July 17, 2007
Happy iCal Day!
In case you haven't noticed, it's July 17 today. This means that today, for a full twenty-four hours, the iCal dock icon on your Mac will be correct. That's right, while the iPhone's calendar icon may update to show the current date, the desktop iCal application's icon stays frozen on the 17th of July as a tribute to the day that iCal was released: July 17th, 2002. So happy iCal day everyone, and I hope you are enjoying seeing an accurate iCal icon in your dock.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 02:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 07, 2007
iPhone Trivia
A few hours after getting my iPhone, I was hit with a sudden idea for an iPhone-optimized web app. The result of this idea and the subsequent quick bit of coding that I did to get it ready is iPhone Trivia, an iPhone app that asks multiple-choice trivia questions and keeps track of your score.
I am hosting the app here: http://everythingdigital.org/itrivia
The trivia questions come from an RSS feed that I put together here, and I will be adding new questions frequently. If you want to submit questions for inclusion in the RSS feed, make sure you follow the item/prompt/answer/correct format that the feed currently uses.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
WoW on My iPhone
After having finally gotten an iPhone yesterday after much hassle in tracking one down, I discovered Telekinesis, a wonderful app that runs on your Mac and provides a web gateway for controlling it through an iPhone-friendly interface.
Naturally, I tried running a variety of applications using my iPhone as a controller and screen for my Mac, but the most impressive was World of Warcraft. While performance was hardly smooth, I could control several actions in WoW through the iPhone interface. Most notably, I could read and respond to in-game chat without too much of a problem.
I recorded the experience and posted a video here on YouTube for your viewing pleasure.
To clarify, WoW is running on the MacBook Pro that you see in the beginning. The iPhone just serves as a separate screen and controller connected over the internet. The iPhone's CPU is NOT running the game.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:18 AM | Comments (11) | TrackBack
June 29, 2007
iPhone World Premier
Well, the technology world has gone nuts these past few days in anticipation of the iPhone's debut today. I stopped by my local Apple Store today to see what the line was like and I was astounded. I would guess there were about three or four hundred people waiting in line (and this is at the smaller of the two San Diego Apple Stores).
What amazed me the most about the line waiters was that they were far from the typical Apple fan crowd that can usually be seen lining up outside Apple Stores for OS X releases or other events. The people there ranged from babies to the elderly and came from all sorts of diverse backgrounds and fields. It looks like the iPhone has struck a chord with a much greater audience than typical Apple users, which is certainly a large part of Apple's goal for the product.
I have posted a couple pictures from the event on flickr here just to give you an idea of the scene here at the San Diego Apple Store.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 15, 2007
Experiments in Quartz Composer
Lately I have been experimenting with Apple's Quartz Composer software, and have found it to be really limitless in its possibilities. I'm still working on getting it to recognize enclosures properly in RSS feeds that it downloads, but everything else has been quite easy and intuitive. Here is a sample of one of the experiments I have been working on that uses microphone input to change the size of a particle generator: .qtz file, .mov file
If you're on a Mac, you should be able to download and open it in quicktime player or as a screensaver.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:33 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 09, 2007
The iPhone is Amazing
After years of rumors building up expectations for the Apple iPhone to a level that could never have possibly been met in reality, Apple has finally announced the product and it is as good, if not better, than the rumors predicted.
This device has everything. No really. Everything. Take the functionality of a conventional phone, add a stripped-down version of Mac OS X, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, audio and video playback, web-browsing, Google Maps, widgets, a 2.0-megapixel digital camera that can process video too, and a 3.5-inch multi-touch display. Wrap all this in an 11.6mm super-sleek case composed of pure Apple-ness and you've got the iPhone (tech specs here).
Now, to decompress a bit from my iPhone-induced Apple fanboy state, there are a couple things that the device is lacking. The most notable of these is expandable memory, followed by true 3G wireless data rates (through EVDO or something similar), and finally the ability to purchase and download iTunes Store content to the iPhone directly via Wi-Fi.
That said, the iPhone is really an incredible milestone in mobile technology. Check out some of these photos as well as some of the ones on Apple's site if you don't believe me. As an added bonus, take a look at this graph of Apple, RIM, and Palm stock prices today... notice a trend?
The iPhone will be Cingular-exclusive and retail at $499 for the 4GB model and $599 for the 8GB model. Unfortunately, it looks like we're going to have to wait until June for it to arrive in the U.S., but at least there's the Apple TV and new iTunes Paramount content to look forward to for now.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:07 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 30, 2006
Marmite + .Mac
I saw this on TUAW today. Apparently Amazon's recommendation engine found the need to pair British yeast extract product Marmite with Apple's .Mac service in one killer bundle deal. That's right, you can get both the Marmite 12-pot pack and .Mac service together for only $108.84! At that price, they are almost certainly "Better Together."
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 12, 2006
TUAW Giving Away MacHeist Invites
Better get on this quickly, because for 24 hours only, TUAW is offering MacHeist invites to its readers. All you have to do is click the link they give you and sign up for the ARG (alternate-reality game). I'm working on the first mission now and can't seem to get Billy Hull (billyhull.com) to give me any information about the iPhone...
1passwd was one of the rewards, and it is part of the process to post about it, so we'll see if this works.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:24 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
September 12, 2006
"It's Showtime"
If you haven't already had a look at Apple's website today, you should probably head over there to check it out. Today's "It's Showtime" event left us with more than a few new products to digest, along with a Woz + Segway appearance and the marked absence of a widescreen iPod.
First up, we've got iTunes 7, and along with it a name change for the iTunes Music Store, now to be called simply the "iTunes Store." This name change is the result of Apple's decision to sell movie downloads through the store, with back-catalog flicks going for $9.99 and new releases priced at $14.99. Currently the store has around 75 feature-length films available by various Disney subsidiaries, although it's no secret that if these sell well other studios will be hopping on the bandwagon.
Films on the iTMS iTS will be available the day that they are released on DVD at "near-DVD" quality (640 x 480, or VGA). There are no rental/subscription fees, and the movies never expire, very similar to Apple's model for selling music.
To accompany this new movie download capability, Apple has announced a Wi-Fi media streaming device, code-named "iTV," which will sell for $300 in the first quarter of 2007. iTV is shaped like a thin Mac mini, and sports analog video/audio out ports as well as a high-definition HDMI output. This means that users can place an iTV in their living room and browse their computer's stored media through an interface on their TV by using an Apple remote control.
Back on the topic of iTunes 7, several new features have been introduced to the application itself, including a new retro blue icon. One of the major features is "Album Flow," a new way to browse your music, using a 3-dimensional wheel of album covers that you can spin back and forth to find what you're looking for. iTunes 7 also features a significant update to iPod management, combining iPod-related options, iPod software updates/restores, and disk usage statistics into one panel in iTunes, rather than spread out across multiple preference panes and helper applications.
As if that all wasn't enough, Apple also made major revisions to their nano and shuffle lines, and minor changes to the standard iPod. New iPod nanos feature aluminum cases in a variety of colors, and capacities of 2, 4, and 8 GB for $150, $200, and $250 respectively. The standard iPod is now available in 30 and 60 GB ($250 and $350), and implements a new search function allowing users to enter queries letter-by-letter, as well as support for games downloaded from the iTunes Store. Both the iPod nano and standard iPod now come with 60% brighter screens and have significantly improved battery lives.
Last up is the iPod shuffle, which received a significant overhaul in Apple's round of updates. The new shuffle is contained within a one-inch square aluminum case featuring an integrated clip for easily attaching it on-the-go.
All of the products Apple announced will be available today, excluding the iPod shuffle (ETA: October), and the iTV device (Q1 2007). Now just one major question remains: Buy an iPod now with their new capacities, features, and price points? Or hold off just a little bit longer for that widescreen iPod that you know just has to get here before the holidays...
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 06, 2006
OS X and Longhorn Developers Panel
I was reading David Pogue's weblog and he pointed out a very interesting recap of a panel at South by Southwest. The panel consisted of an Apple OS X and a Microsoft Longhorn design team leader sharing insights into the development process for each system. It's amazing to see the vast differences in the creative processes of Apple and Microsoft, and the recap is definitely worth a read.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 21, 2006
Pics and Video of New MBP
I've uploaded some pictures of my new MacBook Pro 17" to my flickr account and a video of it using an iTunes plugin to have the keyboard backlight flicker to the music. Check them out if you get a chance, and download the backlight visualizer plugin here.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:24 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
June 17, 2006
17" MacBook Pro Has Arrived
Well, my brand new 17" MacBook Pro was delivered yesterday and I couldn't be happier with it so far. The screen is gorgeous, and the processor is incredibly fast (enough to run an HD video, a game, and Adium without coming close to dropping a frame).
The heat is tolerable, although a bit excessive during processor-intensive activities. I think I have at least some sort of whine, although I don't know if it is THE whine. It's still much quieter than my iBook G3 so I'm fine with it.
Stay tuned for a full and re-worked EverythingDigital Podcast about the MBP along with some other tech news. Now that I've got GarageBand 3 podcasting should be much easier so expect a return of more frequent EDP shows.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:07 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 31, 2006
Essential Apps for Mac OS X
I was asked by a friend, who is about to buy a new Mac, to recommend some good software for OS X that I find useful. I decided to make a post here as my response with a top list of essential software. In no particular order, here we go...
(programs in green are free to download)
- Safari (even better than Firefox in my opinion if you're on OS X, as far as its ability to integrate with the OS)
- Adium (switched over to Adium from iChat a while ago and never looked back)
- Skype (best VoIP client out there)
- Mail (despite a few quirks, you can't beat Apple Mail on OS X)
- iAlarm (indispensable multi-purpose alarm tool, it will even speak the news and weather to you!)
- Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop CS
- OmniOutliner and OmniGraffle (amazing programs for organizing ideas and especially podcast show notes)
- Microsoft Office 2004 (use sparingly if possible, I wish Pages was just a bit better so that I could switch over to it)
- Macromedia Flash/Dreamweaver MX 2004
- Cyberduck (truly awesome ftp client, best free one out there for the mac)
- iPodderX (I use it to manage all my podcast subscriptions, there is a free "Lite" version available online)
- iLife '05 (notably iPhoto, iTunes, and Garageband for podcast recording)
- NetNewsWire Lite (great free RSS reader, simple and elegant)
- ecto (used to manage my blog and write this very post)
- Azureus (for all your torrent needs)
- Colloquy (best IRC client for OS X)
- sixtyforce (if you're a fan of N64, this is a great emulator)
- Google Earth
- VLC (for weird codecs that QuickTime doesn't support)
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 07, 2005
iTunes Music Store Adds NBC, USA, and Sci-Fi
If you haven't already noticed, the iTunes Music Store is now offering content from NBC (including what they call "Vintage NBC" content), USA, and Sci-Fi in addition to the ABC and Disney Channel content that they already had in the TV show section of the store.
The new content includes several current NBC shows (The Office, Law & Order, etc.) as well as vintage shows like Dragnet and Knight Rider. USA has provided iTunes with episodes of Monk and Sci-Fi has done the same with Battlestar Galactica.
Although there are still many other shows and many other networks that would be nice to have on the iTunes Music Store, this is definitely a big boost for Apple in terms of branching out into the portable video market. The only problem is, they may be branching out at a price point that's a bit over what most consumers would expect.
This new price model means that a one hour episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien will set you back $9.99 while you can get 5-15 min. clips for $1.99. The Tonight Show offers the same types of short clips for $1.99 and leaves it at that. Other than these two oddly-priced additions, most of the new content is sold for the usual $1.99/video model, which is a relief considering that at $9.99 an episode you could be paying for TiVo service several times over and forgetting iTunes altogether.
So, overall, what does this mean for the consumer? It means the future of downloadable video content and portable video media is going to cost a whole lot more than ever expected if the networks have their say.
My advice is to buy what is reasonable for you. If the convenience of one hour of Conan delivered straight to your iPod is worth $9.99 to you, then go ahead and make the purchase. However, if you're like most people and think that this price point is just a little too high for the content that is being offered, simply refrain from buying, wait for Apple to let NBC know that their show has been downloaded a grand total of five times globally, and let the situation attend to itself.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:26 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
November 20, 2005
Steve Jobs Parody on SNL
Found this on TUAW earlier today. Looks like Saturday Night Live worked Steve Jobs and the iPod into the Weekend Update last night. He even got a chance to talk about some of the new iPod models that you will be seeing in the coming months. I must say, I am extremely impressed with the iPod invisi. How do they make 'em so small?
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:48 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 19, 2005
New PowerMacs and PowerBooks
In what could be one of their last updates before the switch to Intel, Apple's PowerMac and PowerBook lineups are now a little more powerful. Here are the major changes:
PowerBooks
- Still G4s processors, 12-inch: 1.5GHz, 15/17-inch: 1.67GHz
- All models come with SuperDrives
- 15- and 17-inch PBs now have 5.5 hours of battery life, 12-inch now has 5 hours
- 15-inch now has 1440 x 960 display, 17-inch now has 1680 x 1050
- 80GB hard drive in 12- and 15-inch models, 120GB on the 17-inch
- Built-in optical digital audio output on 15- and 17-inch models
- 128MB VRAM graphics cards for 15/17-inch PBs
- 512MB memory standard on all models
PowerMacs
- New "Quad-Core G5" with two dual-core 2.5GHz G5 chips, four processors in all
- PCI Express expansion slots
- New graphics cards with as much as 512MB of VRAM
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 12, 2005
Adam Curry on Front Row Demo
Looks like whoever was demoing Apple's new iMac G5's Front Row feature was subscribed to Adam Curry's Daily Source Code. Check out this screenshot in the middle of the music portion of the demo.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 16, 2005
Apple Computer: Week in Review
It's been a busy past couple of weeks for our friends at Apple Computer. With a myriad of iPod-related announcements, a major iTunes update, and Apple's first steps into the mobile phone industry, the company continues to bolster its stake in the digital music industry, as well as the electronics industry in general. For now, let's take a look at some of the recent announcements.
iPod nano
It's got the look, feel, and, quite possibly, scent of revolutionary thinking, and represents yet another historical undertaking in product design. The iPod nano gives the appearance of something you might use in the kitchen to, perhaps, spread butter, and at .27 inches thick, that might very well be possible.
Replacing the iPod mini as Apple's mid-range iPod, the new device has a color screen that rivals that of the standard iPod, and a fully-functional click-wheel to boot. Apple claims the nano will hold as many as 1,000 songs with its $249 4GB configuration, meaning that the $199 2GB nano should hold about 500 songs.
Apple has opted to drop the colorful variety previously available in the mini, and focus more on the basic white and black options in the new nano.
As stated in Apple's ad campaign, the iPod nano is 'impossibly thin.' This is partly due to its complete lack of FireWire support, despite its standard 30-pin iPod dock connector. This means that older Macs without USB 2.0 ports face the tediousness of transferring music and podcasts at USB 1.0 speeds. Also, the nano excludes the remote port, typically found next to the headphone jack on iPods, and an essential part of many accessories' compatibility with the iPod.
Despite its disadvantages, the iPod nano is an incredible addition to the iPod lineup, and a product that, as many who have used one have said, is impossible to pick up without wanting one.
iTunes 5
It's bigger, it's a bit clunkier, and it doesn't add a whole lot. That pretty much sums up iTunes 5, an update that provides support for the iPod nano, and (with a separate add-on update) the Motorola ROKR phone. The new version also includes enhanced search capabilities, playlist folders, a Smart Shuffle feature, and a new graphical appearance.
The new search capabilities include ways to easily specify the type of audio file you are searching for, and hopefully find things more quickly. While not revolutionary, it is an improvement that is worth checking out.
Playlist folders provide an additional level of organizational hierarchy for music categorization, allowing the user to group playlists into folders to be viewed all together or one at a time. Depending on how you organize your music, this can either be extremely useful, or something you might never even notice, but since you can put folders inside of folders, the possibilities are truly endless.
Smart Shuffle doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It allows you to control, via the "Playback" preference pane, whether songs by the same artist or on the same album will be played together more or less frequently during shuffle. As far as I can see, if a user wants to hear songs from a record in succession, they will use the iPod's "Albums" menu, or iTunes' browse function. It seems as though Apple is complicating the previously simple functionality of the shuffle button.
As for the new interface, I am growing used to it. At first, the blueish sidebar and oversized mini player felt a bit odd, but the minor interface changes seem to be for the best in the long run.
Motorola iTunes-Enabled ROKR Phone
A project that has been in the works for much longer than originally anticipated by the Apple rumor community, the new ROKR handset is the first phone to incorporate a fully functional iTunes/iPod interface.
That said, the $249.99 device, distributed by Cingular Wireless and bundled with a two-year service commitment, holds a mere 100 songs, a definite advantage considering the fact that it takes 30 seconds to transfer one 4MB music file. Yes, that means it really does take 50 minutes to fill up the entire device the first time, and an additional 50 minutes every time you want to refresh that 100 song collection.
All in all, not a bad couple of weeks for Apple. With the iPod nano, iTunes 5, and ROKR out the door, they may be able to focus on some more important things, like, say, releasing another update to the Powerbook line. One thing is for sure, with all the money generated from iPod nano sales, Apple is definitely going to have some elbow room for the future.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:48 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
September 05, 2005
Maybe, Just Maybe, an iTunes Phone?
For as hyped up a product as it is, the Motorola iTunes phone is certainly running behind schedule. It was at Macworld Expo that Steve Jobs first talked about the new product, and ever since then the Apple rumor sites have been turning out countless rumors about its "upcoming" release.
Now, after so much waiting, we have another rumor. This week, Apple announced that it would be making a momentous digital music announcement on Wednesday, September 7. It is unknown whether this press event will even concern the long-awaited iTunes phone, but analysts and industry insiders alike believe that the time is right for such a release from Apple.
It has also been reported that Cingular may be the first carrier to incorporate the iTunes phone into its lineup, and that the company may even be working on something more than just servicing the new model. Sources say that Apple and Cingular could be working on a wireless version of the iTunes Music Store, allowing music purchases and downloads to be carried out straight from the mobile phone's interface.
While still unconfirmed, these rumors definitely suggest that Apple may have quite a bit up its sleeve for the Wednesday event.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 12:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 02, 2005
Apple Introduces Multi-Button Mouse
Yes, it's true, Apple has finally bitten the bullet and ended their prolonged battle between mouse esthetics and functionality. The company today announced the Mighty Mouse, a somewhat cheesily-named product for Apple's standards, but one that will certainly change the face of their peripherals department.
The idea behind it is that you get two buttons with the look and feel of one, since the mouse has only one major button, but can determine where you click on that one button to differentiate between a left and right click.
It also has 360º scrolling, which could either be a blessing or a curse, since it could easily end in disaster if you think you're scrolling straight down when you are really scrolling down and to the left.
Side buttons (never my favorite placement for extra clicking options) also allow application switching and other customized features, but introduce the worry of accidentally clicking one while resting your hand on the side of your mouse.
The other problem is that it does not appear to come with a wireless option. I would find it much more useful with built-in bluetooth, but then it would probably cost $99.
All-in-all, it's a big step for Apple, and I can't wait to get my hands on one to give it a try, but I'm very worried about accidental clicking and scrolling with this model. I certainly won't be rushing to buy one before I have had a chance to test it in-person, and I'll post a full review as soon as I do.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 05:27 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 28, 2005
Extending the iTrip's Range (Round 2)
A long time ago, I took up the task of extending the abysmal range of my iTrip FM transmitter for the iPod. It worked well, but not as well as I know it can.
Recently I sat down and put in a good bit of work with the hopes of finally getting my iTrip's range up to par with my expectations of it.
With the application of a knife along the seam on the side and top of the device, the use of tweezers to hold the newly-formed gap open, the use of another pair of tweezers to reach in and grab the antenna, and the replacing of the rubber insulating plug on the side of the iTrip to seal the casing back up, I was able to fully extend the antenna out the side of the iTrip at a healthy 90º angle with almost no scarring of the case.
Now I have full access to the antenna, so I am able to not only adjust it to better transmit the signal, but I also have the option of amplifying the transmission via an external method.
Click on for some Flickr'd pictures of the final product.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:28 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 26, 2005
The REAL New iBooks
In addition to giving the Mac mini built-in wireless and 512 MB RAM, Apple has released new iBooks in accordance with the rumors. The new models were not, however, widescreen like the moderately convincing photoshop job we saw yesterday. Here is the new banner, which can also, of course, be found on the Apple website.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 25, 2005
Back in San Diego
I'm back before you even noticed I was gone. I was able to keep up with my email, but didn't take along my RSS reader on my iBook. I returned home to find at least 100 unread news items which I just finished sorting through.
Some interesting stuff popped up in the last couple days including this alleged (read "photoshopped") screenshot of the Apple homepage displaying new 12" and widescreen 14" iBooks.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 10:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 10, 2005
Dual-Core PowerPC Chips
As if to show Apple the PowerPC chip still has potential, IBM recently described two additions to its PowerPC chip lineup.
The first chip is a dual-core version of the PowerPC 970FX, which is currently used in PowerMac G5 computers. The new dual-core version will be called the PowerPC 970MP, and will be released along with the second chip, a low-power variant of the PowerPC 970FX that runs at 2.7GHz, but requires less than 20 watts.
The possibility of dual-core, dual-processor G5 desktops, and lower-power G5 laptops is certainly enough to leave any Mac fan questioning Apple's decision to switch to Intel. An Apple representative chose not to comment on the new chips, and it is unclear whether Apple is even considering using them in its new computers.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 02:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 30, 2005
Listeners from iTunes
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 29, 2005
Apple: Photos All Around!
With a major rearrangement to its iPod lineup, Apple Computer has announced that it will now be including color screens in all of its standard, white iPods. The company is planning to merge both the iPod and iPod photo lines into a single, unified series of products with photo viewing and slideshow functionality standard.
This new series will incorporate a 20GB model with room for up to 5,000 songs for $299, and a 60GB model that will hold 15,000 songs for $399. In addition, Apple is adding extra podcast-handling functionality for iPods, including the ability to easily create bookmarks within a show. Apple has also not forgotten about the iPod shuffle and iPod U2 Special Edition, lowering the shuffle's price to $129 and the U2 Special Edition's price to $329 in addition to giving it a color screen.
The new iPods will be available in Apple Stores as well as from store.apple.com, and will include the latest iPod software update which provides them with the enhanced podcast functionality. For users of older iPod models, this functionality is also available by downloading the update through OS X Software Update, or manually from Apple's website.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 28, 2005
iTunes 4.9 is Here!
I just ran software update and, true to the rumors that were floating around yesterday, iTunes version 4.9 has been released! I have not yet had a chance to try out the new podcatching features, but you can expect a full review in what will be today's or tomorrow's EDP.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 12:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 23, 2005
European iTunes Music Stores Reach 50 Million Downloads
Apple announced earlier today that users of its iTunes Music Stores in European countries have purchased a total of more than 50 million songs. The milestone was reached through the combination of 17 music stores in countries throughout Europe, including the UK, France, and Germany where the first European iTunes Music Stores were launched in June of 2004. In addition to the 17 European music stores, Apple has also established stores in the US and Canada, which have helped the company to reach a total of more than 430 million song purchases worldwide.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 12:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 22, 2005
Contois Music Technology's Suit Against iTunes
Up next on the bizarre "let's sue Apple just because" series of patent lawsuits: Contois Music Technology, who has recently filed a suit against Apple Computer claiming that the company's "copying and willful infringement" of their patent for a "Computer Control System and User Interface for Media Playing Devices" has caused Contois substantial damages. Apparently nobody is allowed to create a piece of software that can sort music files by album or genre, and it is completely illegal to implement the ability to transfer songs to a portable device without licensing rights from Contois. Go figure.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 07, 2005
WWDC 2005: Steve Jobs Keynote
Well, it's finally been announced, Apple is really switching over to Intel processors, and podcasting is really going to be a big part of iTunes 4.9. I haven't had time to watch the keynote myself yet, but Engadget's got a full report on the minutia of the speech if you want to see what was said without watching the whole thing yourself.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:26 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 03, 2005
Apple to Switch to Intel Processors
In a stunning move, Apple Computer has apparently reached an agreement with Intel for the manufacturing of processors for Apple products. According to CNET, Apple will no longer use the IBM PowerPC chips, and will instead look to Intel to produce more efficient, cooler chips. These new chips will be implemented first in Apple's lower-end models, but will eventually be used in the company's high-end computers as well. Based on this information, there is a possibility that the highly anticipated Powerbook G5 could be closer to reality thanks to Intel technology, but maybe that's just wishful thinking. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how Apple developers cope with the transition, since most applications will have to be re-worked to take advantage of the new processors.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:17 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
April 29, 2005
Live From the Apple Store in UTC
I'm posting live from the Apple store in University Town Center in San Diego on this Tiger release Friday. There is not much excitement here yet, but it's only 3:05. I'll be posting some pics on my Flickr account in the next few minutes so stay tuned. You can meet me in person if you want to come by the store sometime between now and 7:00 PM.
UPDATE: The first pics are posted, I will take more in a bit.
UPDATE 2: I'm back home now and working on getting all the audio up. For now, I've uploaded the pictures I took to my Flickr account. You can view them here.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 18, 2005
Peering Into The Future
If you open Apple's countdown image at apple.com and advance the date in the URL a little, you can peer into the future.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 12, 2005
It's Here
I just have time for a quick post, but you might want to check out apple.com.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 23, 2005
New iPods
The new iPods are out! Unfortunately, they don't have color screens, but they do have a couple additional features and some rearrangement of the pricing and memory. Here are the changes:
iPod mini: 4GB ($199) and 6GB ($249), battery life of 18 hours, available in silver and three new colors.
iPod Photo: 30GB ($349) and 60GB ($449), with the ability to transfer photos directly from a digital camera through the iPod Camera Connector.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 18, 2005
iPod minis to Get Color Screens
Think Secret is reporting that the next revision of the iPod mini will not only include a 5 or 6 GB hard drive, but also a full color TFT screen with the same form factor. It is also rumored that Apple is planning to include color screens in the standard iPod, and iPod U2 Special Edition later this year. The price will remain the same at $249, made possible by the drop in price of small TFT screens in the past few months.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 16, 2005
Extending the iTrip's Range
I have been fairly disappointed with the dismal range, and sub-par clarity that my iTrip often gets, so I recently sat down, opened the thing up, and did what I could to extend its range. I took pics with my phone throughout the procedure, and posted them on my Flickr photoblog. I should note that I was probably fairly lucky with the way the internal antenna ended up readjusting itself for me.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:16 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The Mac mini Media Dock
Okay, so it's currently just a concept drawing, but there is a good chance 3rd parties, or possibly even Apple, will soon have something similar on the market. If an A/V dock for the Mac mini does appear, it could turn into a rival of Windows Media Center PCs, and let Mac users everywhere convert to a computer-based digital entertainment system, without having to buy a Windows-based machine.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 03:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 09, 2005
Safari in the New York Times
It appears as though the New York Times is now using Apple's Safari browser to take screenshots of websites for stories. This may not mean that the whole staff has switched to Macs, but it seems as though at least somebody there has. This small snippet of aqua interface was a welcome site in the NYT after the many Internet Explorer screenshots appeared throughout the paper in the past.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 04:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 31, 2005
New PowerBooks
Well, they're no G5s, but there has been a revision giving them up to 1.67 GHz G4 processors. Also, they come standard with 512 MB of memory, AirPort Extreme, and bluetooth. They can also be configured with either a 64 MB or 128 MB graphics card. It's definitely an improvement, but I'll be waiting for the PowerBook G5s before making any purchases.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 07:22 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 28, 2005
Security Update 2005-001
Before installing the new Security Update for OS X, you may want to check out this article from MacFixIt. I am currently trying to repair my privileges so I can correct at least some of the problems that are occurring.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 27, 2005
Hidden PowerBook G5 Teaser
If you go to http://apple.com/powerbook and view source, at some point in the html you will come to this section:
<!—BEGIN AVENUE A—>
<img height=”1” width=”1” alt=”” src=”http://switch.atdmt.com/action/apple_g5_powerbook”>
<!—END AVENUE A—>
I'm not sure what to make of it, maybe its just a typo, but most likely its somebody at Apple trying to leak a story to ThinkSecret without getting sued, or at least that's what I'd like to think.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:00 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 23, 2005
2nd Round of Pepsi + iTunes Promotion
Looks like the notably unsuccessful Pepsi + iTunes promotion is taking another shot at giving away some free songs. The promotion originally tried to give away 100 million songs, but ended up with about 5 million winners due to recalls as a result of customers being able to see whether or not a bottle was a winner by looking through it at a certain angle. The 2nd round of the promotion plans to be giving away 200 million songs between January 31 and April 30.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:34 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 21, 2005
My First Work With iWork
I have created my first document in Pages. It is a newsletter for the EverythingDigital site, and uses one of Pages' built-in templates as a base. I've exported it to a PDF for your viewing or reading pleasure. It give a good example of the power of Pages, especially since this maybe took me 15 minutes to whip up. Download here.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 11, 2005
(Delayed) Live Report of Steve Jobs' Keynote
I couldn't get to an Apple store to see it live, but now I'm watching the webcast and I'll be keeping a post updated with my thoughts about the keynote while it's playing. All times are # of minutes after the keynote started.
2:00-Jobs is talking about the Apple retail stores. 101 stores throughout the world, and wow does that Regent Street, London one look good!
3:00-Some news clippings about the iMac G5. Jobs says it is the highest-selling Mac ever.
4:45-Mac OS X Panther information. Talking about Tiger 10.4 next, silence in the crowd as Jobs says it isn't coming possibly until the summer (1st half of this year).
7:00-A tour of 10.4's features (Spotlight, Safari RSS, etc.)
10:00-Tons more Spotlight stuff. Amazingly fast searching, gotta love that Apple user-interface.
12:00-Jobs hits a bug during his demo of Spotlight and switches to another Mac remarking "That's why we have backup systems HERE."
13:20-A demonstration of Smart Folders, and other new Finder features.
15:30-Updated Mail program. Spotlight integration as well as instant slideshow from attached photos and instant add to iPhoto form the slideshow mode.
18:25-QuickTime 7's new features. Surround sound, full HD playback, complete MPEG-4 compliance, and H.246 support.
21:40-Dashboard demo. The widgets look impressive. I just wish it wasn't such a rip off of Konfabulator. The dictionary option looks great as well as the stock and flight trackers.
23:40-Jobs demos flight tracker, but realizes he doesn't have a flight number to track (Jobs: "trust me, it works"). He then checks Apple stock tracker and jokes "Oh, its down today, well we've still got a lot of the keynote to go." before moaning at the low dollar value in the currency converter.
26:00-A demo of the weather tracker with dismal reports of rain, rain, rain, hail, snow, and wind ahead for San Fransisco.
27:40-iChat audio conferencing extended for up to 10 people and video extended for up to 4 people.
29:00-Video conferencing demo resulting in some funny (but possibly scripted) interchanges between the chat participants. Wow those boardroom table reflections look great!
31:00-Talking about HD video, including Final Cut Pro HD, and the new Final Cut Express HD.
33:00-iLife 05 is here! iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand, and iTunes, all with "major updates."
34:00-iPhoto. New simpler interface, project folders, movie playback/organization, RAW support, plenty of new editing features, advanced slideshows, and better books.
47:25-iMovie. Faster editing, better performance, easier trimming in the timeline, MPEG-4 support, and "Magic iMovie" allowing the user to press a button and let iMovie edit their movie for them. Also, a big new feature: the ability to edit HD video.
51:50-Steve plugs the Sony HD video camera saying, "you've just gotta go get one of these."
52:40-Kunitake Ando, the president of Sony comes on stage to talk about Sony and Apple working together on HD capturing and editing. Meanwhile, Steve has got the Sony video camera filming from left stage.
55:00-Ando talks about the HD DVD format, slipping up as he loses his place in his notes. Steve walks on stage to help him, they shake hands, Ando prepares to walk offstage, but pauses halfway to say what was possibly supposed to be his conclusion before he lost his place.
58:00-iDVD. One step DVD creation, complete support of all DVD formats, some great new themes, and improved editing techniques.
1:02:15-GarageBand. Up to 8 tracks can be recorded simultaneously, real-time music notation, pitch & timing fixing, the ability to create your own loops, and a vocal transformer.
1:04:00-John Mayer walks on stage to demonstrate the new GarageBand.
1:10:00-iLife 05 will be available January 22 for $79, as well as being free on all new Macs.
1:10:40-Jobs introduces iWork, the successor to AppleWorks. iWork includes Keynote 2, and Pages, a new word processor as Apple's attempt to take a bite out of Microsoft Word. Looks like a great solution for newsletters, brochures, etc. (which Word was never very good for).
1:21:25-Here it comes, the Mac mini, a stripped down Mac available for $499 with no keyboard, mouse, or monitor, and a 1.25 or 1.42 GHz G4 processor. Wow does that look nice! Very simple and small design, amazing when Steve holds it in his hand. This will be a wonderful product to appeal to the Windows switchers. Available on January 22 as well.
1:26:30-iTunes update. 230,000,000 songs sold so far. 1,250,000 songs per day (half a billion songs per year). 70% market share in the online music store market. Over 1 million prepaid cards sold (I bought several, very convenient).
1:28:35-4,500,000 iPods sold in late 2004.
1:31:00-BMW and Apple are working on a new car adapter. Also, Mercedes, Nissan, Volvo, and Scion are all signing on to develop their own adapters.
1:33:27-Motorola cell phones are now planning to support an iTunes client (that looks very similar to the iPod interface) this Spring.
1:34:40-One more thing! The iPod shuffle, the long-awaited flash iPod is here! No LCD screen, but it's smaller than a stick of gum. At $99 for 512 MB or $149 for 1 GB, it's targeted after the low end of the flash market and could be great for those who don't want to pay $249 for a mini. It also supports AutoFill, which easily builds a playlist that fits exactly on the iPod shuffle. Oh, and it's available today.
1:45:50-The new iPod shuffle ad.
1:47:16-Steve thanks everybody involved and recaps everything that he's covered throughout the keynote.
1:49:00-John Mayer comes back on stage to perform a song to finish off the presentation.
1:53:50-Steve thanks everybody for attending.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 10, 2005
Macworld Keynote Tomorrow!
Steve Jobs is set to give the keynote at the Macworld Expo San Francisco 2005 tomorrow morning (9:00 AM PST). Unfortunately, you can't watch the webcast live even if you could skip work unless you can get yourself to a nearby Apple store or somehow find yourself in San Francisco because Apple has decided not to provide a live webcast, but rather post the recorded keynote at an unspecified time after it is actually given. Nevertheless, it should be an exciting speech. I'm hoping they'll introduce a flash-based iPod, headless iMac, bigger iPod mini (5GB), some sort of media center thing (portable or sedentary), and some revisions to the Powerbooks that should include G5 chips, but won't. The Apple community is already bombarding the Macworld Expo official site with visits and it seems to be offline currently. As a result most of the links in this post are to items on the general Macworld site instead of the more specific Macworld Expo site.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 06:32 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
January 09, 2005
The iHome Media Centre
Looks like somebody snuck into a storeroom at Macworld Expo and uncovered a new Apple product. It's the iHome Media Centre, and it looks like it has a DVD burner and possibly an HD DVR built-in as well. Could this be the headless iMac, or just a highly convincing attempt at a faked product? Fozbaca.org is mirroring the images in case the original site (linked to on fozbaca) is shut down by Apple.
UPDATE: It looks like, unfortunately, the pictures are fakes. Fairly well-done ones, but still fakes.
Facts against authenticity:
1. iHome is already copyrighted by another company.
2. The box packaging is messy and does not protect the product well.
3. On some pictures paper flaps can be seen hanging off the top of the box.
4. When the box is carried by the handle, the "iHome" would be upside-down.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 05:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 07, 2005
Linux on my iPod
I've managed to successfully install linux on my iPod using Podzilla. After evaluating the system, all it seems I would really use it for is voice recording (up to 96 kHz). It has major trouble playing AAC files, and struggles with mp3 tracks as well. Luckily, it is easy to switch between Apple's standard iPod OS and the Podzilla linux one. I did a test record at 44.1 kHz and the quality was average, but it was distorting my voice. I tried once again, but this time at 96 kHz and the recording was perfectly clear and came pretty close to that of my USB mic and Garageband setup. I will definitely be doing some podcasts on-the-go in the future now that my mobile setup can work so well.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 11:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 22, 2004
Apple Suit is Over 10.4 Tiger
Reliable sources are now confirming that Apple's lawsuit is against three software developers and is concerning a pre-release version of OS 10.4 Tiger that the developers posted on the internet without permission of any kind from Apple.
Posted by Alan Joyce at 09:55 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 15, 2004
More minis!
Posted by Alan Joyce at 08:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack