (not unexpected, as this was probably just an online glitch). Instead, it was sending him a 2nd generation 10 GB model (wholly unexpected--who knew that Apple still had these around???).

• And should The Beatles finally get released in iTunes (or once you digitize the new remastered CDs for your iPod/iPhone), you can recapture some of the glory of ye olde LP with the Vinyl DJ iPhone app (link opens iTunes), which can add crackle, scratch and hum noises to your tunes.

• Pocket-lint pulls together over 50 concept designs for the long-gestating iTablet that have been done over the years. Add a new one to the list (currently my favorite mock-up) from Mario Amaya based on the musings of Rainer Brockerhoff.

  

• Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster believes that Apple will release a new Apple TV in the next several months with TV-input and DVR capabilities and an actual Apple HDTV within the next two years (via The Apple Blog). And CNet's Crave blog salivates over the potential for using one of Apple's currently shipping products in conjunction with such an iHDTV:

  Even with a built-in Apple TV box and a big, shiny Apple logo, the iHDTV would barely rate a "ho-hum" from jaded tech reviewers like myself. Nope, the real coolness and opportunity for innovation would be the seamless integration of a high-powered, Web-enabled touch-screen remote control--especially one 48 million people already own. Like, say, an iPhone.

• If you're ready to break your Apple TV out of its monogamous relationship with iTunes, The Apple Blog posts a rather simple procedure for XBMC (aka, XBox Media Center) and Boxee to reach maximum streaming video potential.

  

• TomTom's GPS navigation iPhone app was officially released this week (via Consumer Reports), with versions for the U.S. and Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

• Some other iPhone apps on the horizon via The Apple Core--Facebook 3.0 with a new interface (but no push notifications till v3.1) and an official Wikipedia app (though the free Wiki Tap does just fine for me).

• Back on August 15, 1998, the original iMac with the rounded translucent case (and a 4 GB hard drive) started shipping (via Apple Matters)

• And finally... a DIY project for this weekend via Lifehacker--making a dock for my iPhone 3GS from its box contents (rather than spending $49 for Apple's universal dock)

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Plantronics Introduces New 975 Bluetooth Headset

by Agen Schmitz on August 21, 2009

A couple months back, I lamented the fact that I'd accidentally run my Plantronics 925 Bluetooth headset through the washing machine and was looking for recommendations for a new headset. Well, I never found another headset that felt as good in my ear with its gel earpieces or worked as well as the 925 (see my mini review), so I hopped back on the train and got another model. However, if I could have waited just a bit longer, I could have updated to the 925's sequel--the just announced Plantronics Discovery 975.

The 975 retains the jewelry-like emphasis on design from the 925, and the microphone boom has become even sleeker, going to a one-piece boom from the open V-shape of its predecessor. It also replaces the 925's LED earpiece (which lit up to show connectivity) with a leather-like covering. And it retains a distinctively Plantronics look and feel thanks to what Darrin Caddes, vice president of design for Plantronics, in an interview with Fast Company calls "the 'power funnel'--the pinched transition from the headset's body to the slender boom. Every Plantronics headset has that element in some way or another. It was inspired by the shape of a tuning fork, where the tines curve into the handle."

Aside from the design, the 975 has also been blessed with the latest versions of Plantronics technologies, including the AudioIQ 2 dual-microphone noise cancellation and WindSmart wind-noise reduction. Additionally, the charging case (with integrated rechargeable battery) has been updated to include a small LCD screen that shows the remaining battery life of both the case and the headset. And by storing the headset in the case, Plantronics claims that you'll receive up to triple the talk time (up to 15 hours) of the headset.

I've found with the 925 that the case really is an integral part of the headset's package, and not only for its battery life-lengthening properties. I find that the 925 is so lightweight and thin that it would fly out of my pocket without my noticing. Thusly, I always pop the 925 into what my wife calls my "lipstick case" (an assessment that CNet's Crave agrees with) when I'm done with it, and then put the whole thing into my pocket. I can only imagine that I'd have the same issue with the 975 (with both headsets having the same 8-gram weight).

The Plantronics Discovery 975 is available for pre-order now.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Bites from the Apple: Snow Leopard in the Wild

by Agen Schmitz on August 28, 2009

While perhaps not as momentous an occasion to require The The as background music ("this is the day, your life will surely change..."), Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard is officially released today. As most reviewers have pointed out, Snow Leopard is more about streamlining and quickening the operating system as well as focusing on improvements to existing features rather than throwing gobs of new code at the wall and hoping something interesting sticks.

My colleague Jeff Carlson reviewed Snow Leopard in the Seattle Times and says that the speed increase is palpable in newer machines, and he also feels that it's helped give an uptick in speed to his 2006 model MacBook Pro, thereby extending its useful life. It's also sleeker, as David Pogue in the NYTimes notes that the Snow Leopard installation frees up about 7 GB of space (nothing to sneeze at--that's about half a season of LOST episodes in HD). Brian Lam at Gizmodo sums up OS streamlinging thusly: "The little UI tweaks are no different than when a great sculptor's chisel works to remove everything non-essential during the final steps on a statue."

For the most part, most reviewers are giving Snow Leopard positive marks, but some such as Brian Chen at Wired reminds everyone that it's not a radical upgrade, but it is affordable at $30. And Walt Mossberg offers his own reservations at All Things D:

Overall, I believe Snow Leopard will help keep the Mac an appealing choice for computer buyers, and I can recommend it to existing Mac owners seeking more speed and disk space, or wanting to more easily use Exchange. But I don't consider Snow Leopard a must-have upgrade for average consumers. It's more of a nice-to-have upgrade. If you're happy with Leopard, there's no reason to rush out and get Snow Leopard.

If you're wondering what all the hubbub is all about, check out Pocket-lint's overview of what Snow Leopard can--and can't--do for you (the latter being particular to those still using PowerPC hardware). For myself, I'll be upgrading my recently purchased 2009 MacBook Pro via Apple's Up-to-Date upgrade program, but I'll probably wait a bit to upgrade my 2006 Mac mini just to see how Leopard and Snow Leopard interact with each other. What are your thoughts--will you be upgrading this weekend, or waiting a bit until the 10.6.1 update comes out? Let us know in the comments. Now onto more Snow Leopard coverage as well as bits and bytes of other Apple-y goodness from the week that was...

• If you are thinking about upgrading to Snow Leopard this weekend, hit the pause button for a moment and head over to Take Control books and purchase Joe Kissell's Take Control of Upgrading to Snow Leopard ebook. I've used his previous editions as a roadmap when previously upgrading to Tiger and Leopard, and they've been enormously helpful. And with a new installation process used for Snow Leopard (giving you a choice of automatic upgrade or erase & install), this ebook is well worth the 10 clams. While you're at the Take Control site, you should also consider Matt Neuburg's Take Control of Exploring & Customizing Snow Leopard (which can be purchased in a bundle with the Upgrade tome for $20).

• If you don't buy Joe's ebook, at least take his (and John Gruber's) advice to create a cloned/bootable backup of your current system to an external hard drive before upgrading.

• Additionally, for some free advice on upgrading to Snow Leopard, check out Leander Kahney's brief step-by-step posted over at Cult of Mac (which also goes bootable drive backup route) and Gina Trapani's post at Lifehacker (which goes with Time Machine backups for restoring data).

• Another item that could give you pause before upgrading is compatibility with your existing applications. The Apple Blog points to an Apple support page that lists some of the biggest titles that are incompatible with Snow Leopard, including older versions of Parallels as well as some Apple software (Keynote 2.0.2 and earlier and Aperture 2.1.1 and earlier). Also, Cult of Mac reports that Adobe's Creative Suite 3 (CS3) might have some problems with Macs running Snow Leopard based on user forum discussions and conversation with users running the 10.6 Snow Leopard beta (though Adobe says that they should play fine).

• My colleague Glenn Fleishman writes in TidBITS about the improvements to Snow Leopard's handling of the Airport menu, which now includes the ability to see how fast your network is transmitting data (which, he notes, can be useful in finding the right placement for your wireless router).

• More hidden features ("refinements") found in Snow Leopard from the TidBITS staff.

• Apple Matters takes a look at the big cat nomenclature that Apple uses for its operating systems.

• The iPhone isn't the only Apple product to produce lines on its first day of release--Pocket-lint reports (with photo evidence) of a queue formed in front of the Apple Store on Regent Street in London.

• Rumor Revue: The long-rumored/speculated-upon Apple tablet PC may be coming out in more than just a 10-inch model. Gizmodo reports that a source (who, they write, "has always been 100% reliable") says that the iTablet/iTouch will also come out in 13- and 15-inch flavors, with one of them (my guess, the larger) running the full Mac OS X. Ars Technica reports that the classic white plastic MacBook may be getting a design overhaul which would shave off both some millimeters from the enclosure as well as dollars from its list price.

  TUAW reports that the iPod classic could also get a new camera in addition to the previously rumored iPod nano and iPod touch when Apple rolls out its new lineup on September 9 (though that date hasn't been confirmed yet. And speaking of September 9 (aka, Beatles release day), Jason O'Grady at The Apple Core keeps stoking the Beatles/Apple fire with hopes for a limited edition Yellow Submarine-themed iPod touch.

• The Facebook iPhone app (sad to say, it's the app I use the most) got a facelift this week to version 3.0, which overhauls the design with a news feed display that better mirrors the web browser design, ability to "like" items, and choose album destinations for photo uploads.

• Yelp iPhone app got updated to version 3.0 this week and it includes the new augmented reality feature, which activates the camera (3GS only) to view what's before you, while also overlaying nearby places of interest. However, it's an easter egg (i.e., hidden feature) that requires you to shake your iPhone (some sites report one good shake does it, while others report that three is the magic number) to bring up the secret Monocle button to activate the AR feature.

  After downloading the app update last night, I was shaking my iPhone like a crazed 21st century Nikita Khrushchev to get the new feature to work. At which point, my wife asked, "Is this something that's supposed to be making your life better?" Well, that's still to be determined, as the AR feature is really quite shaky, but it could prove useful due to it being tied into the iPhone 3GS's compass for finding places in crowded, confusing areas.

• Another official Apple announcement--the iPhone is coming to China via the Unicom carrier, starting sometime in the fourth quarter of this year. However, the iPhone that's to be sold in China will have its Wi-Fi crippled to comply with Chinese government standards.

• Macworld has a review of the X2 Soccer 2009 iPhone app, giving it 4-1/2 mice. I downloaded the free lite version of the app (which just offers a training mode), and I think it's going to be my preferred soccer game over my previously purchased Real Soccer 2009 from Gameloft as the controls feel much more intuitive.

• And finally... you can now get the iPhone (or the Palm Pre) in the form of soap from Two Eggplants (via CNet's Technically Incorrect blog).

  

Palm Pre lands at Amazon

by EndUser at 3:26 PM PDT, August 1, 2009

For those who aren't Apple fans (or who haven't been assimilated into its Borg-ian society for fanboys/fangirls), the biggest smartphone launch of the summer came in early June with the release of the Palm Pre, which includes both a touchscreen and slide-downb QWERTY keyboard and features the next generation of Palm operating system--the webOS. And starting today, you can order the Palm Pre from Amazon.

Up until two years ago, I was a pretty hardcore Palm user for many years (as well as co-author with my colleague Jeff Carlson on the final edition of the Palm Visual Quickstart Guide), but then my head was turned to the iPhone and there just really isn't any going back for me. That said, the Pre is heads and shoulders above the rest of the I'm-a-touchscreen-too smartphone pack thanks to its gorgeous, multi-tasking webOS user interface. Here's a quick look at the UI highlights, courtesy of PhoneScoop:

Here's CNet's description of the "deck of cards" approach to the WebOS UI:

(T)he Pre's "Deck of Cards" multitasking functionality and notification system are what make it special and they are areas where the Pre beats the iPhone or any smartphone on the market right now. In addition, personal-information management is completely changed (in a good way) with the Synergy feature.
[...]
If you're wondering why the feature is called Deck of Cards, it's because each application is presented in a card window and you can then shuffle through the open cards. You can drag and drop cards (or rearrange the order of apps in the Launcher) by pressing and holding the item until you see a halo around the card and then you're free to move it, but it's not like with the T-Mobile G1, where you can drag and drop icons onto the main home screen. When you're done, you can flick the card upward and that will close out the program.

Speaking of Synergy--the piece of the webOS that brings together your various and sundry email addresses, contact lists and messaging venues--here's Gizmodo's take from its review:

Syncing to Facebook and Google Contacts via Synergy works flawlessly, and merges contacts from both services together so you don't have duplicates of contacts floating around. A manual merge or a manual split can solve any quirks from this function quite easily. Synergy also combines your SMS and IM conversations into one window, so you can seamlessly text someone and then switch over to IM when he reaches his desk. Synergy's basically just an easy way to make sure services like Google have your data (Contacts and Calendar) pulled down into your phone automatically.

For even more comprehensive reviews of the Pre, check out Pre Central, The Boy Genius Report, and Engadget.

Now, if you're and old-school Palm user like myself, you've probably still got loads of old applications that you just can't give up (such as Splash ID or Dope Wars), Motion Apps offers its Classic software that emulates the old Palm OS and can run those older programs.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

End User Email Digest Sweepstakes: Enter for a Chance to Win a Philips Streamium Network Music Player

by EndUser at 7:48 PM PDT, August 1, 2009

We're pleased to announce another round of our End User Email Digest Sweepstakes. We recently launched an email digest that will let you receive End User posts in your inbox--and now, if you sign up to receive our posts via email during the month of August, you can enter for a chance to win a Philips Streamium NP2900 Network Music Player.

With the Streamium NP2900, you can have immediate wireless access to your PC music library, internet radio and Rhapsody online music service. The Streamium network music player is easy to set up--just plug it into a power source and after a simple set up, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g technology will take it online instantly. Once the Streamium network music player is connected to your home network, you can enjoy wireless music streaming.

If you want to enter for your chance to win, follow this link or the button at the top right of the page on End User to fill out an entry form and read the contest rules. Already signed up for our email digest? No problem. You can still fill out an entry form--just make sure you use the same email address you used when you originally subscribed. No purchase necessary. Enter by 12pm PST on 8/25/2009. See official rules for details.

--Aric A.

Bites from the Apple: Invisible iTouch, Becoming More Visible

by EndUser at 2:33 PM PDT, July 24, 2009

Last week we noted the resurfacing of the long-gestating rumor of the Apple tablet-ized touchscreen-enabled Mac (dubbed by many as the iTablet or iTouch) via a news report from The China Times that said the device could be announced in the fall of this year. Well, the march from rumor to reality is advanced again this week as AppleInsider posted an exclusive story that seems to definitively place the iTablet--or, as AppleInsider refers to it, the "reincarnation of its beloved-but-defunct Newton MessagePad"--in Apple's product release roadmap for 2010:

(T)he past six months have reportedly seen the critical pieces fall into place. Jobs, who's been overseeing the project from his home, office and hospital beds, has finally achieved that much-sought aura of satisfaction. He's since cemented the device in the company's 2010 roadmap, where it's being positioned for a first quarter launch, according to people well-respected by AppleInsider for their striking accuracy in Apple's internal affairs.

That means that the device, which is expected to retail for somewhere between the cost of a high-end iPhone and Apple's most affordable Mac notebook, is bound to turn up any time between January and March...

Naturally, this pronouncement has produced many a ripple through the gadgetosphere, including Gizmodo believing that the new iTablet will take over the MacBook moniker (as the 13-inch unibody MacBook just recently went Pro), the Mac Observer pondering whether the iTablet is really Apple's next stab at the Apple TV, and Jason Schwarz Seeking Alpha going so far as to declare the "iTouch Tablet is about to change society as we know it" based on its ability to take full advantage of affordable, download-on-the-fly mobile apps among others.

I don't know about wholesale societal change, but I can certainly see that light, nimble, wirelessly connected (Wi-Fi and cellularly) touchscreen PCs are the next step in personal computing. All I have to do is look at my own toddler and some of his compatriots who constantly clamor for the iPhones that their parents sport. At just 2-1/2, they've already mastered the basics of the touch user interface, and they get frustrated when other devices with LCD screens don't offer the same easy touch controls. Apple has a long view of where computing is going and it looks like they're ready to make a bold technological statement. The question remains, though, whether the public is truly ready for this device and willing to fork over the dough so that the iTablet doesn't suffer the same fate as the Newton. But for now, onto the Apple-y goodness from the week that was...

• In other rumor mongering, it's looking more and more likely that the new iPods that get announced at Apple's traditional September iPod redux rollout will be getting cameras based on leaks of cases for the new iPod nano and iPod touch. Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be any camera-enhanced iPod classic coming down the pike, and CNet's Fully Equipped blog surmises that the iPod classic is being put out to pasture.

• Apple reported strong financials for its third quarter (which ended June 27), with an acceleration of MacBook sales, a 134 percent year-over-year increase in iPod touch sales, and a profit of $1.23 billion. The new MacBook lineup--with lower priced entry-level model and improved battery life in the Pros--seems to be quite popular, as HardMac reports that MacBook sales in June were up 25% in year-over-year comparisons.

• Navigon announced the availability of its turn-by-turn navigation iPhone app for North America (as well as for Europe) this week, and iLounge has a detailed review of it (giving it a disappointing C grade). Other recently released GPS navigation apps include the one-time-fee-based XRoad G-Map apps (introduced at Consumer Reports) and AT&T's subscription-based AT&T Navigator app (video review at Insanely Great Mac). And the 9to5Mac blog reminds us that TomTom's iPhone software should be released by the end of summer.

• Sascha Segan wonders whatever happened to the Apple TV over at PCMag.com. As an owner/user of an Apple TV, I wonder, too.

• Remember Apple's first iTunes-enabled mobile phone? It wasn't the iPhone, but the Motorola ROKR, which debuted five years ago this weekend (via 9to5Mac).

• Professional videographers can rejoice now that Final Cut 7 got released this week--now with the ability (for the first time) to burn a Blu-ray disc.

• And Palm Pre owners can rejoice as Palm has re-enabled iTunes compatibility with the release of the WebOS software update 1.1... at least until Apple issues a new updated to iTunes that kills it.

• A couple of Apple-related items of note from Etsy, an online storefront for hand-crafted goods: a wall clock made from the side panel of a Power Mac G3 (via Macworld) and a felt iPhone case (via Cult of Mac) in the guise of a happy Mac Classic computer.

• I've recently ditched my old Timex clock radio and replaced it with the Touch Flip Clock app running on my iPhone (which is plugged into an Apple dock). Thanks to my early rising toddler, I don't need an alarm clock, but if I did I'd check out some of the more robust alarm clock apps (as Touch Flip Clock is a bit limited) enumerated over at Wired's Gadget Lab.

• Nicole Martinelli at Cult of Mac suggests five Apple Store locations diehard Apple fans should visit before they die. I'm looking forward to the possibility of visiting the two currently under-construction Paris locations (via HardMac)--including one at Le Louvre--next spring as my wife and I gear up for a long-overdue trip back to the City of Lights.

• I'm a bit of a public radio junkie, and so I was thrilled to see that the Public Radio Player app got updated to 2.0 with the ability to listen to on-demand shows as well as live streams of public radio stations from across the country (NPR as well as smaller local public stations, such as the excellent KBCS from Bellevue Community College here in Washington). Many of the NPR on-demand shows are already available as podcasts, but the Public Radio Player provides instant gratification via streaming (instead of having to wait to download podcasts and then subsequently sync your iPhone or iPod touch).

• And finally... The Daily Show covers the battle of two iPhone fart applications (with potential civil rights implications???):

  The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10ciFeudwww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorJoke of the Day

Bites from the Apple: Two Great Tastes that Taste Great Together

by EndUser at 4:34 PM PDT, July 19, 2009

Quarterly results for Apple are due to be released on Tuesday (July 21), and while they're expected to be good, they sadly won't take into account my personal Apple stimulus program that I initiated last week with the purchase of two of the new crop of iPhones (one for me, one for my wife) and the top-of-the-line MacBook Pro (heck, even my mother-in-law chipped in with a new 13-inch MBP). And I'm loving the new features that both of them brought. While i's great to have video recording and the cut-and-past feature rocks, the best thing about the iPhone 3GS truly is its faster processor. I've been using OmniFocus (link opens in iTunes) as my task management application since last summer, but it opened and synced so slowly on my EDGEy/OG iPhone that I had pretty much given upon using the iPhone app and just used the desktop software. But with the combined speed increase in both processor (which makes opening the app nearly instantaneous, where before it took several seconds) and cellular connectivity, I'm finding myself returning OmniFocus on the iPhone and feeling better about spending the dough for both desktop and iPhone apps (which totaled about $100).

I'm loving how solid the unibody MacBook Pro feels, and both how silent it runs and how quickly it responds from sleep. My first impression of the glossy screen was a big wow--the colors and brightness were so much better than my 2007 model MacBook Pro. However, I'm starting to understand some of the complaints about the glossiness of it--with the main problem being reflection. My wife and I watched a movie on the MacBook Pro and I had trouble not concentrating on her mirrored image on the screen, plus my limited use of the MBP in directly sunny conditions have been challenging. AppleInsider reported this week that Apple has heard enough complaints that it's considering offering matte display options (currently now only found with its 17-inch model) to the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros.

• The image above comes from Balmuda Design, which offers the NumberKey iPhone app that turns your iPhone/iPod touch into a 10-key pad (connecting to your Mac or Windows PC using Wi-Fi).

• The big rumor of the week is yet another re-hash of the long-gestating iTablet rumor... but this time it's being reported by a reportedly reputable journalistic source--the China Times (translation link via The Apple Core). According to the report (via Gizmodo and Ars Technica among others), Apple will release its take on the netbook in October for $800.

• My colleague Jeff Carlson writes in the Seattle Times about his experiences using DropBox to network remote computers and synchronize files between several different Macs, and then using Growl to receive notifications that files have been synced. And Macworld's iPhone Central reports that an iPhone version of DropBox is being readied for release, which will enable you to sync files between your iPhone and Mac.

• 9to5Mac reports that the Fring iPhone app has been updated with push notifications for both incoming VoIP calls and instant messages (IMs)--which can transform an iPod touch into a much more workable phone alternative. Before this update, The Apple Blog also did a survey of 10 other IM apps with a handy comparison chart, and crowning the free, multi-network-receiving IM+ Lite as the champ. The IM+ with Push app adds, as the name suggests, push notification and is currently on sale for $4.99 in the App Store.

• As Tom noted earlier this week, the latest version of iTunes has killed the Palm Pre's syncing capability with Apple's music management software. TUAW offers Pre owners some alternative ways to keep the music syncing--including The Missing Sync and Salling Media Sync.

• Arggggh... when will EA (Electronic Arts) release its FIFA series soccer game to the Mac? TUAW reports that FIFA 10 will be coming out in October on a slew of platforms save for OS X for the Mac and iPhone. Rather than focus on the big guns in its arsenal, it seems that EA is going small by creating a micro-studio devoted to low-cost iPhone gaming called 8lb Gorilla, and it's come out with its first release called Zombies and Me (link opens in iTunes)--which MobileCrunch finds underwhelming even for $0.99.

• Over at the iTunes Store, you can party like it's 1985 with its hot new sales concept--digital 45s (as noted in Macworld). Now as an oldster who still owns all of his 7-inch singles (including my highly prized Japanese/Spanish version of The Police's"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"), I kinda like this concept. In the old days, many bands would often pair a hit song with an unreleased B-side, and the iTunes Store pulls together some interesting chestnuts by Prince, Van Halen and Michael Jackson from the mid-1980s. It'll be interesting to see if this concept has legs with contemporary artists.

• And finally... speaking of the decade when video began to slowly but surely kill the radio star, Gizmodo has posted a re-imagining of what today's Apple web site would look like with products from 1983:

  

  And from the Apple Matters history section, a reminder of the birth of Aldus Pagemaker (which has since morphed into Adobe's InDesign) back on July 15, 1985.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

LG's GD910 Watch Phone Moves Ahead After FCC Approval

by EndUser at 4:20 PM PDT, July 20, 2009

It could end up being the reason that people like myself who have not worn a watch since mickey Mouse was in fashion might strap the habit on again, or it could just be another fad gadget, but LG's GD910 watch phone has gotten FCC approval. A prototype was widely seen at CES 2009, and I believe that the device was referenced at earlier trade shows. The GD910 is a Dick Tracy like phone/media device built into a standard digital wrist watch design. Official specs are yet to be seen, but what has been released is as follows:

• Tempered glass, and high-quality metal casing construction
• 1.43" diagonal face measurement, by about .5" thickness
• LG's flash interface featuring touch-screen input
• Voice recognition, and text to speech so it can "read out" text messages
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Three side-mounted buttons
• A speakerphone
• A full-blown MP3 music player
• Water resistant design
• 7.2 Mbps 3G HSDPA compatibility, enabling high-speed data transmission and video calls using the built-in camera

It's guessed in various places that the phone will be compatible with local GSM networks, and perhaps be aligned with AT&T in the US market (only a guess) based on the HSDPA 3G technology utilized. Again specifics are a good ways off, so these last points are speculation. Yet, assuming that the phone actually releases, regardless of who the carrier is, the GD910 will definitely kick geek chic up a notch or two. In case you missed all the hoopla at CES 2009, check out the quick CNET video below for details on the GD910.

--Tom Milnes

The Demy Recipe Reader-- Recipe Collecting, Storing, and Sharing

by Amazon al Dente at 10:44 AM PDT, June 16, 2009

I have an embarrassing pile in my kitchen. It's unsightly and disorganized. It reminds me that I can't fully call myself a member of the digital age. So let me just own up to the fact that I have been printing out recipes from online websites and storing them in a ziploc bag for years. Some of the pages are yellowing and brittle, not to mention stained from use while cooking. When company comes over, I shove them in a cupboard. As I said, it's an embarrassing pile.

I know that various forms of recipe organizing software exist and I'm sure many of them are very good. As an average home cook, however, I have never found the "store all recipes on your laptop or desktop" solution very satisfying. I don't want to muck up my laptop keyboard or screen with flour or grease spatter.

Along comes Apple's revolutionary use of the Multi-Touch display, that layers a protective shield over a capacitive panel that senses your touch using electrical fields. This is a genius product for cooks who use the internet or want access to the recipes on their hard drives without gooing up the mechanisms or their laptops. But what if you don't want to accidentally drop your iPhone in the boiling water while trying to read a recipe direction?

The Demy Kitchen Safe Touchscreen Recipe Reader by manufacturer Key Ingredients uses a similar glass screen technology, but has a size, weight, and function that is more conducive to kitchen use. This recipe reader brings us one step closer to having a kitchen friendly digital cookbook. The folks at Key Ingredient sent me a sample to review for this blog.

It's a pretty simple idea. The recipe reader comes loaded with a solid batch of recipes, but stores up to 2500 recipes of your choosing. All you have to do is load your recipes to their online recipe site www.keyingredients.com and sync your Demy to your account via a provided USB cable.

After setting up a quick account at www.keyingredients.com, I was able to quickly copy over a few recipes from a few other online sites, using their bookmarklet. I even hand typed a few recipes without trouble. Key Ingredients also offers a service called scanmyrecipes.com that allows you to send them a hard copy of your recipes. They will scan them, transcribe them, and add them to your account for $0.49 per recipe.

Key Ingredients is a pretty slick recipe website with a couple of features to highlight. You can sort collected recipes into online cookbooks of your making. This is quite useful and a feature I haven't seen on other sites. Additionally, they offer a cookbook publishing service that allows you to have your online cookbooks printed and sent to you in book form. You can view an online tour of the printing process and more at their site.

After downloading the necessary Key Ingredients software to my hard drive, I hooked up my Demy. The recipes loaded to the recipe reader in about 5 minutes. I did have bit of trouble getting the Key Ingredients software to recognize that my Demy was actually plugged in at first. This has only happened once and I was able to trouble shoot it without customer service attention so I'm choosing to believe this was user error.

Once my Demy was loaded with a batch of recipes, I put it to use in my actual kitchen. Recipes in my library using the alphabetical index which you can scroll through or jump to any letter in your collection. You can also easily access any cookbooks you've created on keyingredients.com The reader can be viewed from 2 angles for easier reading. The screen flips automatically. I find the size of the reader to be just right for my counter space and it's portable enough to move throughout your kitchen. It also truly is splash resistant and can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. Just don't immerse it in water.

You can view recipes using an alphabetical index or view them within your cookbooks. You can create a short list that allows you to access a set of recipes for a special meal. This would be particularly useful during the holidays when you may need to multi-task with a variety of recipes. To help you keep track of multiple cook times, the Demy includes three timers. I think three timers is plenty, since I my kitchen can't really handle more than five separate tasks at a time. The only thing I would suggest they add in the next version is a way to flag each timer for separate dishes using either a different sound or text entry. Finally, there is a quick conversion calculator and a snazzy ingredient substitute list that seems to include most things an average cook might need.

All of these features work quite well and the device seems pretty comprehensive. As an enthusiastic user of Apple's iPhone, I found a couple of features a little frustrating. First, the touch sensitive screen requires a little more patience than I expected. You really have to hold you finger pad over the menu button you choose in order to get where you want to go. However, touching the screen to scroll worked just as expected.

I also hope that they'll release the next version with WiFi. By now, most people get the sync to computer concept, but I think users have become more accustomed to having internet access with gadgets of all sorts. In this case, I think the addition of WiFi would only strengthen the products usefulness in the kitchen. Often, when I'm cooking and need additional ideas I like to browse through other recipes either online or in cookbooks. I think this would also boost their community and networking features on keyingredients.com. It would be great to post questions about techniques while you're cooking and get answers instantly.

The final feature I think Key Ingredients could upgrade is the battery. The version I have requires a little more maintenance than I hoped. You really have to charge the thing once a day if you've used it for an hour or so.

All that said, I think this is big step in the right direction for bringing digital cookbooks into the kitchen. And it's a great alternative to keeping your Kindle in a ziploc bag, or your tree-wasting print-outs for that matter.

Apple Puts the Kibosh on the Palm Pre’s iTunes Synch

by EndUser at 11:05 AM PDT, June 17, 2009

The Palm Pre has been riding fairly high on a wave of publicity since its launch just a few weeks ago, so much so that Apple seems to have decided that it might be prudent to take a little wind out of the smartphone's sails by announcing that, although the new device's claim to be able to seamlessly synch with Apple's iTunes store may be true at the moment, that may not be the case for very much longer. Sound a little draconian? Sure enough, but business is business and anyway, this move is built into Apple's existing company line, which says that,

"Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players."

So, be forewarned new and potential Palm Pre owners. Apple is a jealous guardian of its markets. If you were hoping to be able to download music and movies to your heart's content via iTunes, think again, or at least do it quickly. No doubt Palm will be ratcheting up its plans for its own apps store for the Pre, the App Catalog, but that's a good way off and there's pretty much no chance that it will feature anything to match the entertainment media of iTunes. So, although it is definitely premature to write off the Palm Pre, it is probably not too early to remove its equally premature mantle of iPhone killer.

Bites from the Apple, Part 1: iPhone 3GS (or 3G S) Aftermath

by EndUser at 11:14 AM PDT, June 12, 2009

There's really so much to cover in the aftermath of this week's WWDC announcements that I'm going to split this week's blog post into two parts so that the post doesn't feel too overwhelming. This first part will be devoted to the new iPhone, while the second part will cover developments in Snow Leopard, the new MacBook family, and other odds and ends.

Much to no one's surprise (save for maybe Apple commentator Rob Enderle and stock analyst Gene Munster), new iPhone hardware was announced at the WWDC keynote with few eye-openers after the many leaks of the last few weeks. The iPhone 3GS (or is it 3G S?) delivered the goods with a higher megapixel camera (featuring auto and selective focus, as seen at right), video recording capabilities, a digital compass (which can help re-orient maps according to your heading), and a one-two combo of faster processor and more RAM for a snappier feel. They also threw in a few extra goodies, including voice controls and a voice recorder. And with the new iPhone 3.0 software, it's also got copy and paste, MMS picture messaging, and tethering for acting as a modem for your laptop (more on those last two a little later). I'm sure that all Apple fanboys/fangirls are pleased as punch, even though it didn't include a matte black backing, right?

Wrong. But hey, it wouldn't be a major Apple release party without a kerfuffle, complete with online petitions and threats of class action lawsuits.

The focus of all the angst this time around is AT&T's upgrade policy for current owners of the iPhone 3G, who won't get the subsidized price for the iPhone 3G S (or is it 3GS?) that's being offered to new customers ($199 for the 16 GB, $299 for the 32 GB) right off the bat. Current customers can get an early upgrade price break only after they've owned their first handset for about 18 months. (As an EDGEy OG iPhone owner, I'm on my way to subsidized iPhone 3GS bliss.) Now there's something to be said for going the extra mile to make the rabid hordes of tweeting/blogging Apple fans happy, as that helps avoid the flurry of online fury. But there's also some understandable business math that AT&T has to do, which is summed up neatly by The Macalope in his weekly column:

Both sides are getting it wrong. And the reason they’re getting it wrong is they’re both calling it the wrong thing. In a standard telecommunications industry shell game, AT&T fronts part of the hardware cost to Apple to make the phone look cheaper to get you in the door

That isn't a "subsidy" by the traditional definition. It's a loan. AT&T is loaning you the money to buy an iPhone and you're signing a contract to pay it off over the next 18 months. If you decide you want out of your loan, you have to pay a buyout.

If you don't want to sign a contract, you can buy a no-commitment phone, but they start at $599 for an iPhone 3G S. See, AT&T gets its money one way or the other. Nobody's "subsidizing" anything.

Dr. Macenstein makes the case that it's Apple that's really at fault with its inflated pricing, but AT&T sure isn't winning many friends with its delay in offering MMS and tethering (said to be ready later in the summer)--both of which are being offered by most of Apple's other global cell carrier partners. Should be interesting when Apple and AT&T get together to renegotiate their contract. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments--will you be upgrading? are you mad as heck about the upgrade policy? etc.--but there's a lot more to cover so let's move along...

• Get ready for an early wake-up call on June 19, the first day that iPhone hit the stores: many Apple Stores will open at 8am while AT&T will open at 7am for customers who pre-order the 3GS. For a sneak preview, check out some of the unboxing photos of the 3GS over at MacRumors (originally posted to Engadget's Chinese site).

• If you're feeling bitter about the upgrade kerfuffle, Farhad Manjoo should help talk you down by arguing in Slate that you can live without the new iPhone 3GS since it's the App Store that's really the key element of the handset.

• If you're at all worried about AT&T, Advertising Age offers some suggestions on how it can weather the backlash

• If you've got an existing iPhone or iPhone 3G, mark June 17 on your calendar, as that's the date that the iPhone OS 3.0 gets released as a free upgrade to iPhone users.

• However, what's free for iPhone users isn't free for iPod touch users--who will have to pay $10 for the upgrade. Not all of the features built into iPhone 3.0 will transfer over to the iPod touch, but it will be able to access such new features as copy/paste, upgrades to the iTunes Store, and the landscape keyboard.

• While Apple has been rather mum about the specifics of its iPhone 3GS (I'm going with this nomenclature) specs, T-Mobile Netherlands has quantified what the "S for speed" really means--a 600 MHz processor and 256 MB of RAM (compared to a 400 MHz processor and 128 MB of RAM for the old iPhone 3G).

• Michael Jones over at TUAW has a good rundown of the new features of both the hardware (3GS) and the software (3.0 OS) that shows what functionality is found across the iPhone family and what's exclusive to the iPhone 3GS.

• This would have been something to see down at WWDC--a hyperwall of the App Store (made up of twenty 30-inch Apple Cinema Displays) showing live (well, slightly delayed) sales of 20,000 of the most popular iPhone apps (they ripple and pulse when a purchase is made).

• With turn-by-turn directions now available in the iPhone 3.0 software, Consumer Reports that major GPS companies like Tom Tom and Navigon (though no Garmin) will be jumping into the App Store with their navigation wares.

• O'Reilly's Radar blog also notes some of the location features that application developers can take advantage of, including taking advantage of Google Maps (instead of building out a mapping system), the ability better read barcodes, and geocontent sharing.

• The iPhone 3GS has an oleophobic screen coating that should help prevent smudgy fingerprints (via MacRumors).

• My pal/colleague Glenn Fleishman writes in Macworld that the iPhone 3GS includes compatibility with the next step in 3G connectivity--HSPA with 7.2 Mbps of download speed. However, AT&T won't be supporting the 7.2 speeds until later this year in select markets (it currently provides 3.6 Mbps 3G speeds).

  

• CNet's Webware blog contemplates whether Apple's MobileMe service is now worth the $99 annual subscription thanks to the iPhone 3.0's new Find My iPhone feature coupled with the upcoming iDisk app (for accessing content stored
• For more on the iPhone 3GS features, check out the guided tour video posted at Apple.

• And finally... I love this T-shirt design of the iPhone's Settings app exploded into individual components (seen at right; via Cult of Mac). Artist Sebastiaan de With only printed a few for special giveaway at WWDC, but I'm hoping he uploads the design to a online T-shirt repository like Cafe Press or Zazzle.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Bites from the Apple, Part 2: Snow Leopard, MacBooks and More

by EndUser at 1:18 PM PDT, June 12, 2009

In the second part to this week's Bites from the Apple news wrap-up, we'll take a look at the many (believe it or not) non-iPhone bits from the WWDC conference, including new details and release plans for the new Snow Leopard Mac OS X operating system and new MacBook family releases as well as some stray items of note (here's the first iPhone-y part).

On the Snow Leopard front, the OS successor to the current 10.5 Leopard will get released in September for an upgrade price of just $29 (current users of Mac OS X Tiger will need to purchase a Snow Leopard Box Set that also includes the iLife software, which is estimated to cost $169). While Apple is playing down how big an upgrade this is--going so far as to use the term "refinements" instead of new features--there's a lot that is being refined. Rob Griffiths over at Macworld took a look at the main Snow Leopard refinements page as well as its companion list of additional tweaks and comes away thinking that $29 is quite a bargain. Highlights range big to small--from 64-bit versions of main system applications (like Finder, Mail, Safari, and iCal) and enhanced utilization of multiple-core processors (called Grand Central Dispatch) to Expose built into the Dock and signal strength icons added to the Wi-Fi dropdown menu (seen below from one of many Snow Leopard screenshots posted by Michael Flux; via TUAW).

On the more tangible hardware front, Apple also revised its MacBook family lineup with new MacBook Pro models that take advantage of the built-in, long-life battery that was first introduced by the 17-inch MacBook Pro earlier this year. And the Pro lineup now includes the 13-inch aluminum unibody model, leaving the white polycarbonate MacBook as the entry level model. As noted in our keynote wrap-up from earlier this week, the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros have dumped the ExpressCard slot (Phil Schiller noted that the user base for this feature was in the single digits) and replaced it with a vastly more usable Secure Digital memory card slot (though the 17-inch Pro keeps the ExpressCard slot). In addition to easier access to SD cards with pictures from your digital camera as well as MicroSD cards from your phone (using an adapter), the SD slot also enables you to boot your system from an SD card formatted as Mac OS Extended and loaded with a bootable version of Mac OS X.

Additionally, as previously noted, the MacBook Air got a bump in processor specs (for both the hard disk drive and solid-state drive versions), and both the Airs and Pros received price cuts in an effort to answer Microsoft's Laptop Hunters ads (which have been putting a dent in consumers' perception of value for Apple products).

• Reviews of the new MacBook Pros are already coming in, with CNet chiming in separately on the 13-inch and 15-inch models, PCMag also doing separate reviews of the 13-inch and 15-inch, and Gizmodo wrapping the two together and providing some handy benchmark graphs for eyecandy consumption (photo below via Gizmodo).

  

• If you didn't see this on End User's Twitter feed, here are 10 Snow Leopard features that weren't mentioned during the WWDC keynote, including lower iChat bandwidth as well as higher resolution video chats in iChat and multi-touch gestures for older MacBooks.

• With the assimilation of the 13-inch unibody MacBook into the MacBook Pro line, Gizmodo also speculates on the future of the MacBook name and wonder whether the much-speculated, long-rumored iTablet might take over that naming convention.

• According to Wired's Gadget Lab, the long-life batteries found in the new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros (which provide up to 7 hours of life) are user replaceable, based on discoveries made during iFixit's tear-down of the laptops.

• The Safari 4 web browser went from beta version to public as of the WWDC keynote, and the browser tabs have been returned to their more expected placed below the bookmarks bar rather than placed in the title bar. Apple claims that over 11 million copies of Safari 4 have been downloaded since Monday, but Robert Strohmeyer of PC World (via Macworld) notes that it was pushed out as an automatic update to previous downloaders, so the numbers don't necessarily tell the story of a wild success.

• Head on over to The Apple Blog for some really good in-depth looks at the new QuickTime X and Exchange support in Snow Leopard.

• There's likely to be one more update to the current Mac OS X Leopard operating system before Snow Leopard pounces in September, bringing it to version 10.5.8 (via AppleInsider).

• Now that Safari 4 is for reals, your favorite plug-ins will start to filter out with support for the official version and 1Password is one of the first out of the gate (via Macworld).

• At some point this summer, I'll be unboxing a shload of CDs that have been in storage while my home has been under the hammer and I'll get back to digitizing the 300-odd remaining discs to my iTunes library. Macworld has two articles this week with tips on quickly ripping CDs as well as the basics on using iTunes to rip and burn discs.

• My pal/colleague Jeff Carlson takes a look at the new hidden features (including Ken Burns Effect for video) in the recently updated iMovie '09 update.

• Gizmodo has put together a 3-minute highlight reel of the WWDC keynote, but if you want the full experience you can either stream it in QuickTime from Apple or download it in podcast form from the iTunes store (while the WWDC keynote isn't appearing in the list of podcasts as of Friday afternoon, it will start downloading if you subscribe to the Apple Keynotes podcast).

• And finally... this Mac moment story over at Cult of Mac where the writer gets to introduce a PC user to the wonders of a MacBook Pro has a great punchline.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz