Tim Cox

No way would I ever plug in my Gibson SG Les Paul Custom into my iPhone 3G. Just no way. Now that I have the iPhone 4 and its increased processor speed, crystal clear pictures, and hardcore stage presence, I’ll reconsider.

Seriously though, playing an instrument through an iDevice is more of just a hobby or gimmick if you’re going to try and use it for modeling amps and effect pedals. What really convinced me to hook up a quarter inch jack to my phone was the Moog Filtatron App. Synthesizers are most certainly perfect for and acceptable to use in your music even if they’re coming from you Macbook or iPad. If they have the Moog name attatched to it then you’re just that much more legit.

If you have a box full of cables tucked away somewhere, you may have all that you need to construct your very own iRig. Even if you purchased all the cables from The Shack, you’ll probably come away with a cheaper version, and you’ll feel like MacGyver.

Here’s how I put together my own audio interface:

Keep your Mac and Windows Mobile device in perfect sync: Address Book, Calendar entries, To Dos, browsers bookmarks, Mail notes and entourage ones, iTunes, iPhoto, folders and more. You can manage SMS messages with an ease of your Mac keyboard, which makes reading, sending or deleting your messages a fast and easy task. We’re giving away 10 SyncMate Expert Edition licenses from Eltima Software to you, our fun and loyal readers. Not rocking the new iPhone and instead using an Android phone?  This application will help you easily sync with that, too!

Here’s how to win a copy of SyncMate:

1. Become a fan of our Facebook page.
2. Post a link to your favorite Cult of Mac article from the past week or two on your Facebook profile.
3. Comment on our Facebook page wall that you posted the link.

Guidelines: You must be 18 years old to enter the giveaway.  This giveaway is void where prohibited.  NO purchase is necessary to enter the giveaway.

Special thanks to Eltima Software for providing these license keys.  Each license has a retail value of $39.95.

Today is a good day for innovation.

The crew over at BreakfastNY created a helium filled blimp controlled by an iPad’s accelerometer and demoed it at a crowded party that I wasn’t invited to. Thanks, guys.

So the Blimp was cool and everything but they were able to stream live video feed from the blimp to a big screen while guests took turns taking iPad Blimp for a spin. Here’s a description from BreakfastNY:

This year’s Design Week after-party featured a silent auction of 23 KidRobot Munny characters created by the world’s top industrial designers. To show off these creations to the thousand guests, we flew a 52″ camera-enabled blimp over their heads. The blimp (a modified BlimpDuino) was controlled by an iPad which was receiving the live video-feed from the cockpit. When guests looked up, they watched as their faces were transformed into those of the Munny characters up for auction. The feed also went up on a big screen at the event and the event’s site allowing everyone to get in on the action.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRlQTBPtYfc&feature=player_embedded

We here at Cult of Mac receive a ton of email asking “What’s the best _____?” or “I just got a new iP___,  tell me what sweet apps I should purchase!” Though we try to cover the vast realm of the best of Apple products, software, and accessories we know that crowdsourcing it to you guys will give us some interesting results.

We’re posting questions on our Facebook Page or Twitter profile and taking your answers into consideration. Here’s the first question of our Nerd Debates: “What’s the best iPhone case out there and why?”

Our favorite app for the iPhone, Tweetie 2, has made a quick getaway from the App Store. It looks like Tweetie 2’s new owners, Twitter, might be replacing it with it’s Twitter for iPhone app in mere moments (or this week).

The recent update to Tweetie 2 included a slot machine pop-up that would run if you pulled down to refresh. It was pretty cool the first time I experienced it-actually the first two times since you had to pull twice to see the message “Coming Soon: Tweetie will be Twitter for iPhone.”

But soon after I hated everything about it and I never wanted to see the message again. It took me a while but you can actually pull down to refresh gently enough so as not to disturb the slot machine monster that I wish would die.

Twitter for iPhone should be released tomorrow. Keep it here for the details.

Free Radical Software has just released Rhythmic for iPhone and iPod Touch. Rhythmic allows one user to transfer song information, including relevant song data and cover art, from their device to another with the same technology used to transfer contacts in the popular iPhone app Bump.

Once a track is Bumped, the recipient can choose to download the track from iTunes.

I could see this app working well at iPod nights at your local beverage dispensing establishment. Can you think of other instances when this might come in handy? I can’t. I’m also weary of the negative comments in the App Store. Fun idea, though.

Bill Maher might be on to something. The politicomedian made a bold statement last night that suggested Steve Jobs (aka Sven Jorbs) should make a run for the Oval Office.

Last week, President Obama admitted to being technologically challenged. Maher, noting that the President’s historic run for office was fueled primarily by social networking, refused to take Barry’s ignorance as adorable. Video and transcript after the jump.

The Todo app for the iPad was released recently, and to celebrate Appigo is offering this gorgeous little piece of productivity for $4.99; 50% off of its everyday $9.99 price tag.

About Todo:

Todo is a powerful set of tools that makes task management simple and fun. Use Todo on your iPad or iPhone alone or synchronize your tasks to your desktop (iCal or Outlook) using Appigo Sync (free download) or to the web using the popular online todo list Toodledo. Todo helps you focus on what matters most and allows you to integrate the Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology or your own.

Appigo has noted that future updates to Todo for iPad are free.

Quickerteck has done it again! First they brought us a charge monitor for the iPad that indicates if you’re getting enough juice to charge your pad. Now they’ve brought us a 10 watt foldable solar panel for the iPad that comes with the aforementioned charge monitor.

Quickerteck states that the panels will charge your iPad as fast as using a wall charger and they can be yours for a cool $250.

The name of the product is the best part: Apple Juicz.

My questions to you: Would you use this? Is it reasonably priced?

It looks like in-flight entertainment will become a little less annoying in July 2010.

Bluebox Avionics has announced its Ai IFE  which “leverages the power, flexibility and quality of the most advanced consumer device ever produced” (apprently that’s the iPad). Flight attendants would either pass out iPads or chain them to your tray tables and you could enjoy a Airline specific iPad experience  thanks to Bluebox’s proprietary security solution and custom apps.

I’m not sure how practical this is, but it would be nice to move away from the seat-back touchscreens with the hidden credit card swiper.

[via Engadget]

One of my must-have apps from the iPhone is not only breaking down barriers between consumer shopping habits and the online marketplace, but also passing milestones left and right.

The top-selling barcode-scanning iPhone app RedLaser has recently passed 2 Million downloads, catered to 950K active users last month, and successfully completed 50 Million scans according to a press release by Occipital CEO Jeff Powers.

The 50 millionth scan was of a Deuter Backpack scanned by a RedLaser user in Germany.

RedLaser now has the ability to locate books at a local library via WorldCat and look up packaged food allergen and nutrition information based on the item’s barcode.

I have a feeling barcode tattoos will be making a comeback in the very near future.

[via MobileCrunch]

Japanese blog KODAWARISAN sent us this picture of a 15″ Macbook Pro i7 with an interesting keyboard configuration. Instead of a command and option key on the bottom right of the keyboard there are two command keys.

This brings the total number of command keys to 3. The Google translation of the blog indicates that this notebook is a rare “Three-Sword Style Macbook Pro.” The name alone makes me want it now.

Imagine the amount of work you could slice through with three command keys. Here’s the translation according to Google.

Steam has arrived for your Intel chipped Mac with an impressive list of titles for your playing pleasure. We have been anxiously awaiting this contemporary gaming standard’s arrival and I for one am pleased with the titles made immediately available.

Diablo-esque Torchlight is half price at $9.99. If you want to test out Steam’s prowess without  having to spend your allowance you can download Valve’s puzzler Portal for FREE until May 24th. I know it sounds too good to be true but this cleverly worded promo page backs me up.

Head over to Joystiq.com to check out the list of titles and download link.

Adding fuel to the free MobileMe rumors, Apple began issuing invitations to its new MobileMe Mail beta to existing MobileMe users yesterday.

MobileMe Mail beta features include:

• Widescreen and compact views.
• Rules to keep your email organized everywhere.
• Single-click archiving.
• Formatting toolbar.
• Improved webmail performance.
• SSL security.

You can claim your invitation by logging into MobileMe through me.com. The invite should be on the bottom left corner. MobileMe Mail beta is currently only available in English.

[via TUAW]

“Everything that Apple makes is meant to be dropped”

Adam Carolla tells it like it is in his latest rant about Apple products including a demonstration using his lucite handled Apple Tower. (Anyone know the model?) And apparently everything that Apple makes is shaped like soap.

Adam’s off TV, but he’s certainly doing well for himself. Check out Adam Carolla on his podcast available in iTunes.

CBS announced on Friday that they will be going the HTML5 optimized route to bring content to your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Instead of creating a slick app like ABC’s, CBS thinks the best way to enter the post-flash mobile web is through CBS.com.

CBS Interactive SVP Anthony SooHoo confirmed to NewTeeVee.com that the 2010 Fall line-up will be available to non-flash users. I love how CBS’s move to HTML5 is based solely on the iPad:

Unlike ABC, which built an iPad app to deliver its full-length episodes and promotional clips on the device, CBS decided to focus on delivering video through its website, CBS.com. Since the Apple tablet doesn’t support Adobe Flash, CBS has created a video site for the iPad through HTML5 instead. It’s still early days, but Soohoo expects CBS to deploy more and more video that is iPad-ready, until it reaches content parity with what’s available on the website through a PC.

Interestingly enough, CBS is exploring some unique advertising opportunities to take advantage of the iPad’s multitouch capabilities.

I didn’t think anything could make me happier than Netflix coming to the iPad and soon iPhone, but I was wrong.

It’s just a mere mention, and there’s no promises or commitments, but Boxee has hinted at eventual expansion into Apple’s mobile universe. In Boxee’s post about payment system provider Vindicia, they mentioned their plans to move to the mobile platform:

Vindicia’s flexibility also makes it possible for us to enable payments on our website and across mobile platforms like the iPhone, Android and iPad. Boxee’s eventual expansion to these platforms will pave the way for universally accessible content no matter where a user is (we love this idea!).

Who knew that the headphone jack on your iPhone could be so freaking functional?!

Perhaps anticipating the release of no-brainer summer blockbuster MacGruber, HMB Tec has a host of gadgets that plug right into your iPhone headphone jack and turn your device into an oscilloscope, stethoscope, thermometer, or pocket fan–whichever necessary tools your dire situation requires.

The accessories cost between $20 and $90 (not including shipping) and HMB TEC’s apps cost between $ 0.99 and $4.99.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adSZdQTk0nI&feature=player_embedded

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6QqE3a8LzA&feature=player_embedded

[via recombu.com]

I wish I could tell you that LaLa.com is coming back or that Apple is bringing music subscriptions and unlimited downloads to our iPhones/Pads. I can’t.

What is apparent is that Apple has recently filed to trademark “iTunes Live” and  plans to use it for two things:

– Online retail store services in the field of entertainment featuring prerecorded musical, audio and audiovisual content

– Entertainment services, namely, arranging and conducting of concerts and live musical performances

Apple could not only have their hands in the way we purchase and listen to music, but also live music performances and  the ability to make them readily available as product. Let’s just hope this signals one of many features to be made available this summer with the iPhone OS 4 release and impending iTunes upgrade.

[via TechCrunch]

With the launch of its low priced Kobo e-reader shipping in June, Borders has announced an e-reader app to make its millions of titles library available to iPhone, iPad, and OS X users everywhere.

At only $149.99, the Borders reader might appeal to a larger audience of ebook users, including current iPad users who want to read their Dostoyevsky at the beach.

Borders’ store also boasts millions of titles while Apple’s iBookstore has “tens of thousands.” The non-Boders version of Kobo is currently available for iPhone and iPad, but I’m excited to see what Borders’ influence and eBookstore will do in the name of competition.

Borders could create significant buzz by bringing lower prices and a creative and unique interface to the ePublishing table.

With the iPad’s arrival to nine countries on May 28th, Apple is beefing up it’s bid for world e-publishing domination.

The iBooks app and iBookstore will be available through iTunes alongside the iPad’s next international release. Apple’s country specific press releases for Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the UK all indicate the immediate availability of iBooks and the iBookstore when the iPad hits stores.

iBooks comes to the iPhone and iPod touch with the release of iPhone OS 4 this summer.

[via MacRumors]

I guess it’s time to add another line to the Steve Jobs Email Reply Generator.

When asked Friday about why there isn’t a stock printing function for the iPad, (possibly fake) Steve Jobs replied in true sensei form:  “It will come.”

iWork makes its beautiful debut on the iPad and we still can’t print. What Steve should have said was “It will come on Tuesday.”

While it’s easy to put words into Steve Job’s email mouth and make the news, I’m just impressed this guy–fake or not–replied in 16 minutes.

[via MacRumors]

I’m happy to report that I was wrong about the iRetroFone Base. The handset works! Good Lord, I need one immediately.

Great News! You don’t have to wait to use your iPad as a MIDI device.

Jameson Proctor, fellow Brooklyn resident and newly established app developer, has brought us a fantastic iPad Midi Controller for $4.99.

MxNM LE, which stands for Mix N Match MIDI Limited Edition, offers 135 virtual buttons sliders and knobs for your programming pleasure and you’ll need to use the MxNM WiFi Server to connect your iPad to your sequencing software of choice. The next update will allow the user to add labels to each control. I can’t wait for an OSC release to give me my monome fix.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z00VCzoIVc

Need another reason to justify your purchase of a frivolous iPad? Pop Cap Games shows us just how valuable the iPad touchscreen surface is for gaming in a demo of Plants Vs. Zombies HD.

Apparently, the iPad can handle 11 simultaneous points of contact, which is perfect for the man with six fingers on his right hand. Or if you’re into playing games with friends and stuff, this makes for some great multiplayer action. Imagine 11-way air hockey, or 11-way Hungry Hungry Hippos. Which reminds me, when is the board game Crossfire coming to the App Store?

This is the cutest game demo video I have ever seen. It’s almost as cute as the trailer for Babies.

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP6lIcScVh0&feature=player_embedded