Cult of Mac

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 — If you’re goin’ to San Francisco, flowers in your hair are always a nice touch but this week the iMacworld app on your Apple mobile device could win you $1000.

The free app, available on the iTunes App Store, will not only help you get around the giant Conference and Expo happening Thursday – Saturday at San Francisco’s sprawling Moscone West convention center, but it also has interesting tips and information valuable to locals and visitors alike.

Through a promotional tie-in to another free app called AskLocal — one lucky user is going to win $1000 in a cleverly designed Treasure hunt.

Familiarity with Ask Local will be an advantage to anyone hoping to win the prize, according to a message that greets visitors to the Community button on the iMacworld main page, so if you’re headed to Macworld, you’ve got more to learn about than you thought.

This just in from the remains of CES: Italian design firm Lavatelli has created a prototype emoticon keypad which plugs into a USB port. Soon you’ll be able to express joy, sadness, cheekiness and other ASCIImotion with just the touch of a finger! Email users and internet forum readers are atwitter in anticipation – or perhaps for some, dread.

No word yet if this will be Mac compatible. What would really be handy is a way to add a virtual emoticon keyboard to your iPhone or iPad – now that would be useful! :)

[via Geek.com]

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 — Despite the demise of the xServe, Apple products can be and are a good fit in the enterprise, according to John Welch of the Zimmerman Agency, who spoke on Apple in the Enterprise at the Macworld Industry Forum Wednesday at Macworld 2011.

First of all Apple is not an enterprise company — it is not Microsoft, not Cisco, not IBM.

But Apple doesn’t need to be an enterprise company to be a source of solid products that work well in the Enterprise, said Welch, who spoke from 20 years of experience deploying Apple products in business.

This is pretty amazing. Hacker Apoc269 has somehow figured out how to make 3D icons on the iPhone’s home screen — and without glasses.

Check out the video. The icons appear to be 3D when the iPhone’s screen is rotated and  looked at from diffferent angles. Very cool.

Coming soon via Cydia, Apoc269 says. So get jailbreaking now.

Via 9to5Mac.

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 — Apple is perceived as closed and proprietary, but the company has been very generous to the open web, and that generosity has benefited Apple in turn, says pundit John Gruber.

Speaking at Macworld 2011’s opening Industry Forum, Gruber noted that most of the best browsers on the market today are based on Apple’s WebKit, an open source browser engine developed and supported by Apple.

Apple allows its competitors to base their browsers on Apple’s technology, including Google, Nokia and Palm. Indeed, Palm’s entire webOS is based on Apple’s Webkit.

Why does Apple do this?

Because an open web is beneficial to Apple. Ten years ago, most software vendors developed for Windows and Apple was locked out. Napster is a good example, Gruber said. Napster was built for Windows, and Apple users were was largely excluded until third-party Mac clients were build much later.

These days, software companies build for the open Web. Twitter and Facebook, for example, were built for the Web.

“When Windows was the baseline platform for the industry, Apple was left out,” Gruber said. “But these days, if companies develop for the Web, Apple is included.”

This wouldn’t have happened if Apple hadn’t supported and encouraged the web as a development environment, partly by giving Webkit away.

“Apple has benefited tremendously from the rise of the Web,” said Gruber. “And the Web has benefited from contributions from Apple.”

Is OS X’s built-in Terminal app just too modern for you? Miss the days of phosphorescent emerald text burning through the convex black screen of an old cathode ray tube, slowly updating itself at 300 baud as it de-syncs and interlaces like crazy?

Me too. Cathode is a new terminal app that uses OpenGL and Cocoa to emulate the look of a vintage terminal, right down to the curve of the screen, the flicker and the jitter.

Geeky? Exquisitely so. As someone who grew up playing Rogue on an ancient IBM terminal, though, Cathode is right up my alley… especially given Nethack’s excellent OS X Terminal port. Now that’s the way a rogue-like is meant to be played!

Cathode is shareware, but use it for too long and the image quality will slowly degrade until you pay $20 for a license.

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 –There’s no great secret to understanding what Apple has up its sleeves, according to Jason Snell, editor-in-chief of Macworld magazine, who spoke to attendees about “How Apple Does It” at the Macworld Conference and Expo Industry Forum Wednesday morning.

Anyone who makes a habit of keeping up with technology news understands one of the longest running games in the business involves predicting what Apple will do next.

Despite its reputation as an obsessively secret company that consistently produces products no one ever thought they needed until Steve Jobs invented them, Snell described Apple as a consistent, rational company that doesn’t do anything unexpected — and doesn’t rely on crazy mind control to achieve its success.

From the company’s very founding, the roles Jobs & his cofounder Steve Wozniak played suggested Apple’s future: Jobs understood marketing and Woz was technically brilliant at making complex technology work. One of them understood products and the other understood technology; the way they worked together would become Apple’s greatest strength and one day set their company apart from all others in American business.

I generally don’t like corks that I can’t rip out with my teeth or suck on when there’s no booze in the house, but the Kork case for iPad might change my mind: it’s a cork board approach to protecting your tablet that isn’t just environmentally friendly — each case is made of recycled cork — but is also pretty attractive.

$67 will get you one: I’m tempted just so I can attach girly postcards to the back with pushpins.

The Verizon iPhone does not support the carrier’s blistering new LTE wireless network, but a future 4G iPhone will says China Mobile chairman Wang Jianzhou.

“Apple has made it clear they will support TD-LTE,” Wang recently said at the Davos Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “We hope that when they develop the next-generation models, since Apple can create CDMA, they can also consider developing TD-SCDMA.”

There’s little doubt that Jianzhou is right, but while there’s little doubt that Apple will eventually take the plunge and release an iPhone 4G, it’s the “when” people are curious about.

Last June, AT&T killed off their iPhone unlimited data plan, replacing it with a slightly cheaper plan with a 2GB data limit, which they said was pretty much all the data that anyone used anyway… so this was actually saving you money. No one bought it, but there was nothing to be done. Where else were you going to get an iPhone?

Now, things are very different. It’s seven months later, and Verizon’s not only got the iPhone, but they’re rolling it out with their own $30 unlimited data plan. Predictably, we’re not hearing reports that AT&T is backtracking and quietly offering customers who were previously on unlimited plans all-you-can-eat data… as long as they don’t switch to Verizon.

There’s only one verified example of this so far. Jose Argumedo of Brentwood, NY says that he and a friend were switched to an unlimited plan after they called AT&T’s customer service.

That’s hardly very solid evidence of a mass reversal of policy, but AT&T’s actually not denying that they’re offering customers unlimited data to stay, with spokesman Mark Siegel saying: “We handle customers and their situations individually, and we’re not going to discuss specifics.”

Basically, it looks like AT&T is offering users the option to switch to unlimited data right now, as long as they have had the unlimited version in the past. If that sounds like you, today’s the day to try calling up Ma Bell and seeing what they can do for you.

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 — As one of the key architects of the original Macintosh, programming legend Bill Atkinson is in a good position to make sensible predictions about the future of tomorrow’s computer interfaces.

And he says the future of computers is smartphones with natural language interfaces. We won’t be tapping on our iPhone’s screens, we’ll be talking to them in natural language. And they’ll be talking back.

We’ll wear a tiny video-equipped earpiece that will see, hear and record everything we do. On the other end, in the cloud, will be a virtual personal assistant that will act as a cognitive prosthesis.

Macworld 2011 is finally here, and those of you lucky enough to be attending will be amongst the first to discover the coolest new software, hardware, and accessories for use with our favorite Apple devices; as well as expert advice, demonstrations, and instructions on how to get the most out of these products.

To help you survive the four days of excitement and celebration, we’ve compiled a great list of iOS applications that will ensure you experience the best of both the Macworld Expo, and the beautiful city of San Francisco. The applications we’ve selected will help you find a taxi to your accommodation when you touchdown at the airport; navigate your way around the city and discover everything there is to see; find the best places to eat, drink, catch a show, or meet friends; and lots more.

However, our list of applications isn’t just for those attending the conference – for those of you stuck at home this week, we’ve also included some great applications that will ensure you’re kept up to date with the latest news and everything that’s unmissable at Macworld.

Check out our list of applications after the break, and here’s to a great Macworld 2011!

SAN FRANCISCO, MACWORLD 2011 — When Apple discontinued the Xserve server last year, there was a huge outcry from the IT crowd.

But as one school in Hawaii has demonstrated, the Xserve platform is a dinosaur.

You don’t have to be an artist to create one of the coolest DIY Apple accessories around, but if you want to use your iPad while working out on your exercycle, stairmaster or treadmill at home it couldn’t hurt.

Of course, you could drop a lot of dough on a commercial device that may or may not perform up to expectations in the real world, or even import top gear that looks like something out of a sci-fi fantasy.

But why not look around the house for a few simple materials that, with a bit of creative ingenuity, you can employ to do the job just as well?

We start the day with an iMac bundle from Expercom. Along with an 2.8GHz i7 processor, the desktop machine has a 17-inch screen. Bundled along with the iMac are 16GB of RAM and a three-year AppleCare contract — all for $2,099. Another deal features price cuts on select iPhone applications, including the game “Chop Chop Hockey.” We round out the spotlight with a 1.4GHz MacBook Air for $920.

Along the way, we also take a look at some screen protectors for your iPad, as well as a 93 percent off deal on iPhone 4 cases and software for your Mac. As usual, details on these and many more items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Another sign I should move to San Diego: After playing around with their 15-watt solar panel and a 6oWh HyperMac battery, the folks at Voltaic have found the two perfectly compatible — meaning a MacBook can be taken completely off the grid, and theoretically used without ever needing to be plugged in. Voltaic says you should get about 45 minutes of runtime for every hour in the sun for a 13″ MB/P (much less for more power-hungry units). You can even use the HyperMac to power your MB while it’s charging.

The 60Wh HyperMac battery is $170, and Voltaic’s 15-watt solar charger is $200; that’s just under $400 to create a MacBook that’s perfectly happy out in the boonies (as long as the boonies are bathed in lots of sun).

Apple’s product release cycle can seem mysterious if you’re new to the fold, but old hands know roughly when to expect the next refresh of each of Apple’s product lines. So when the Three Guys and a Podcast blogs say that new iMacs should be due in March, they aren’t really saying anything that MacRumors’ Buyer’s Guide couldn’t tell you.

More interesting than the new Macs in March revelation is some of the other predictions Three Guys and a Podcast have put together: they expect that solid state drives will be coming to all Macs starting this year, loading the OS on one drive while pairing them with larger traditional HDDs for storage. The end result should be much, much speedier Macs all around (trust me on this one: my 27-inch top-of-the-line iMac has collected dust ever since I got my 11-inch MacBook Air).

Additionally, we should see Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors in this year’s Macs, as well as improved (but not Retina Display) resolutions in the 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs, thanks to Apple’s ongoing investments in display technology. A modest refresh for right now, but just wait until the next refresh, when Apple tackles the iMac line with more radical redesigns in mind. I can’t wait.

Remember Apple’s recent comments it did not believe the iPad would cannibalize sales of other products, such as the iPod or Mac? While many considered such a positive outlook as whistling past the graveyard, one analyst Wednesday came to the Cupertino, Calif. company’s defense.

“Although both iPhone and iPad have crossed over and are selling more units than their internal competitors, the old guard has not faded away,” writes Asymco analyst Horace Dediu.

UPDATE: Apple has pulled the Verizon pricing pages. But they were up long enough to get the details.

The prices for the Verizon iPhone are now here. Here’s what we’re looking at.

Launching in the traditional 16GB (MC676LL/A ) and 32GB (MC678LL/A) varieties, the Verizon iPhone 4 will only come in black, which ends speculation for right now that the CDMA iPhone’s debut would afford Apple an opportunity to launch the long-delayed white iPhone 4.

Available talk plans are 450 minutes of talk time per month for $39.99, 900 minutes per month with unlimited calls to five people for $59.99 per month, and unlimited talk time for $69.99 per month.

As previously discussed, data comes all-you-can-eat for $29.99, with an additional 2GB for tethering available for $49.99 per month.

As for text messages, you can either pay-per-use at the rip-off rate of $0.20 per text and $0.25 per video or picture. Plan-wise, you can either opt for 250 messages for $5 per month, 500 messages for $10 per month, or unlimited for $20 per month.

As with the AT&T models, a 16GB iPhone will cost you $199 subsidized, while the 32GB model will cost $299.

Lawyers defending a pair of brothers accused with murdering for the mob want to give them iPods so they can review the evidence against them, ensuring they have adequate time and means to prepare a defence.

Fotios “Freddy” and Ty Geas, brothers and reputed mob enforcers, are accused in the 2003 murders of organized-crime boss Adolfo Bruno and henchman Gary D. Westerman.

Their lawyers say they have had only two hours per week over four months to pore over thousands of pages and hundreds of hours of audio recordings, all of it potential evidence offered by prosecutors for a trial at U.S. District Court in Manhattan beginning March 8.

When Verizon announced the iPhone was coming to their network in February, there weren’t many surprises waiting for attendees: the Verizon iPhone had been strongly rumored for years, with those rumors solidifying vagueness into near certainty since November of last year, when the New York Times reported the Verizon iPhone’s imminent arrival as fact. The handset itself wasn’t anything special, just an iPhone 4 with CDMA guts. In fact, about the only thing that surprised everyone was that the Verizon iPhone would operate as a mobile hotspot for up to five other devices over WiFi thanks to a new Personal Hotspot app.

Pretty cool… but Verizon was being tight-lipped about how much it would cost, if anything. Well, wonder no more: Verizon has just confirmed that the feature will cost $20 per month on top of your existing data plan.

Honestly, this isn’t really very surprising. Verizon’s other smartphones also charge $20 for personal hotspot privileges. You may grouse that Verizon’s $30 unlimited data plan for smartphones should cover this — what do they care where your phone is offloading its data to — but in truth, laptops suck up a lot more data than iPhones.

With that in mind, probably the most disappointing aspect of Verizon’s Personal Hotspot plan is that it limits you to only 2GB of data, with each gigabyte ove thatr costing up to $20. Note that Verizon is offering unlimited data to iPhones — which actually use less data than laptops — but enforcing the traditional 2GB cap for more data intensive devices. How backwards.

Back in 2008, when Apple first opened the iOS App Store, the Apple headlines were full of basement developers reporting unparalleled, million-plus sales. It was easy to chalk that app shopping frenzy up to iPhone fever, but I wondered: would developers do as well when the Mac App Store launched, especially if they’d been selling their wares on Macs for years?

Apparently so. Pixelmator has just announced that they have chalked up $1 million in their first 20 days on the Mac App Store.

Pixelmator is probably the cream of the crop of Photoshop alternatives. A lightweight image manipulation tool with support for layers, layer groups, gradients, transform tools and even 64-bit optimization, Pixelmator is currently on sale for $29.99 on the Mac App Store… several hundred dollars less than what a copy of Photoshop would cost you, and for most people, almost as good.

It’s a fantastic product for people who want something more elegantly Mac-like than GIMP but who don’t quite need Photoshop’s more esoterically advanced feature set (let alone price). The incredible success Pixelmator is enjoying makes me wonder if we can expect the Mac App Store to turn the spotlight on other lesser known alternatives to prestige apps and turn their developers into over night millionaires.

The iPad may live up to Apple’s own “magical” pr. If you define the tablet as a PC, than the Cupertino, Calif. company grew 241 percent year-or-year, making it third in global sales, ahead of Dell and just two places behind HP. Wednesday, one analyst firm released numbers of “strong PC industry growth” amounting to 19 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010.

Canalys views the iPad (or ‘pad,’ as the company refers to the tablet) as the second-coming of netbooks. Remember netbooks? They help breath life into otherwise struggling PC sales. “Pads gave the market momentum in 2010, just as netbooks did the year before,” one senior analyst wrote.

Heading to San Francisco to MacWorld? Here are some things to do during your precious free time – between strippers, actors and coffee, we’ve got you covered.

1. Go to a Strip Club

Eleven of the city’s big name strip clubs in North Beach are offering free or discounted admission with your Macworld badge. They include the SF classic hotspots like the Hungry-i,  the Condor and the Garden of Eden as well as Centerfolds and the Gold Club.

It begs the question: do they think Macworld is exclusively a man’s world, or that all Macs are horny and lonely? You decide.

Extra tip: if you’re into multitasking — and don’t mind the smell of strawberry body oil while you eat — the Hustler Club reportedly has an excellent happy hour buffet.

Apple has just been awarded a rather elaborate patent for gloves you can use to operate a capacitive touchscreen. You know, like . Or these. Prior art, much?