__________________ Once upon a time, companies built computers because there was money to be made by putting computational power into the hands of skilled individuals. In the Apple II days, people who bought them likely were already working with computers at work, and they revelled in the idea of having some computational fun at home.…
iOS
iCal: Showing Event Times
Yes, I see that my first meeting is set before the others, but what time does it start? Why do I have to select the event or change my view just to find out? Oh, the teeth gnashing. I’m so glad there’s a way around this, and here it is. Choose the iCal > Preferences…
Apple Shows Off Mountain Lion’s iCloud, Dictation, More
Apple reiterated that iCloud support will be built-in at the system level and added that apps such as Pages, Numbers and Keynote all auto-sync documents through iCloud. Messages, which is currently available as a public beta, also relies on iCloud, as does Reminders syncing.Mountain Lion: Coming next monthMountain Lion will include a Reminders app just…
The Unintended Consequences of a Post-PC Era
_____________________For example, we always knew that it was a fantasy to believe that a notebook computer alone, even with large storage directly attached, is really the right device to store a massive family archive. iCloud is a store and forward, syncing cloud. Apple doesn’t have room for your terabyte collection of videos. Families of the…
Absinthe 2.0 Provides Untethered Jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1
Absinthe 2.0 is an update on the “Absinthe A5” jailbreak from January of this year that brought jailbreak support to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 for the first time. Today’s release supports all iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches except for the iPad 2,4 – the new “lower priced” iPad 2 with a 32nm processor.…
F18 Carrier Landing (iOS) is a Boatload of Fun
Landing a jet fighter on an aircraft carrier is one of the hardest things humans do. So it’s a great candidate for a game, both as a challenge and as a sobering introduction to the real thing. This game has great visuals and is easy to fly, but it’s not really a technical flight simulator.…
F-Sim Space Shuttle for iOS: A Superb Flight Simulator
Sometimes there are apps that are so amazing, so well done, so technically pleasing, that one is in awe. Such is the case for F-Sim’s Space Shuttle landing simulator. The graphics on a retina display are astounding. The technical depth is amazing. If you’ve ever wanted to experience what it’s like to land the Space…
iTunes: Adding Media Files Automatically
What do you do with the folder when you find it? As its name implies, any compatible media that you drop in there—MP3s, QuickTime files, AIFFs, WAVs, and so on—will be added to iTunes the next time it opens. So you could create a Dock shortcut to this folder for easy drag-and-drop access if that’s…
iTunes: Rename iDevices in iTunes Without Restoring
We had the iPad configured just the way we like it, except for the name, so restoring it was something we wanted to avoid if possible. And then, in one of those “it’s so simple, why didn’t we know this?” moments, we figured it out. To rename an iDevice without restoring it, simply connect it…
How to Update iOS Firmware On Multiple Devices With One File
The increased size of firmware updates is a necessary result of increased functionality but, when multiple iDevices need updating, the download times and bandwidth cap hits can be noticeable. Thankfully, iTunes is smart enough to store the firmware update after it’s been downloaded the first time, and it will reuse that file to update subsequent…
3 Free iOS Word Games
1. You must be a gingko snorting brainiac to be any good at word games. WRONG! While a healthy vocabulary helps it won’t guarantee a super high score or a win every time. Strategy is the ticket. Knowing some key words (often these are two, three, and four letter words) to use when you’re in…
iTunes: Enabling “Show in iTunes Library”
Note that when you select a song in iTunes (no matter what view you’re using), you’ll see a drop-down arrow appear next to its name.Clicking on that arrow reveals a handy little menu, which by default is labeled Show in iTunes Store. From there, you can select the song, artist, or album to bring up…
Astronomy Buddy for iOS is Unfriendly
Astronomy Buddy is an iPhone or iPad app that describe itself as “the ultimate tool” for learning about astronomy as well as a helper for teachers. It includes lessons, quizzes, news feeds, astronomy videos and maps to the major observatories. However, the visual presentation and depth of explanatory material are not well matched. The Home…
3 iOS Items For Writers
I like to write. I don’t claim to do it well, but I do enjoy it. The style of writing I enjoy most is short story fiction. I suppose it’s because a good short story packs in a lot from beginning to end and leaves you feeling mentally sated. It’s like eating a great meal…
How to Get Mailing Lists for Email in iOS
With iOS and iDevices becoming more capable every year, more people are switching to an iPad or iPhone as their primary means of communication and productivity. Unfortunately for users who rely on email, the Mail app on iOS does not currently support mailing lists, requiring users to manually enter the email addresses of the multiple…
Steve Jobs Reportedly Envisioned Ad-Supported OS
The idea, never implemented, would give customers a free version of the Mac operating system in exchange for occasional advertisements that users would be forced to watch. Mr. Segall explains that customers would still have the option to purchase the standard version of OS 9, but those without the desire to pay could upgrade to…
3 Free iOS Apps for Hunger Games Fans
And now they’ve gone and made a movie of it. I suppose, like wooded vistas razed to make strip malls, that had to happen eventually. The thing is that Hunger Games: The Movie may not be that bad. I say, “may,” because I haven’t seen it yet. The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and…
SugarSync 3.0 for iOS Gets New Interface, More
SugarSync 3.0 on the iPadVersion 3.0 sports a redesigned interface with support for swipe and drag gestures, lets users view the contents of several folders at the same time, offers quick access to photo and video backup options, fixed several bugs, and more.SugarSync’s online storage service is available for free. It includes 5GB of storage, and…
iOS 5.1: Deleting Images from Photo Stream [Updated]
Use the Trash button to delete single images from Photo StreamTo delete images from Photo Stream, you’ll have to pay a visit to the Photos app. Once there, tap the Photo Stream tab, select an image, and then tap the trash button. Alternately, you can tap the Sharing button before selecting an image, and then…
Send Large Photos From iPhone To Anyone With Kicksend
Kicksend has developed an iPhone app that works in conjunction with it’s Kicksend Internet program to allow users to quickly send up to 30 high-res photos or videos at a time from an iPhone to anyone, anywhere, at any time. With the Kicksend iPhone app, there are no constraints on photo size, and no concerns…
iOS 5.1: Over the Air Software Updates
Here’s how to install an iOS update on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch using iOS 5’s over-the-air update feature: Tap Settings. Tap General. Tap Software Update. If an update is available, you’ll see a list showing what’s new. Tap Download and Install. iOS 5 lets you update the OS without needing iTunes Be sure…
Apple Mail: Finding, Sorting, & Removing Previous Recipients
This is awesome, of course, except when it’s not. So here’s how you can sort and remove out-of-date or incorrect addresses. Your less-plentiful autofill options will be your reward.To get started and see what Apple Mail has been storing for you, choose the menu item Window > Previous Recipients. That’ll bring up a nifty (and sometimes…
Apple Configurator Released for Managing iOS Devices
Preparing iOS Devices with Apple ConfiguratorThe new app makes it easy for the mass configuration and deployment of iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches in schools, businesses, and institutions. Apple Configurator updates 30 devices at a time to the latest version of iOS, configures settings to maintain a standard configuration, and installs apps and data onto…
iOS 5.1: Using the New Lock Screen Camera
iOS 5.1’s new lock screen Camera buttonPreviously, taking photos from the lock screen involved double-tapping the Home button, then tapping the camera button next to the unlock slider. After installing iOS 5.1, the process is still pretty much the same: either tap or double-tap the Home button, but instead of tapping the camera button, slide…