Mac notebook and other portable computing is covered
in The 'Book Review, and general Mac
news is in Mac News Review.
All prices are in US dollars unless otherwise noted.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
Apps & Services
Accessories
Protection
iPod and iPhone Deals
These price trackers are updated regularly.
News, Reviews, & Opinion
Some Turning to iPhone to Save Money
The Wall
Street Journal's Sara Silver reports:
"Lower-income households are turning in force to Apple Inc.'s iPhone
and may be doing so to save the cost of a separate broadband connection
and music devices, according to the media measurement firm comScore
Inc."
Link: Some Shed
Their Gadgets by Turning to One: iPhone
Lower-Income Households Turning to iPhone as a
'Swiss Army Knife' Tech Solution
Macsimum
News's Dennis Sellers reports:
"Lower-income households are buying iPhones, apparently to save the
money of paying for a separate cell phone, broadband connection and
musical device, according to the media measurement firm comScore. As
noted by the Wall Street
Journal, a comScore study, shows that the fastest growth in iPhone
sales over the summer months came from households that earn less than
the median income."
Link:
Lower-Income Households Turning to iPhone as a 'Swiss Army Knife' Tech
Solution
Ear Docs' Warning Rings Loud and Clear: Turn Down
the iPod!
The
Buffalo News's Stephen T. Watson reports:
"iPods and other MP3 players have made one's song collection more
portable than ever. That's great for music lovers, but those who listen
with the volume cranked way up can quickly diminish their ability to
hear anything at all. Ear experts are warning a generation of iPod
lovers to turn down the volume - and maybe even take the earbuds out
once in a while....
"A new study from the European Union cautions that people who listen
to personal music players for too long, at too high a volume setting,
may do serious damage to their hearing.
"The report estimates that up to 10 percent of users could start
losing their hearing within five years, and most don't realize
it....
"European scientists reported that those who listen to personal
music players at a high volume for more than one hour per day each week
risk permanent hearing loss after five years...."
Link: Ear Docs' Warning
Rings Loud and Clear: Turn Down the iPod!
Newest iPods Can't Charge with FireWire
AppleTell's
Bill Stiteler reports:
"One of the stranger signs of iPod ubiquity: two years ago when I
bought a microwave oven, it came with a free gift. It was an AM/FM
radio that also had an iPod dock. It's been astonishingly useful
gadget, both for music and as an iPod charger when I can't find a USB
cable.
"No more. Connect my new iPod touch this morning, I was greeted with
a message that 'Charging is not supported on this accessory.' A little
bit of digging on the internet turned up the reason: newer iPods have
lost the ability to charge via FireWire....
"Combined with the lack of FireWire support on the new
consumer-level MacBook leads me to wonder if Apple is throwing in the
towel on FireWire 400...."
Link:
Apple Killing Off FireWire on iPods
New Skype Rival Offers Free Phone Numbers
PC Magazine's
Michael Muchmore says:
"Skype users will be familiar with the service's 'SkypeIn' feature,
which lets you buy a phone number that will work for any landline or
cell phones. As of Monday, VoxOx, a new service from business telecom
provider TeleCentris, will offer inbound telephone numbers to all of
its users for free.
"The service also offers many other VOIP and Skype-like features,
including instant messaging, video chatting, SMS text messaging,
callback, and faxing. Its 'one number follow me' feature will even let
users enter numbers to ring successively in case they're not at the
main phone number - similar to Vonage's Enhanced Call Forwarding. They
can even create a 'this number is not in service' message for
telemarketers."
Link: New Skype Rival
Offers Free Phone Numbers
Obama May Not Be an iPhone Fanatic After All
iPhone
Savior says:
"What happened to the Obama iPhone? We recently uncovered two
revealing photos taken on October 25, during Barack Obama's stop in Las
Vegas. The photos show what appears to be a Motorola Razor in Obama's
hand during two separate phone calls. After much effort, our team
realized that spotting Barack Obama using an iPhone may be harder to
capture than a photo of Bigfoot in the wild. We reviewed over 1,200
hundred photographs since early June unsuccessful in confirming Obama
using his fabled iPhone."
Link:
Obama May Not Be an iPhone Fanatic After All
Apple, IBM Dispute Reveals New iPhone Chips
InformationWeek's Paul McDougall reports:
"IBM's breach-of-contract lawsuit against top engineer Steve
Papermaster reveals that Apple, which on Tuesday named Papermaster
senior VP for devices hardware engineering, is planning to design its
own chips for use in its iPhone and iPod portable devices....
"Apple lured Papermaster from IBM because the company 'intends to
design microprocessors for incorporation in a variety of electronic
devices, including handheld devices,' IBM stated in its legal
complaint, filed last week in US District Court in Manhattan."
Link:
Apple, IBM Dispute Reveals New iPhone Chips
Apps & Services
Talk Radio 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch
PR: Juicy Development LLC announces the release of Talk Radio
1.0. Talk Radio is the perfect companion for truck drivers, business
travelers, and vacationers. Using location-aware searching, Talk Radio
quickly identifies where and when a user's favorite talk show is
available. By using Talk Radio listeners will never need to miss their
favorite host or worry about being bored on the road again.
Using the Talk Radio application is easy - users simply select the
host they wish to listen to. With a simple click, Talk Radio uses the
iPhone's Core Location technology and a proprietary algorithm to
presents a list of radio stations and program air times in your area. A
manual search option allows you to find exactly what they want no
matter where they are.
Talk Radio searches for programs including Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura,
Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, and Glenn Beck. Additional hosts are being
added regularly and users are encouraged to submit requests online.
Designed to take advantage of the iPhone location and network
capabilities, Talk Radio learns from users who report coverage,
corrections, or changes and transmits that information to everyone with
the application automatically. Left wing, right wing, or just wanting
to hear the latest gossip, every radio listener will want this
application.
Currently Talk Radio only works within the United States but, as a
"learning application", collects information from our listeners who
report in. International entries in our database are growing
quickly.
Supported Languages: US English
System Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch 2.0
Talk Radio 1.0 for iPhone is $1.99 and available exclusively through
Apple's App Store.
Link: Talk
Radio 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch (only available through the
Apple App Store)
Memento 1.0 eCard Utility for iPhone and iPod
touch
PR: Tapping It introduces Memento 1.0, their e-card creation
and sending app for iPhone and iPod touch. Designed from the ground up
to leverage the iPhone's unique abilities and interface, Memento is an
elegant e-card sending application offering a natural feel and
ease-of-use. Share an emotion, a precious moment or a unique event.
So much more than a plain e-card, Memento's emails are of unmatched
quality and richness. Its built-in designer styles support and enhance
anyone's photos, and help convey a mood or feeling. Easily compose a
card by picking one of the beautiful 14 styles, add a favorite photo,
enter personalized text, and email just the perfect postcard.
Feature highlights include:
- 14 Designer Styles Included
- Visual, Fully WYSIWYG display of Cards
- Multiple Email Recipients
- Amazing yet familiar User Interface
- Compatible with Mac OS X Mail, Thunderbird, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail,
MobileMe
Supported Languages: US English, French and Italian
System Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch 2.0 or later
Memento 1.0 for iPhone is $2.99 and available exclusively through
Apple's App Store.
Link: Memento 1.0
eCard Utility for iPhone and iPod touch (only available through the
Apple App Store)
iPhone App Reads Just Like a Real Book
PR: Classics, a revolutionary software reading platform
for a growing collection of literary masterpieces, is now available on
the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod touch.
"My partner Andrew Kaz and I actually began working on this app
after we had toyed around with my Kindle," says co-creator Phill Ryu.
"We thought this flawed reading experience and we knew we could easily
top that on the iPhone platform."
The
application features a groundbreaking interface, showcasing animated
page turns that realistically respond to the user's touch, visualbookmarks, and a fully realized bookcase for your collection.
The initial collection includes a dozen classic works, including
"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", "Hound of the Baskervilles",
"Flatland", and "Robinson Crusoe". Additional books will be added over
time via free software updates.
Classics is available for just $2.99 from Apple's App Store on
iPhone and iPod touch.
Link: Classics
(only available through the
Apple App Store)
ZeusDraw Mobile for iPhone and iPod touch
PR: Chromatic Bytes, LLC announces the release of ZeusDraw
Mobile, a versatile drawing and painting program for the iPhone/iPod
touch. ZeusDraw Mobile is a professional drawing program for the
iPhone/iPod touch. It works for anything from doodling on a photo to
serious drawing.
ZeusDraw Mobile features:
- Smoothed drawing - with many programs, if you move you finger
quickly, your line turns into an unpleasant looking polygon. ZeusDraw
Mobile's freehand tool can turn these into nice smooth curves or
smoothly drawn filled areas for you. (You can control the degree of
smoothing or turn it off if you like.)
- Editing - it's hard to get things exactly right the first time -
especially on a small gadget! Use the iPhone's multitouch capability to
place, scale or rotate what you just drew.
- Text - any font, any orientation. Tap to show where you want text
to go or drag a line to show the size and orientation of your text, and
then use the keyboard to enter your text.
- Brushes - add texture or interesting effects to your drawing with
ZeusDraw's brushes. Use them with transparent colors to get
watercolor-like effects.
- Color - customizable palette including transparent colors.
- Eraser - any of the drawing tools, including text, can be used as
an eraser. Erasures can be edited with multitouch just like drawn
elements.
- Picture in Picture - you can, of course, use one of your photos as
a background, but you can also import pictures to use as elements in
your drawing and place, scale and rotate them like any other drawing
element.
- Shapes - selection of predefined shapes.
- Zoom - zoom in to at work at 1.5x or 3x.
- Drawing album - you can save your drawings to ZeusDraw Mobile's
drawing album. In the album you can change the orientation of a
drawing, select it to continue work on it, save it to to Saved Photos
or delete it if you no longer need it.
System Requirements: iPhone or iPod touch 2.0
ZeusDraw Mobile for iPhone is $9.99 and available exclusively
through Apple's App Store.
Link: ZeusDraw Mobile for
iPhone and iPod touch (only available through the
Apple App Store)
2 New Olive Tree Bible Products Available on
iTunes
PR: NIV Bible for BibleReader: The New International Version
is a popular, best-selling evangelical Bible translation.
NIV Family Pack for BibleReader: Includes the NIV Bible, Today's New
International Version (TNIV) and New International Readers Version
(NIrV).
Currently, you can only purchase iPhone titles from Apple iTunes.
Titles purchased at OliveTree.com are not presently compatible with
iPhone.
Olive Tree on the Road
Meet Olive Tree programmers and designers face-to-face at any of the
following conferences this winter!
Demo of Original Languages at ETS/SBL: Olive Tree will attend two
conferences in November: Evangelical Theological Society in Providence,
RI, and Society of Biblical Literature in Boston, MA. Will you be
there? If so, stop by the Olive Tree booth and try out our newest
resources. We'll be unveiling the first of our original language
resources for iPhone, including the Greek New Testament, Greek
Septuagint (LXX), and Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS), an edition
of the Hebrew Masoretic Text.
2009 Christian Book Expo: You can also meet Olive Tree
representatives at the March 2009 Society of Biblical Literature in
Boston, MA. Sponsored by the Evangelical Christian Publishers
Association and completely open to the public, this expo is the first
event of its kind. This expo will gather publishers, authors,
ministries, and booksellers - all for the purpose of reaching the
largest audience possible with the life-changing message in books,
Bibles, and other Christian resources.
Do You Twitter?
You can now follow Olive Tree on Twitter. Olive Tree's Twitter
username is OliveTreeBible:
http://twitter.com/OliveTreeBible
Want to be the first to know about the release of major titles? Want
to be the first to buy the new iPhone App? Want to upgrade BibleReader
the same day we release the latest version? Olive Tree's Twitter
announcements are the best way to know right when the important things
are happening. They go out between newsletters, before blog entries -
really, whenever anything newsworthy occurs at Olive Tree. (Don't know
what Twitter is? Learn more at Twitter.com.
The Olive Tree Blog is
still a great way to keep up with us, and we can discuss our news in a
little more detail than Twitter's 140 characters allows. We will
continue using the Olive Tree blog the same way we have been using it -
to keep you informed about Olive Tree's news in between newsletters.
But now, Olive Tree on Twitter will accompany the blog with the most
up-to-date postings about what is going on at Olive Tree.
Link: BibleReader on iPhone (only
available through the
Apple App Store)
Accessories
Marware Game Grip for iPhone 3G and iPod touch
2G
PR:
Marware Inc. announces the Game Grip for the iPhone 3G and the iPod
touch 2G. The silicone handle grips on the controller provide comfort
for longer gaming sessions, and a unique cord management solution
allows you to use your headphones and charging cable while you
play.
The Game Grip also supports an optional, removable battery pack
solution from Marware (sold separately) that can give you added power
while gaming. Simply slide the battery pack onto the back of the Game
Grip, attach the cable, and you won't even know it's there. Two
silicone skins, a game controller with interchangeable silicone grips,
cord management, and an optional battery pack solution - the Game Grip
is the smartest answer to your portable gaming needs.
Features:
- Provides radically comfortable iPhone/iPod touch gaming
- Also includes two stand-alone silicone skins that fit iPhone 3G or
iPod touch 2G
- Unique cord management system - can be used with headphones/earbuds
and can charge device while playing
- Detachable battery pack option (sold separately)
- Colorful and interchangeable silicone handle-grips on
controller
- INCLUDES: Two silicone skins, spacer for iPod touch 2G, game
controller with silicone grips * Marware's Lifetime Warranty
The Game Grip for the Apple iPhone 3G and the iPod touch 2G is
available in smooth black with blue handle grips. It retails for $49.99
and is available for pre-order online. Please visit Marware online for
more information. Marware is a leading provider of software and
accessory solutions for Apple iPhones, iPods, and Notebooks.
Link: Game Grip
for iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G
Hammacher Schlemmer LP to iPod Converter
PR: This is the belt-driven turntable that
converts and saves your prized vinyl LPs to MP3 format directly to an
iPod or iPod nano connected to its built-in dock. In addition to
providing high-speed vinyl audio conversion to MP3, the turntable plays
LPs at 33-1/3 and 45 rpm speeds (adapter included), and its adjustable
anti-skating control provides increased stereo balancing.
Includes 1/8" RCA output and cable for connection to a stereo system
equipped with either a CD or AUX input. It can also plug directly into
your computer with its included USB cable, allowing you to convert your
LPs to MP3 using the included recording software (PC/Mac) for the
removal of scratches, hisses, and pops, but will operate with any
software that supports USB audio input sound cards. 20 1/4" W x 3" H x
17" D. (8 3/4 lb.)
$199.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Link: Hammacher Schlemmer LP to
iPod Converter
Hammacher Schlemmer Classic Diner CD and iPod
Jukebox
PR: Recalling the ubiquitous diner
jukeboxes of the 1950s, this classic tabletop music box has the same
chrome finish and letter and number buttons as the originals, yet is
updated to play superior digital music from CDs and iPods.
Faithful to the original jukeboxes, songs are selected by pressing
the letter and number buttons on the face of the device and, once a
song is chosen, the jukebox mimics the pop of a classic vinyl record
loading into place. The stereo speakers produce vibrant, room-filling
sound. The jukebox has digital FM radio tuning with 20 presets and it
connects to an external stereo, amplifier, headphones, iPod or other
MP3 player. You can choose from several preset audio equalizer options
(Normal, Classic, Pop, Jazz, or Rock) , and CD and MP3 tracks can be
played sequentially or in random order. Includes a CD filled with 100
classic late 1950s/early 1960s songs from the original artists such as
the Four Tops, Buddy Holly, and Patsy Cline. 15" H x 12 1/2" W x 7" D.
(7 lb.)
$279.95
Expected ship date 11/28/2008
Link: Hammacher Schlemmer
Classic Diner CD and iPod Jukebox
Hammacher Schlemmer iPod to iPod Transfer
Device
PR: This device allows you to quickly
and easily transfer music, video, and pictures from one iPod to another
iPod without the use of a computer. It automatically recognizes when
you plug in iPods (either Mac or PC formatting) on either end, and it
can transfer a three-minute song in five seconds and a 30-minute video
in three minutes.
The device can also transfer any files when the iPods are set to
"disk drive" mode. Its rechargeable battery provides up to 1 1/2 hours
of operation during transfers, and includes an AC adapter that
recharges the device in four hours; iPods are recharged while
connected. Songs transferred with digital rights management (DRM)
formatting require appropriate iTunes password and authorization. 3/4"
H x 2 1/4" W x 3 1/2" D. (2 oz.)
$99.95
Available for Immediate Shipment.
Link: Hammacher Schlemmer iPod
to iPod Transfer Device
FastMac iV Extended Battery & Charger for
iPhone
PR: FastMac has announced "iV," an extended battery pack
& portable charger for Apple's iPhone that triples battery life and
adds a built-in flash & Bluetooth headset charger. Armed with an
iV, the iPhone is capable of up to 24 hours of talk time, 31 days of
standby, 20+ hours of video & almost 72 hours of audio playback
time. Winner of several awards at Macworld Expo, FastMac's iV for
iPhone is shipping now and can be ordered from www.fastmac.com for a
special introductory price of $79.95. Each iV carries a 1-year warranty
and a 30-day money back guarantee. In addition, each iV comes with a
unique 90-day trade-in warranty that allows the original owner to trade
in their used iV for a brand new, next generation iV for half price
.
FastMac's iV contains a 3100mAh TruePower battery that is the
longest lasting battery available for any iPhone. Unlike snap on
chargers that stress the dock connector or fall off if the iPhone is
used whilst charging, the iV is an on-the-go mobile battery charger
that allows for continuous iPhone use even as it is being charged.
Along with the dock connector port used for charging & synching,
the iV also has a full-size USB port that can simultaneously charge
another device such as a Bluetooth headset, digital camera, game system
or even another phone. The iV's built-in flash LED can be used for
emergencies and low light photos or videos.
"iV seeks to address the 2 most common complaints about Apple's
iPhone- not enough battery life & no flash for the camera," said
Michael Lowdermilk, Business Development Manager of FastMac Performance
Upgrades, Inc. "Thanks to its many applications & features, even
casual use can cause the iPhone's battery to drain before day's end,
making the iV a must-have accessory for all iPhone users."
The iV's powerful TruePower battery is housed in a custom molded
soft-touch non-slip case that is no taller than the iPhone itself and
at just 3.9 ounces, weighs 25% less than the original iPhone. The
bottom of the iV is contoured so that it can be docked (and charged)
inside Apple's iPhone Dock & Universal Dock and its speaker
chambers are designed to reflect sound up and out towards the listener
instead of away from them.
"We're proud to be first to market with an extended battery for the
iPhone 3G that not only lasts longer than any other iPhone battery, but
also provides added functionality that no other product offers," said
Edward Savio, President of FastMac Performance Upgrades, Inc.
FastMac's iV is compatible with all models of the iPhone & iPod
touch. Its dock connector port can also connect to and charge all
models of the iPod nano. Thanks to its secondary charging port, the iV
is also compatible with any electronic device that can be charged via a
standard USB cable & matching power connector (such as a Bluetooth
headset, digital camera, another iPod and even another phone).
According to the USB-IF, a nonprofit association of USB developers
& manufacturers, more than 1000 devices can be powered using the
iV's secondary charging port
Link: iV Extended
Battery & Charger
Protection
OtterBox for iPhone 3G Impact Series: Not Your
Average Skin
PR: Engineered with recognized OtterBox protection in a
sophisticated design, the new OtterBox 1943 Impact Series for iPhone 3G
is not your average skin. The Impact Series merges durability, impact
absorbing features and style in a single, slim-fit silicone layer.
"The
OtterBox for iPhone Defender Series case line offers users the ultimate
level of protection from drops, dust and scratches. However, some
customers wanted something less bulky and more stylish," said Curt
Richardson, CEO of OtterBox. "With the Impact Series line, we reach
those looking for less extreme, more slim-fit protection by
incorporating the successful silicone design used in the Defender
Series."
The OtterBox for iPhone 3G Impact Series provides complete user
interaction and access to the headphone jack, silence switch,
sync/charge jack, speakers, microphone, sensors and camera. Home,
sleep/wake and volume buttons remain accessible through silicone pass
through buttons. Inner corners of the case dissipate impact away from
the iPhone to protect from bump and shock.
Visit www.otterbox.com to explore additional OtterBox protection for
your iPhone 3G and other Apple devices.
Additional Information for OtterBox 1943 Impact Series:
Dimensions (Case Only): 4.66" x 2.59" x 0.64"
Approximate Weight (Case Only; including layer 1): 0.6 oz. (15g)
Colors:
Environmental Protection: Added protection against bump and
shock
Case not protected against water. Will provide some added
protection against bump and shock.
Link: OtterBox
1943 Impact Series
Marware Eco Vue for iPod touch 2G
PR: Marware Inc., designer and manufacturer of
innovative products for the Apple market, announces the Eco Vue for
iPod touch 2G. The Eco Vue is perfect for gaming or enjoying any of the
hundreds of applications for your iPod touch while providing superior
protection. The Eco Vue comes with a clear screen protector that
provides scratch protection without adding bulk or loss of screen
sensitivity. This eco-friendly case for the iPod touch 2G is perfect
for use in pockets, bags, purses, or backpacks.
Features:
- Eco-friendly reinforced case
- Open-faced design for full touch screen access
- Allows full access to all touch features and functionality
- Strap closure system
- INCLUDES: eco-friendly jacket, clear film protector, and microfiber
cleaning cloth
- Marware's Lifetime Warranty
The Eco Vue is available in black, eco-friendly material. It retails
for $29.99 and is available now for pre-order online. Please visit
Marware online for updated shipping dates. Marware is a leading
provider of software and accessory solutions for Apple iPhones, iPods,
and Notebooks.
Link:
Marware Eco Vue for iPod touch 2G
