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iThis iThat
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iThisiThat is the place to find Apple and Mac-related podcasts. Whether it's tips and tricks or news and reviews you seek, visit iThisiThat.
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Science and Technology > Gadgets
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| Date Added |
23-May-2007 |
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172 |
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iThis iThat Episodes - | iLifeZone #76 - "Set Default Web Browser" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you how set your computer's default web browser. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone #76 - "Set Default Web Browser"
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| iLifeZone #75 - "Force Quit Applications" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you how to quickly and easily force quit applications. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone #75 - "Force Quit Applications"
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| iLifeZone #74 - Access Files On Your Ipod | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you how to access music and video files on your Mac-based iPod through the Terminal application.
The terminal commands you need for this tutorial are:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
killall Finder
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE
If you decide to reveal the hidden files on your Mac using the instructions in this tutorial, please do so at your own risk.
Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable
way. Enjoy. |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone #74 - Access Files On Your Ipod
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| iLifeZone #73 - Lookup Passwords Using Keychain Access | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you how to look up forgotten passwords using Keychain Access. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable
way. Enjoy. |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone #73 - Lookup Passwords Using Keychain Access
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| ApplePhoneShow #60 | In this week's episode Andy ponders about the ripple effect the new iPhone 3G will have on the smart phone market and how the other big players like Nokia and Google will react. Chris brings you up to speed on the latest iPhone news and "non-news". | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #60 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 72 - "Quick Look" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you how to use Quick Look to efficiently view and play through files on your Mac. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable
way. Enjoy. |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 72 - "Quick Look"
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| iLifezone 71 - "Spotlight Secrets" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode Liana shows you some secrets inside Spotlight. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 71 - "Spotlight Secrets"
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| iLifezone 70 - "Merge PDFs with Preview" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. Have you ever had multiple PDF documents on your computer that belong together? Liana shows you how to merge these documents using Preview. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 70 - "Merge PDFs with Preview"
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| ApplePhoneShow #57 | Scott rounds up the usual suspects, Andy Ihnatko, Chris Breen, with special guest, Liana Lehua, from girlsgonegeek.tv to discuss the impending World Wide Developers Conference. For show notes, please go to http://www.applephoneshow.com | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #57 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifezone 69 - "Resize Images and Email Using Automator" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. Automator was so popular last week, that in this episode, Liana demonstrates how to resize images and email them using Automator. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 69 - "Resize Images and Email Using Automator"
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| ApplePhoneShow #56 | Andy Inhatko talks iPhone rumors, all rumors responsible and irresponsible. Chris Breen talks iPhone news, including a new Mac OS update, and international news. For show notes, please go to http://www.applephoneshow.com | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #56 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 68 - "Using Automater To Apply Image Effects" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to create an Automator application to apply image effects using Preview. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy. |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 68 - "Using Automater To Apply Image Effects"
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| iLifezone 67 - "Add Applications to Menu Bar" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to add applications to your menu bar. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 67 - "Add Applications to Menu Bar"
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| ApplePhoneShow #54 | Andy talks black magic, interviews someone who has a sim unlocked iPhone, and answers listener email. Scott joins Chris to speculate on 2nd gen iPhones, speed enhancements, and international news. For show notes, please go to http://applephoneshow.com | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #54 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifezone 66 - "Quick iPhoto Tips" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how quickly drag photos into iPhoto to later sync with your iPhone. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 66 - "Quick iPhoto Tips"
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| iLifezone 65 - "Make a Book in iPhoto" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to create a book in iPhoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 65 - "Make a Book in iPhoto"
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| ApplePhoneShow #52 | Our one year anniversary, and Scott gathers not only the usual suspects, Andy Inhatko and Chris Breen, but this round table has Liana Lehua from Girls Gone Geek, and Podango's very own Foreign Correspondent, Achim Voermanek joining in on the conversation. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #52 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifezone 64 - "Auto Start Applications" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to login items to auto start applications. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 64 - "Auto Start Applications"
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| iLifezone 63 - "Soundsource" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana talks about how to easily manage audio settings on your Mac. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifezone 63 - "Soundsource"
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| iLifeZone 62 - "Enhance Photos" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana talks about how to enhance photos in iPhoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 62 - "Enhance Photos"
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| iLifeZone 61 - "Time Reminder" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana talks about how to use your Mac to announce the time to you. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 61 - "Time Reminder"
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| iLifeZone 60 - "Rename Multiple Files" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana talks about how to easily rename multiple files. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 60 - "Rename Multiple Files"
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| iLifeZone 59 - "Desktop Management" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana talks about software that will help keep your desktop manageable and free of distraction. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 59 - "Desktop Management"
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| iLIfeZone 58 - "Printer Set Up" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to easily set up printers on a Mac. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLIfeZone 58 - "Printer Set Up"
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| iLifeZone 57 - "Burn Folders" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to easily back up files and burn discs using's the "burn folder." Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 57 - "Burn Folders"
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| iLifeZone 56 - "AppZapper" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana gives some helpful tips how to easily uninstall programs on a Mac using AppZapper. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 56 - "AppZapper"
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| iLifeZone 55 - "Contacts in Address Book" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana gives some helpful tips how to manage contacts in Apple's Address Book . Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 55 - "Contacts in Address Book"
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| iLifeZone 54 - "Spreadsheet Tips For Numbers" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana gives some helpful tips for creating spreadsheets in Apple's Numbers. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 54 - "Spreadsheet Tips For Numbers"
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| iLifeZone 53 - "Disk Images" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to change any disk image picture. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 53 - "Disk Images"
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| iLifeZone 52 - "Subscribe to shared Google Calendars in iCal" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to subscribe to shared Google Calendars in iCal. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 52 - "Subscribe to shared Google Calendars in iCal"
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| iLifeZone 51 - "Create Multiple Libraries" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to create multiple libraries in iPhoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 51 - "Create Multiple Libraries"
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| iLifeZone 50 - "Playing Windows Movie Videos on a Mac" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to play windows movie videos on a Mac using the VLC player. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 50 - "Playing Windows Movie Videos on a Mac"
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| iLifeZone 49 - "Applying Effects in iPhoto" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to apply effects in Iphoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 49 - "Applying Effects in iPhoto"
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| iLifeZone 48 - "Setting Up Image Capture" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana explains how to properly set up Image Capture. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 48 - "Setting Up Image Capture"
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| iLifeZone 47 - "Export Numbers Document To Excel" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to export a Numbers document into Excel. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 47 - "Export Numbers Document To Excel"
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| iLifeZone 46 - "Edit Excel Template in Numbers" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to edit an Excel template in Numbers. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 46 - "Edit Excel Template in Numbers"
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| iLifeZone 45 - "Import Excel Template In Numbers" (Repost) | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana demonstrates how to import an Excel template to Numbers. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 45 - "Import Excel Template In Numbers" (Repost)
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| iLifeZone 44 - "Customizing Workspace in iMovie" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana teaches you how to swap windows and customize your workspace in iMovie with one simple click of a button. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 44 - "Customizing Workspace in iMovie"
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| iLifeZone 43 - "Import Photos Into iPhoto" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana teaches you how to import images from a hard drive into iPhoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 43 - "Import Photos Into iPhoto"
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| iLifeZone 42 - "Events in iPhoto" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana teaches you about events in iPhoto. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 42 - "Events in iPhoto"
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| iLifeZone 41 - "Invitations & Greeting Cards With Apple Pages" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana teaches you how to make invitations and greeting cards with Apple Pages. Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 41 - "Invitations & Greeting Cards With Apple Pages"
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| iLifeZone 40 - "Remove Spotlight" | This is a screen cast featuring Liana Lehua. In this episode, Liana teaches you how to easily remove the Spotlight icon from your menu bar.
Please note that this tutorial involves an example using Tiger on a newer MacBookPro. Your experience may vary if you use a different configuration. Also, we recognize that there are always potentially additional or different ways to achieve the same task on a Mac. Accordingly, we make no claim that this is the best way or the only way to accomplish something - just an acceptable way. Enjoy.
Host - Liana Lehua
Editor - Staci DeGagne
Executive Producer - Scott Bourne |
to send to friends | Download iLifeZone 40 - "Remove Spotlight"
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| ApplePhoneShow #26 | Best of Apple Phone Show
Episode.Cut# Clip length Description
1.1 15:20 First ever intro
2.1 28:09 Haters Defined
2.2 11:19 The Haters Jingle
2.3 47:23 Andy's first introduction
3.1 44:09 Treo skipping and sinking.
4.1 1:15:13 Potential Pricing
5.1 02:17:25 Time of release
5.2 02:07:02 Web Apps
6.1 02:08:03 More on haters.
7.1 44:09 iPhones get chicks.
8.1 01:14:16 Andy gets a call.
8.2 01:43:17 Chris gets a 4 GB iPhone
9.1 50:27 The Planet of the Apples Monolith
10.1 55:08 G-office and the love stamp.
11.1 33:23 Flash on Safari aka Shut up points
12.1 1:00:29 Leo and Scott on the keyboard of the iPhone
13.1 02:04:07 Yet another lawsuit.
14.1 1:45:16 Over the air updates.
15.1 1:23:16 Shure Adapter
16.1 1:16:10 Andy's big decision
17.1 1:23:19 That Phone Guy phone keyboard.
18.1 3:01:00 The Price Drop
20.1 3:10:29 Merlin Defines Beatles Wig
25.1 2:04:09 Big Impact | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #26 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #24 | Apple Phone Show Episode 24
Jailbreak, Chris and his new book, and a tip from Andy's book.
Run Time: 32:59
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Andy Ihnatko The Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Let's talk about Jailbreak. Jailbreaking your phone is what you do to it to open it up to install applications and it's the start of what you do to unlock your phone. Scott thinks that people should be able to unbrick their phones and AT&T and Apple should help and that it's going to be a constant cat and mouse game between Apple and the Jailbreakers. A new version of some of the jailbreaking utilities is now available that will Jailbreak the new 1.1.1 firmware and even, in some cases, put you on the path to unbrickedness. Scott reiterates that it's not a good idea either way because it voids the warranty, etc. He's not particularly happy with Apple or AT&T for leaving iPhones bricked and thinks that Apple should be able to get the phone unbricked. If you can demonstrate that you have a method that will unbrick a phone, send it to us at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Before we move on to our next segment, it's time for our Audible pick of the week! If you'd like a free Audible audio book, check out Audible at audible.com/applephoneshow. Scott recommends the Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Audio Collection. He was an avant garde author who's very witty, and he narrates this book himself. Of course, you aren't limited to our pick of the week. You're more than welcome to check out the entire selection and find something that suits you. We'd like to thank Audible for their continued support of the Apple Phone Show. If you have a recommendation for us, leave it in the comments on this post!
And now time for the news... Wait... No news yet... Chris is here to share some tips from his new book, The iPhone Pocket Guide! Chris also wrote the iPod Pocket Guide, in case you need help there too.
The primary goal of the book is to take people beyond getting the iPhone out of the box. The user guide is a bit sparse, and Chris' book is a lot more detailed and specific and goes into tighter detail with the different features of the iPhone. Chris is trying very hard to address both new users of smartphones as well as more advanced users. He points out that Apple understood that the phones out there were very powerful, but difficult to use and the iPhone is equally powerful, but much easier to use; something Apple really got right.
Scott points out that it's a good complement to Andy Ihnatko's new book because it goes into even more detail about more esoteric topics. Chris says Andy's new book is more of kitchen sink type approach. Scott says his book, coming in July, will be equally complementary. Chris points out that it's tough to figure out what angle to come at it from because of updates, etc. Scott says his target is experts.
The book starts with simple stuff like getting it out, activating it, making a call, etc. Instant gratification. Next, the general idea of how it works, what the apps look like, the gestures you need to know, etc. Once you get into that, it explains how to put new stuff on it. After that, it goes into the settings. Then, the details on using it as a phone (including SMS functionality). Next, Mail and Calendar. Then Safari and how it's different than the experience on a computer. Then the iPod stuff, how it connects to iTunes, how it's different than an iPod, a little about the iTunes store. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to get the 1.1.1 Update into the first edition, so another edition might be forthcoming. Then photo, camera, and YouTube. Finally stocks, calendar, weather, maps.
How about a few tips from the book, Chris?
Tip #1: Typing... New adopters hate typing because there's no tactile feedback. Here's the tip: KEEP GOING. The iPhone is very good at predictively guessing what you meant to type and it's smart enough to know when you're close to a word, it can suggest approximations. Don't type and correct, just type. You'll be surprised how often the iPhone gets it right. It takes about two weeks of getting "used" to it but it gets better. It also learns, and will start predicting what you're going to type better as time goes on. Scott agrees and says that he had to adapt also, and now it's very easy and he doubled his typing speed. You also have to learn to adjust your aim. If you're mostly a right hander, aim up and to the left of each key. Same with the URL bar, forms, etc. in Safari. Use the pad of your finger, not the tip. The iPhone wants you to use your full finger, and again, it's good at guessing what you want.
Tip #2: The iPhone produces a letter when typing when you let go, not when you press down. If you press the wrong letter, just leave your finger on the screen and move to the correct letter. When you let go, it'll put the character on the screen.
Chris is giving away three autographed copies of his book to three lucky Apple Phone Show listeners. If you've sent a link to us for one of our prior contests, you're already entered. If not, you have one week to get a link in place and let us know about it. Scott will randomly select three winners and Chris will autograph the book and send it out to you. Send an e-mail to applephoneshow@gmail.com with your link and enter now! If you don't win, go buy it, will ya?
Not to be outdone, let's talk to Andy Ihnatko who also has a book coming. Jeez, our hosts are prolific.
Andy has a tip to share for us too!
One of his favorite ways to get documents onto his phone is to convert them to pictures and then sync them using iPhoto. On the Mac, you can "print" to your iPhone with an Automator action (see here for the gist of how this all works). In Windows, you can use Snagit to grab screen captures. You can install it as a printer driver and print to it.
That last tip was for anyone complaining that we don't discuss Windows. Andy points out that his book applies just as much to Windows as it does to the Mac.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Thanks to Greg Martin for production assistance.
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #24 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #14 | Apple Phone Show Episode 14
The iPhone as a Journalism Tool, and Hacking Your iPhone
Run Time: 32:17
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Let's get right down to business.
Scott had the opportunity to cover Apple's special announcement on Tuesday where the new iMacs, iLife, iWork, and .Mac were announced. Scott decided to cover the entire event using Jaiku (Scott's stream is here). As Steve Jobs mentioned something new, it was entered into Jaiku. People were really pleased and Scott ended up getitng news up there faster than any other sites. He wasn't able to get as in depth, but he did get the news out faster, pictures included. Scott took a few pictures from his seat directly, and a line by line analysis of what was going on. Scott notes that the world has changed and all a journalist needs is an iPhone. If you have doubts about the keyboard, Scott isn't an expert but he had plenty of postings with no typos. EDGE worked fine for what he needed, also.
If you've used your iPhone in a special way, Apple wants to hear all about it. You can find out more about their call for submissions here and we'd love to hear about it also at applephoneshow@gmail.com. If we like your story, we may even have you on the show!
And now our good friend Andy Ihnatko will tell us all about hacking the iPhone.
There are so many hacks out there for the iPhone. Apple has, for now, decided that "software" has to be a web app. That hasn't stopped developers, though, and there are apps rolling out constantly even without an API being released. At the beginning, hackers were trying to prove it could be done at all. Now things are getting more sophisticated. Andy thinks the most impressive hack thus far is the NES Emulator that appeared this week. There's no sound yet, but it works very well and doesn't act like a first generation app. Scott played with it a bit, and thinks it's a hair slow, but it looks great and plays well. Andy points out that once it hit Digg, the speed increased and all was good with the world. Scott (like me) is a coward and won't do any of this hacking stuff.
Andy points out that Apple did something weird with the Apple TV in that they didn't stop the development of hacks and never made any efforts to unhack people's Apple TV's. Apple came out and said they weren't going to stop hackers with the understanding that there wouldn't be any help for people who did so. Andy would be surprised if Apple didn't patch up the iPhone to stop stuff like this from happening. Andy points out that most of these hacks are not for the faint of heart, though, and even something as simple as adding custom ringtones is really difficult, so Apple may or may not be planning to add it already.
Scott asks what the risks of their hacked iPhones reverting to factory spec with the next update. Andy says it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that the iPhone will be sealed up and non-standard hacks reversed. Scott asks about the new 1.0.1 update and the fact that Apple added a new feature on Tuesday without anything being done. Andy says that was probably in the works for awhile, and there may be other features that are waiting to be unlocked. Erica Sadun from TUAW has even written a voice recorder for the iPhone. The routines for audio recording were built right into the phone so it's unclear what the actual intention for the feature were.
Scott thinks the interesting part of this is that you don't have control over your iPhone's software the way you do on your desktop. Andy points out that it's tough to stay "hacked" just because you're constantly connected to your phone's network provider. The Upload to Web Galleries function is something that people will be talking about for awhile because everyone will want to know how Apple "did" it.
If you want to hear more about Andy Ihnatko, check him out at his blog listed above.
Now for our Audible pick of the week. If you'd like a free Audible audio book, check out Audible at audible.com/applephoneshow. Our book pick this week is Free Prize Inside! & Purple Cow by Seth Godin. If you like business books, Seth Godin is one of the best. Of course, you aren't limited to our pick of the week. You're more than welcome to check out the entire selection and find something that suits you. We'd like to thank Audible for their continued support of the Apple Phone Show.
Now... What would the Apple Phone Show be without news from the one and only Chris Breen? Nothing, I say, so let's get on with it...
It was a busy week in Apple land and even some news about the iPhone.
Item 1: Apple was careful to say the event Tuesday was all about the Mac, but there were some tidbits for the iPhone. For example, if you have a .Mac account, and your .Mac e-mail address is live on your iPhone, there's a new option in the Send menu of the Photos app. You can now send pictures directly from your iPhone to a .Mac Web Gallery in one click. You do need iPhoto '08 (with the 7.0.1 update), though, to enable Web Galleries and you have to enable the "Allow Photo Updating via E-Mail" option when you create the gallery. If that doesn't work for you, just make note of the e-mail address for the gallery when it's created, create a contact for that address, and e-mail photos to it instead. For some people, that's more reliable. It didn't work for Scott at first, either. The frustrating part is that the error message tells you to check your settings on .Mac, but there are no settings on .Mac for it. Go figure.
Item 2: You can now export directly from iMovie '08 to the iPhone.
Item 3: The mainstream press is starting to show pictures of famous iPhone users. We saw, earlier this week, a photo of Karl Rove using an iPhone. Paris Hilton has one... As does Lindsay Lohan. Chris points out that this means the iPhone is no longer cool to own. Kidding. Seriously. It's still cool. Right? RIGHT? (looks around nervously)
Item 4: SP Technologies is suing Apple for patent infringement. Their claim? The touchscreen keyboard was their idea. Chris points out that this is a true example of the iPhone's popularity. Scott points out that SP might actually be just defending their IP simply because they have to, not necessarily because they think that Apple is violating it.
Item 5: Automator.us is offering a new Applescript called Publish for iPhone. If you're using Aperture, and you turn on Personal Web Sharing, it'll take pictures you've selected and share them out through your Mac's built in webserver. Scott tried it and says it works really well.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #14 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #13 | Apple Phone Show Episode 13
iPhone Camera Tips and Safari Interrupted
Run Time: 36:34
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
We're in the dog days of summer now, folks, and the iPhone goodness is just as hot as it was on June 29th. Let's jump right in.
Here are some tips to get the most out of your iPhone camera.
1. If you're in a low light situation, your shots may be blurry because of camera shake or because of subject movement. You can do something about camera shake if you use a device called The Plamp. It runs $36.95 and it's a two-headed clamp. It can clamp onto the iPhone and another item (such as a standard tripod). There ya go. Just that easy.
2. Now that you have better pictures, you'll want to sync them. Inside iTunes, you can set up a folder to sync over instead of using iPhoto. For some people who don't want all their photos on their iPhone, you can set up iPhoto to use multiple libraries and only sync over the library you want to have on your phone. Programs make this easier for you, also. You can check out iPhoto Library Manager from FatCat Software for software to make it easier. Or (and here's a Vinny tip for you, folks) you can simply hold down the option key while launching iPhoto. If you do that, you'll be presented with two options. One to create a new library, and another to choose your library. If you create a new library, it will put a new one wherever you specify. When you open iPhoto, it'll always default to your last album unless you hold down the Option key, at which time you'll be presented with the option to switch libraries. Scott prefers the folder option.
3. 2 inches by 3 inches at 160 pixels per inch. If you don't make those size adjustments, iTunes will do it for you and doesn't do as good a job. Scott also says you can control the order of the photos by changing the name alphabetically.
And now, our good friend Andy Ihnatko!
Recently some hackers have come up with a "breach" of the iPhone's security through Safari.
Andy points out there are white hat and black hat hackers, and says there is a way to cause the iPhone to run code through Safari. It requires getting someone to click on a hostile link, so right now it's a proof of concept. Andy points out that Apple is indeed on top of it, though, and they have to be on top of this because they sold the platform as the most secure.
Also, Apple is relying on web apps for application development and a cleverly designed "app" could also contain malicious code. There isn't a practical way to exploit this in the wild yet, but caution is always the order of the day. (Note: As of the recording of this segment, Apple hadn't released Firmware Update 1.0.1, which, from our understanding, fixes these bugs and vulnerabilities). There is no proof that the vulnerability is being exploited and the problem is a Safari issue more than it is an iPhone issue.
To protect yourself:
1. Don't click every link you find on an e-mail or new site.
2. Only connect yourself to known WiFi access points (a good tip even if you don't have an iPhone).
3. Use SSL for your mail server if it's available. G-Mail and Yahoo! both support SSL e-mail (G-Mail actually requires it).
4. On the iPhone, if you keep your finger down on a link, the actual address behind it will be revealed to you.
If you're really worried about your iPhone's security, you probably should set up a VPN, which creates a private tunnel between your device and the internet. Most big companies do have some sort of VPN client available. If you don't have access to a VPN, you can try your luck with a service like HotSpot VPN or V for VPN.
Scott wonders why we haven't heard about hacks of other mobile phone platforms. Andy thinks that it's probably due to the amount of attention it's getting from media outlets and the general public. As a result, any news about iPhone weaknesses become huge news despite the fact that it also affects others.
If you go to Audible.com/applephoneshow, you can get a free audio book! Scott's pick this week is John Stewart Presents America: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction. Scott thinks he's very funny and entertaining and loves it! We'd love to hear what audio books you're into, so leave us a comment on the blog!
And now the news with Chris Breen. Aloha Chris, and welcome back from Hawaii. I'm not jealous at all. Not one bit. Nope. I'm perfectly happy in picturesque New York City... Yep... Just fine... Anyway... News... Yeah...
Chris used his iPhone in Hawaii and visited the Hawaii Mac Users Group. They were obviously very happy to have him seeing as they posted him on the front page :-) He spent 2 1/2 hours talking about the iPhone, and he says that throughout the island he had pretty good service the entire time.
News Item 1: iPhone Firmware Update 1.0.1 is now available. To install it, just connect to iTunes, and it should tell you there's an update available. Just go for it. The fix addresses some bugs in Safari that create security holes. Grab it and run it. Apple hasn't given a whole lot of info on the improvements made, but MacFixIt has a pretty good list. Our users have been discussing it over on the Apple Phone Show blog, so don't forget to jump on over and check out the discussion. Fixes include earpiece volume improvements, stability improvements, battery charged indicator fixes, VPN passwords now stay, new passcode options, and an option to BCC yourself in Mail. Scott is skeptical of the volume claims, and he believes that's somewhat placebo. Beware of hacks. If you used something like iFunTastic or Jailbreak, this update will wipe your firmware entirely back to the beginning.
News Item 2: In Illinois, a user is suing Apple because he didn't realize that the iPhone's battery was not user replaceable. Apparently he missed the myriad of articles that came out before the iPhone was released stating exactly that. (From Vinny: Why not just return it? No! He has to keep it and sue!). Chris correctly points out that this guy probably lives under some large piece of concrete known as a rock. In New York, the Consumer Protection Board is also playing the role of doorknob, urging Apple to do everything from extend the return policy to make the battery replacement plan cheaper to standing on one leg with a blindfold. Okay, I made that last one up but you get the idea.
News Item 3: A few companies have come out with battery replacement kits. Brando is offering one dirt cheap at $20.00 with tools. Be forewarned. It isn't for the faint of heart. iPhoneJuice.com might be a better option because they do all the work.
News Item 4: More panic on Wall Street with regards to Apple Stock. On Tuesday, Apple's stock dropped on rumors that they dropped production of the iPhone in half. The stock plummeted a bit on the news. Later on, the firm from whence the rumor started sort of went back on the rumor. More deets here. Chris is annoyed at how silly the market is in response to every bit of rumor that comes out about Apple.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #13 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #12 | Apple Phone Show Episode 12
Various Housekeeping, Apple's New Headset, and Leo LaPorte!
Run Time: 25:53
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guest:
Leo LaPorte: Twit.tv
ZOMG LEO LAPORTE!!111!one! :-) Anyway, welcome, Leo, to the Apple Phone Show. Let's get on with the show. No grass growing under our feet these days!
First off, a special thanks to Joe Cipriano, one of the most famous voices in all the known universe for doing our sounders!
Secondly, don't forget our contest. You can win an iPhone, folks. The details are on the blog, so read up and enter!
Thirdly, we're still working on the forum. It's taking longer than we had hoped, but it is indeed coming. Thanks to everyone who volunteered to be a mod. We'll be contacting you soon!
Now that the housekeeping is out of the way, let's talk Apple's Bluetooth Headset. Apple started shipping them this week, and of course Scott was one of the first to go grab one.
Firstly, the auto pairing is mind blowingly good. Unlike other headsets, to pair it you simply drop it in the included dock with your iPhone and it auto pairs. That's it. No voodoo, pincodes, authorization, pairing, and other mysticism. It just flat out works. It's gorgeous, and you get two chargers with it so you can have one at work and one at home, or whatever.
As far as performance goes, Scott thinks it's more comfortable than the JawBone (From Vinny: I have the Jawbone, and for me it's fine, so like Scott said, it's all a matter of personal preference). In our official Apple Phone Show Labs, we got 7 1/2 hours of shelf life out of the battery, half an hour shy of Apple's rating. Scott did note it has slightly less range than other headsets at around 12-15 feet. On balance, it's a very good headset that's easy to use and works well.
Now, our special guest, Leo LaPorte!
Leo has covered the cellular industry for a long time. Leo started as a computer journalist, and thinks the iPhone is definitely a computer and a reinvention of what the portable computer would be. Scott sees himself using the iPhone more than his laptop almost. Leo likes the interface (and the keyboard somewhat less). He points out that Apple had to solve the problem of how do you make a device small AND usable. Apple did this with a great screen and intuitive input. He thinks Steve Jobs thought having a hardware keyboard was a waste when you don't always use one.
Leo has some little issues with it, but thinks with some fine tuning it'll be great. Scott points out that people don't buy a device because of what it doesn't do, they buy it because of what it does do.
Leo points out that if you grade the iPhone on the curve of other devices, it does fairly well. If you grade it on its own, it might get criticized too much. He points out that every smartphone has similar issues: crashing, etc. On the curve, the iPhone comes out ahead of the class. It crashes, for example, but it does so less frequently. It has better battery life than his N95 had. Leo even tried to go back to the N95 and he found it tough. The N95 had better camera and video, and voice dialing... Ringtones... Etc. In the end, though, the iPhone is a more reliable, robust, and easier to use. The interface is great for dialing numbers and scrolling contacts. On the N95 you can auto dial home with one button. On the iPhone, it may take more ticks, but it is easy.
Leo points out that some people won't buy the iPhone for what it can't do. For example, weak Exchange support and no voice dialing. He says it's clear that the iPhone is a revolutionary device, but it is lacking some features that are dealbreakers for some folks. He points out that it's the first effective commercial use of the pinch interface.
The way to look at the iPhone is to look at what happens with it because it's a platform and a beginning, and Apple has designed a device that really works. He isn't blown away by Visual Voicemail, but Scott, for example loves it. It's all about how you use it and what features you need. Scott points out that there are some folks who have trouble adjusting to the keyboard. He can type twice as fast on the iPhone as he did on his Treo (find out how fast you can go here; I hit 31 and am perfectly happy with that). Andy gets a lot more. Leo points out that the keyboard is pretty good as far as input.
Scott points out that Leo was a bit of a curmudgeon about the iPhone and it seems to have won him over. Leo points out that there is no perfect phone and that's just the way it is. He does point out that there are some flaws and he blames Apple directly for some of them. For example, they can put most of the missing features right into the phone (MMS, To-Do, A2DP). He wishes that Apple had given people a bone like using the empty row of icons for Safari bookmarks. He could then put some of the web apps there that Apple didn't include. Scott notes that the touchscreen is the strength in this case. He also points out that Apple does enhance their products and there's plenty of room to grow here. A fixed keyboard might hamper that.
Leo notes that this is a platform with room for growth later on and it has to be looked at that way. The nice thing is that it all connects through iTunes and it makes it easier to add features to the phone. Leo points out that Apple doesn't just own the hardware, they own the platform, and that's something no other phone maker can claim.
When it comes to the Razr and the N95, do either of those phones have the passion and the punch of the iPhone?
Leo says it's comparing Apples to oranges. Leo points out that if you want a plain-Jane phone, there are better choices out there so it's not really a valid comparison. He points out that that isn't really the market for the iPhone and there are people who love their Treos and Blackberrys as much as the iPhone. Passion is there and in some cases, so is the execution. BlackBerry is better suited to the enterprise, but the iPhone is a different bird. Leo isn't sure that Apple really cares about the enterprise. Apple hasn't had a lot of success in the enterprise in the past and enterprises probably don't have a compelling reason to upgrade. Leo asks "what phone should an IRS agent be carrying," to which Scott replies "One that doesn't work." Amen, Scott. Amen.
Leo points out that the iPhone works well for a certain category of users and that's the bottom line. "Right tool for the right job." He points out that there are a lot of haters out there, and a lot of it comes from the fact that it's not the tool for them; if they're looking for hammers, you won't impress them with a screwdriver.
Leo's favorite feature: The UI. Pinching, scrolling, etc., all work really well. The screen is gorgeous. Bright, crisp, and easy to look at, and the form factor is great.
Leo's wishlist: Third-party apps because it'll allow developers to fill gaps in the platform. He thinks eventually Apple will cave and fix that, along with any other missing features.
Leo points out that the battery life is insane, and it's much better than his N95. It may be a bit wider or clunkier than people might like, but overall the deficiencies are all software-related and may be because Apple erred on the side of caution when releasing the iPhone.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #12 | Play in Popup.
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| iLIfeZone 37 | iLifeZone Episode 37
The iPhone
Run Time: 36:26
Scott Bourne www.podango.com and www.applephoneshow.com
Chris Breen MacWorld Playlist Magazine and iPhone Central at Macworld.com
Let's have a little bit about the iPhone. I know what you're thinking... You've heard enough, but humor us for a bit :-) We're not doing news and commentary. This is all about tips, tricks, and other fun stuff. We're going to help you get a handle on all the things you neglected while having a nice spacious and capacious 30 gig, 60 gig, or 80 gig iPod.
Chris says it's similar to having a Nano as far as how you have to manage it. The difference, of course, is that you have video on the iPhone also. For example, you can sync movies one by one, but why would you want to? iTunes has ways of dealing with just that sort of situation.
On the bottom of the iPod feature of the iPhone is a row of icons. If you click the word More, you see a bunch more options (wow!). You now have the option of checking out podcasts, genres, and so on. That isn't all. In the upper left corner of the screen, there's an edit button. You can drag different features down to the bottom bar and set it up so that it's only the features you need. Scott likes this feature. Chris thinks it's better than what Apple chose (for example... Songs? Jeez). It's very fast to tap on the list of letters on the right, but still. Chris listens to entire albums more often, so he added the Albums button down to the button. To replace, just drag an icon over an old one and now you'll have only the features you need.
When you select an album, you'll see a thumbnail image of the album. If you tap the upper right corner, you'll have the track list, and you can select a track. Tap a track to play it.
Scott thinks that coverflow is really cool also. To see coverflow, just flip the iPhone on its side, and you can see the album covers. Tap the album, and you'll see the track list on the back. Tap the song and you're playing. Scott says that's a feature he uses to show off the iPhone to n00bs.
In iTunes, you can control what does and doesn't sync to your iPhone. Chris has a smart playlist that limits his music to 128kbps AAC, the song must be between 3 and 5 minutes long. For TV shows, he has a playlist that has a play count of 0 so he only gets new shows, and then he sorts by season. You can then watch whole seasons in the order they air. Chris leaves about 3 episodes on his iPhone. A nice feature of the iPhone is that after you watch a video, it asks if you want to delete it. If you say yes, you've freed up the space. It won't delete it from iTunes, just from the iPhone.
So what exactly are Smart Playlists?
Smart Playlists are playlists that rely on some logical criteria. Instead of putting songs in, you put references to songs and they're played as they come up. (For example, you can have a smart playlist that has only 5-star rated songs. That will auto update for you as you rate songs without you having to add the actual songs into the playlist). You can limit playlists by size, too, and then of course you can sync only that playlist. The nice thing about smart playlists is that they take up no more hard disk space and you aren't duplicating them at all.
Scott often recommends that you check out the Purchased or Recently Added playlists for ideas of how Smart Playlists work. Chris points out that it isn't always the case that the protected playlists will have your protected media. To get around that, Chris created a Smart Playlist that searches for anything with the kind that contains "Protected." You can refine this down to not include music videos. Note that this doesn't include the new non-DRM iTunes Plus tracks because they're listed as "Purchased AAC audio files." You could theoretically just add a second condition to your playlist and that would grab anything that's either Purchased or Protected.
You can find out more about this stuff from Chris at Playlist Mag. Here's a great one on how to make really good smart playlists. And this one is pretty good too! Even though the second one is geared toward the Shuffle, the same concepts do apply.
Chris is working on an iPhone book as we speak, and he already has a few books out:
The iPod & iTunes Pocket Guide
Secrets of the iPod
The Pocket Guide is really helpful if you want to learn how to manage your media, regardless of what kind of device you're using. Help Chris get rich, will ya? :-)
Another integral piece of the iPhone software arsenal is iPhoto because you can sync from iPhoto to iPhone. Scott does this to demo the iPhone (Vinny: So do I!) n00bs. Looking at your photo library on the iPhone rocks. The navigation is great. You can do slideshows, flip it, zoom it, and flick from one to the next. That always wows people. You can make albums and smart albums in iPhoto too. They're similar to their playlist equivalents in iTunes. When you go to the "Photos" tab in iTunes, you'll see a list of all the albums you have in your iPhoto library and you can select as many as you have space for on your iPhone. The neat thing is that you can do this by folders also, and you don't have to do everything through iPhoto. Individual folders inside a main folder, can be used like albums. In Aperture, you can do the same thing. Either sync it directly in iTunes, or sync them through a folder.
You can even sync RAW images. iTunes will not sync the RAW files automatically. They're converted to JPG and resized to be optimal for the iPhone. You won't end up taking up your entire iPhone with photos.
You can also sync photos back from the iPhone to the computer (meaning photos you took). Whatever you use to import your camera pictures, it'll work with your iPhone. One of the more annoying things is that every time you drop your iPhone in the cradle, iPhoto will pop up. You can find the setting to change that in the Image Capture app. Launch it. In the Preferences menu, there's an option that says WHEN A CAMERA IS CONNECTED OPEN __________________. Change that to "No Application" and click OK. Voila. No more autoloading of iPhoto. The downside of this is that if you want to import images from your digital camera or iPhone, you'll now have to open iPhoto, but it's better than having iPhoto pop up every time you sync your iPhone. At the end of the import process in Aperture or iPhoto, you have the option of emptying the storage on the phone of photos. You can leave them there, but taking them out saves space.
If you want to put non-iLife stuff on your iPhone, you still have an option. One of the features removed from the iPhone was disk mode. To get around this, you can buy a program called iPhoneDrive for $10 from Ecamm Networks. You can't access your music, video, etc. But you can add stuff to your free space. The caveat is that if you want to use this on other Macs, it must be installed on that Mac. Secondly, and not that it matters to us (heheheh) is that there's no Windows version of this app.
Safari is a very good mobile web browser. Scott created a new bookmark folder on his desktop version of Safari and set that to be the folder that's sync'ed to his iPhone. That eliminates having a glut of bookmarks on the iPhone and gives some control over what you want added. One good use for this is to keep out sites that use Flash or where the content is too rich to load over the EDGE network. There are a ton of sites now that are iPhone friendly that have widgets and portals to your traditional sites (try MockDock to see what we're talking about). Another great tip is to rotate the screen to get some added space. You can also double tap on columns to resize them to fit on the screen. And, of course, you can pinch and unpinch :-)
Scott has been using his iPhone for keeping track of movie times and such at local theaters in San Francisco. Chris points out that it's not that the iPhone does things that no phone has ever done, but it does a lot of things that phones have always done better (for the most part) than other phones do them. Scott points out that us geeks are really using all the features of the iPhone whereas with old phones, the UI was so unintuitive you don't "get" it.
Scott notes that this falls in line with iLife in how you don't need a manual to use it. Chris contends that the iPhone may actually be even easier to use than iLife because you don't have to dig forever to find something cool. There are very few functions that are non-obvious and hidden.
That covers it for this episode. Thanks everyone!
Important note: Our show is no longer on Libsyn. If you still subscribe on Libsyn, please use the new subscribe link below or visit Podango.com.
This episode was sponsored by Overstock.com and ShieldZone.
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
The next show lands on August 20, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at Podango.com. | Get at Short URL | Download iLIfeZone 37 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #11 | Apple Phone Show Episode 11
iPhone's Accessibility and Safari for iPhone
Run Time: 31:00
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Let's just get right into it, shall we?
Can people with physical challenges really use the iPhone? Someone who's completely blind? Probably not. The iPhone is a mostly visual device, but people who aren't completely blind may have less of a problem then you would think due to the bigger buttons while dialing. Shelly contacted us to tell us that the potential for usability on the iPhone was much higher because, unlike the BlackBerry, there are no small keys to deal with. Cory, a listener with cerebral palsy, loves being able to just tap a name and make a call. The big bright screen works well for him and his limited ability to move. Other listeners have pointed out that the zoom feature, large keypad, and other features, do actually make it easier to use. The phone is also TTY compatible with the purchase of an adapter. On balance, Apple has done a good job of making the phone accessible for the disabled, and we'd love to hear from you at applephoneshow@gmail.com. Share your thoughts with us and we may use them in a future episode!
And now the real Andy Ihnatko from the Chicago Sun Times with his opinions on Safari for the iPhone.
Andy says most browsers on other phones are like a BLT without bacon. Seriously lacking. Safari is one of the superstars of the iPhone. Andy finds himself grabbing his iPhone for a quick web lookup more often than his PowerBook. As long as he doesn't need Flash, the iPhone is an able substitute.
Scott points out that Flash being missing is one of those big honking counterpoints to the iPhone's claim of a desktop browser. Andy isn't fully convinced that it matters that much, and says that Adobe doesn't really want you using Flash for a whole site interface anyway; it's meant as an enhancement. Andy has had numerous discussions with people who don't get that idea. Flash is becoming more important, but that could be said for not having Real Player either. There are logical limits to how much you can put into a phone interface.
Scott says that before the iPhone Devcamp, he spoke to developers and Adobe employees. Adobe hopes that Apple will put Flash into Safari. Walt Mossberg thinks that it'll be coming very shortly. Scott points out that there are plenty of phones out there that don't do Flash and Andy notes that even though there are mobile versions of Flash, no mobile version guarantees full compatibility with Flash-based sites.
A reader on the Apple Phone Show blog claims there hasn't been a good unbiased review of Opera vs. Safari. Andy points out that Opera is out there for a lot of phones that can run Java and there's a very good new beta. Opera pushes the page through a proxy that will translate the page onto your smaller screen before your phone opens it. Andy says it's the closest implementation of the iPhone browser possible that could run on a wide range of hardware. Safari's big feature is that it renders pages correctly as they render on your desktop and it's familiar to Safari users with added zooming, etc. Opera is close to this. The nice part of Safari is that the UI disappears to a degree where as in Opera it doesn't. It's also not as accurate at rendering pages. It's not as fast as Safari, and it's not a touch UI in the same way Safari is. Opera is a beta, and it does work on a wide variety of phones, though. All those things taken into consideration, if the iPhone is a 10, Opera is a B- according to Andy with everything else being a C or D-. Andy points out that even with a weaker browser, some people would still choose that weaker browser over a better one if it were on a 3G phone. It all depends on the pages you visit.
Andy visited New York and used his iPhone for all his news and blog reading because the place he was staying didn't have WiFi.
Andy points out that even though you have to install it, it's not like a typical install. You click on a URL on the Opera site, and it installs. It runs some tests to make sure you can run Opera and then just works. Andy points out that this is very different from other phone software installations.
Scott asks if Flash on the iPhone would "seal the deal." Andy isn't sure but he concedes that having it would amount to huge "shut the hell up" points. Alex Lindsay thinks that there's a chance Apple won't put Flash on the iPhone because they have futuristic plans for Quicktime. Andy doesn't necessarily agree with that based on the amount of pull you need to make that happen.
And now the news with Chris Breen!
There's lots going on in the iPhone universe.
1. Hackers have yet to unlock the iPhone. DVD Jon has done a little bit of decrypting of the activation process, but no one has unlocked it for application installs or AT&T's network. So far, nothing to show for it. Chris points out that people have bricked their iPhone trying to hack it to put custom ringtones on it. Advice? Don't. If you do, running the Restore from iTunes may help, but no guarantees. Be careful out there.
2. C-Net did a comprehensive review of the iPhone. They reported that the iPhone will only take 400 charges and then it's completely dead. Unfortunately for C-Net, that's not what Apple said. According to Apple, since the battery is Lithium Polymer, the iPhone will lose 20% of its battery capacity after 400 complete charging cycles. Scott carries his around all day doing things with it, and it's still going strong at night. It's a good idea to fully discharge it once a month if possible just to condition the battery.
3. Ecamm Networks has done something brilliant, and that's enabled disk use (Macintosh only, sorry winders folks) on the iPhone. The only downside is that you have to install the utility on any computer you want to use disk mode on, and secondly it doesn't grant you access to the other files on your device, but hey... It's a start.
4. Automator.us has released some pretty neat scripts for Mail.app that allow you to do all kinds of powerful things with your iPhone and the included Mail application. More details on all these new goodies over on Macworld.com. Chris points out that you don't necessarily have to use these with an iPhone either. Oh, and they're free. There ya go. These only work with Mail.app. Get your feet wet with Automator if you haven't already.
Don't forget our contest. You can win an iPhone, folks. The details are on the blog, so read up and enter!
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #11 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #10 | Apple Phone Show Episode 10
iPhone Devcamp
Run Time: 20:37
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
APIs? We don?t need no stinkin? APIs! Anyway, here?s our coverage of the iPhone Devcamp at Adobe?s corporate headquarters in sunny San Francisco.
Our first guest is Raven Zachary, one of the organizers of the event. Roughly 400 developers registered and showed up for the conference. Raven explains that the iPhone Devcamp was set up to design people to come together and work on web apps for the iPhone for free. It?s similar to Barcamp and Podcamp (ie: an unconference). Adobe gave a home to the conference and sponsors included Adobe, and even the Apple Phone Show :-) . In the end, the hope is that you?ll end up with a bunch of apps produced. Unlike regular conferences, there?s actual production and such going on. No sitting around and listening to other people talking.
Our second guest is Dominic Sagolla of Adobe. Dominic explains that Twitter got Chris Messina and the others together to start up iPhone Devcamp. He explains that Adobe was a natural fit as one of the sponsors and as the venue for the event because of Adobe?s prominent presence in web development with apps such as Dreamweaver. Dominic explains that Adobe has applications shipping that are already iPhone app design ready, including Spry and some iPhone-specific widgets for the Spry framework. Spry is an AJAX framework. Dominic is a quality engineer at Adobe, and even though he?s not a high level executive, he was still able to secure a great facility for iPhone Devcamp. That says a lot for the corporate culture at Adobe. Their San Francisco headquarters are in the Baker-Hamilton building.
Our third guest is Damien Stolarz who?s doing the iPhone Hacks book for O?Reilly. The book is focused on real hacks of the iPhone, not just standard experimenting and UI stuff. Mainly innovative software and actual hardware hacks including accessories that were never meant to work with an iPod that will work with an iPhone. Basically it?s a guide of how to make stuff work for the iPhone that may not have ever been designed to. Damien?s been an inventor and technologist for a long time, and he loves making computers talk to each other when they weren?t designed to. His last book was Car PC Hacks, so that?ll give you some perspective. When the iPhone was announced it struck a chord with him because he was also designing touch-screen interfaces. He thinks the iPhone is innovative because of what it brings to the mobile phone including a full web browser. After a week, he wasn?t surprised by much when he finally got his. He was a little surprised that Flash wasn?t installed out of the box. His book is coming ?real soon now.?
Our fourth guest is Kevin Warnock, the man behind gOFFICE, the first office suite for the iPhone. Scott tested it and it appears to work. When Kevin saw there wasn?t going to be a developer API for the iPhone, the first thought was porting gOFFICE over. In the end, they rewrote the entire codebase specifically for the iPhone. It?s all written in VB.NET. There are two options for getting a finished document out of gOFFICE. The first is e-mail. The second, and I swear we?re not kidding you, is snail mail. Kevin explains that they charge $3.00 to send a document anywhere in the world. If you check a box, they?ll throw a love stamp on (awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww) and for another dollar, they?ll print it all on high-end paper for you. For another dollar, they?ll handwrite the envelope. Kevin says that if the demand gets too big, they can outsource the mailing if need be. gOFFICE has some built-in templates to reduce your need to type. They?re not the best now according to Kevin, but gOFFICE is working on revamping the templating system. gOFFICE does produce real Word documents with page numbers, etc. Fonts are embedded so they go with the document including a signature type font for letter closings, etc.
That?s all for now? If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #10 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #9 | Apple Phone Show Episode 9
One week later...
Run Time: 32:30
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Time to recap week 1 of the iPhone launch.
Scott has had faith all along in Apple, but not so much in AT&T. AT&T has had numerous woes this week, and didn't contact us with an explanation when asked. Apparently a third party company was handling the activations, and there were various issues. The question, of course, is why wasn't AT&T prepared for the load to begin with with some people waiting 60-70 hours. AT&T claims the problems have been solved and they were all related to load. Let's hope people who activate in the future won't have issues like this.
And now, Andy Ihnatko from the Chicago Sun Times!
Andy got his at 10:00am on Saturday. His setup went flawlessly. 15-20 minutes later, he was ready to give it a B-. As time went on and he changed his habits, the score got better. Scott agrees and said that the more he used it the more he liked it. Andy's main "AH hah!" moments included learning how to type properly by aiming at the top of the keyboard buttons. It also took him some time to get used to the sensitivity of the touchscreen. A light tap does the job, now, instead of a massive press. You also can't rest your fingers on the screen because it's really sensitive. Eventually, you get over the habit, though.
Scott was at a bar showing off his iPhone to pick up chicks, and the girl almost smashed the screen pushing it so hard. Andy says that's usually the first reaction people have and they just want to mash on it for some reason. Andy is concerned that people who take a quick look won't "get it" right away and he hopes that people won't give up on it too soon; it does take a bit of practice and use before it all makes sense.
Scott has showed it to quite a few people and the accelerometer tends to wow people. Andy thinks the iPhone's strength is that it gets into your head and is inviting to actually use. Within 3 hours of using an iPhone, you find yourself reaching to the screen to make it work like the iPhone. Scott was looking into it for the basics, and apparently Steve Jobs was right: this is the best iPhone ever. Andy isn't quite as enthusiastic about the iPod, but he likes how customizable it is; particularly that you can drag icons down to the button bar at the bottom. Smart idea.
Andy has one small qualm, though. He would like an alternate set of buttons. He would rather have a virtual control disc so that he didn't have to aim his fingers as needed.
Scott has been hearing from a lot of disabled people about how they're going to use the iPhone since there's no audio feedback and no tactile feedback. Andy thinks that's coming seeing as lots of phones in this price range already do it. Andy isn't quite so sure that anything can be done for people with low vision simply because it's a very visual device.
One thing Scott found frustrating was that there's no bulk selection of e-mails. You have to kill them one at a time. Andy also notes there's no way to select "all" in a message and so on. Highlighting, copy, and paste are all missing. Andy spoke to Apple and they have said that they aren't going to add something to the iPhone if it makes it more cumbersome or complicated, even if it means leaving functionality out.
Scott thinks that the Apple was betting the average user of the iPhone is more an iMovie product than a Final Cut product. Andy agrees and says it really is a consumer device, in the end, unlike other feature-rich e-mail smartphones that pretty much ignore the regular guy.
Andy has been floored by the virtual keyboard. It's gotten better as he started using it and the keys are really big compared to a Treo. Secondly, the predictive correction has been really good. He's gotten better as he's gotten more comfortable with it. The key, of course, is to trust the keyboard. His speed on the iPhone is 51 words per minute versus 27 on his Treo. Scott hated the Treo keyboard also because he has larger fingers, and Andy had the same issue. He was expecting the iPhone to be good, but he really wasn't expecting it to be this good. Scott is also picking up speed, and has finally found a keyboard he can use.
Andy points out that the iPhone does not have disk mode like prior iPods and that makes it harder to stuff the iPhone full of fun stuff; something you should be aware of.
And now Chris Breen with the news!
Lots of news this week. Chris points out that Apple may have sold as many as 700,000 iPhones in the first 3 days of it being on sale. Some analysts are saying mid 300k. We don't quite know yet, but Apple should be coming out soon with some numbers. iSupply has ripped apart an iPhone and says the iPhone costs around $265.83 for the 8 gig model, a margin of more than 50%. If you multiply that by the number of sales, you realize just how much money the iPhone is making Apple and why the stock prices are so high.
You can still buy an iPhone, but it is harder to get one than it was last week. You may have trouble getting them at retail stores, but you can check www.apple.com/retail/iPhone and you'll know if the store near you has them in stock for the following morning.
AT&T may not have been fully prepared for the iPhone crush. The EDGE network had a bit of a burp earlier in the week. AT&T claims it had nothing to do with the iPhone, but Chris believes it probably didn't help matters.
Scott's theory on the activation issues and the EDGE issues is that Steve Jobs got on the phone right quick. Chris points out that if you bought your phone at an Apple store, you were in and out in minutes. No such luck at the AT&T stores. Scott points out that the lines were around the block but they moved really quick at the San Francisco Apple Store.
Rumor has it that some AT&T stores required accessory purchases to get an iPhone. There were also reports that people were turned away prior to the AT&T launch but there's no corroborating evidence to that effect.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #9 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #8 | Apple Phone Show Episode 8
It's heeeeeeeeeeeeeere
Run Time: 29:52
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Wow... It's here... We can finally stop speculating and start observing. Life is good! This episode, we hit on the launch, initial impressions, etc.
Scott's initial impressions? He likes it and he's not apologizing for it (as well you shouldn't, Scott!). He does have some minor quibbles. For example, he'd like to be able to rotate the keyboard iself to make it slightly bigger. He'd also like a slightly better camera in the phone, but overall compared to most other phones, this one is going to handle itself quite well.
And now, Andy Ihnatko!
Andy did indeed get his iPhone. He did so by knocking over women, children, and old ladies. Shame shame, Andy :-) Just kidding, of course. He was, of course, beating off reporters with a stick. Scott got preempted on Fox & Friends. Anyway, some observations from Andy:
1. It's really easy to take a call and hang up a call, including one from your sister.
2. There's going to be a lot of love for the iPhone, but the headphone jack is absolutely maddening (Good Lord, Andy, I'd have to agree with that). Andy is curious as to why Apple would make such a boneheaded move when they paid so much attention to every little detail. Scott got the adapter that's available to remedy the situation. Andy, on the other hand, carved down the plug of his stuff so that it fit in.
3. Overall, it's an impressive product, but the beginning was a bit shaky. Andy was having issues with the keyboard at first. He noticed that his problem is where he was aiming his fingers, so the tip here is aim for the middle of the keys, not the bottom. Secondly, don't go right for thumbs. Thumbs take practice. Andy now types really quickly and is much happier (From Vinny: I do too. It took some adapting but I can already see improvements. My fingers are naturally finding the keys much faster than they were on Friday). Andy likes the way everything comes together on the device and how the overall experience is quite tied together. Scott likes the keyboard also and may actually start texting! The browser is fantastic and functional, and links from e-mail open in Safari. All in all it's something you never would've done before.
Scott wanted sync more than anything else, and everything else is bonus. Andy loves the syncing. He says the only concern is that you have to go through iTunes for everything. For now he hasn't noticed any roadblocks, but it has potential to be a problem. He's looking forward to seeing how everything pans out.
And now the news with Chris Breen!
Obviously we know the topic o' the day here.
THE iPHONE HAS LAUNCHED! Duh!
Chris got one. He stood in line at an AT&T store. He figured that if he went to a small AT&T store he'd have very good luck getting a phone. He was 22nd in line at Watsonville California. At 6:00pm, they announced they have 20 8 gigs and 10 4 gigs. People immediately snapped up the 8's and Chris got a 4.
1. He never realized how much Spam he was getting on one of his accounts. Some kind of spam filtering would be very helpful. In the meantime, he's going to use his G-Mail account just because the spam filtering is quite good. Scott is doing that also because of how good it is. (I do it, also, guys, and I totally agree).
2. Chris misses using his headphones. He was disappointed that the headphone port won't accept regular headphones, but there are adapters out there (see point #2 above). Chris points out that the finest iPod ever made should work with regular headphones. Scott sees a whole bunch of headphones coming out now with better sheaths around the jacks. Chris agrees. Scott is breaking out the Jawbone tomorrow. Stay tuned!
3. Chris put the iPhone in front of his wife who's not a technophile, and she loved it. Coming from a non-geek, this is definitely high-praise.
Chris didn't have any activation problems aside from the fact that he has no coverage at home. Once he was able to get a signal, he activated the iPhone and life was good. Scott points out that credit challenged customers are having lots of problems. Secondly, people porting numbers are a problem. The third class, is the "no frigging idea" class, meaning things are delayed for no reason. Chris notes that the AT&T stores did the activations / credit checks in store, while Apple was just handing out phones and sending people home. Scott points out that his whole time in the store was 2 minutes. There really isn't a reason for that considering you have to do your own activation at home anyway. The overall service was good. Scott said it was the most amazing retail experience ever.
Here's a tip: If you're still having activation issues, take the phone off the cradle, power it off, power it back on, and put it back in the cradle, and see if that helps. It has helped a lot of people.
Overall, Chris likes it a lot more than his last phone. He misses voice dialing, but as he explores the phone he's finding lots of neat features that work better on the iPhone than on other phones. So far as far as interface design and ease of use, it trumps anything on the market.
If you have ideas for the show, you can tag a story on del.icio.us with applephoneshowideas and we'll check that before each episode.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #8 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #7 | Apple Phone Show Episode 7
So close we can taste it!
Run Time: 37:51
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, OnlineMediaTips.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can I... Oh... Hi... Just practicing my chanting in hopes of getting through the last day before the iPhone hits stores :-) Let's get on with the notes...
We're going to have coast to coast coverage folks. Scott will be at the Apple store on Stockton Street, and Vinny will hopefully, if he can get close enough to it, at the Apple Store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan. It's going to be amazing!
Now that we're on the cusp of the launch, please hit us up at the e-mail address at the bottom of this post and let us know what you'd like to hear about in future episodes. Up until now, our job has been easy. Speculation, prognostication and even a bit of praying has been the order of the day. Not any more. We want to know what you want to know and what you want us to focus on. Send us some e-mail and let us know.
And now, Andy Ihnatko with a rundown of how to pack everything onto your new iPhone...
Andy says that iPhone hype has gone from absurd to silly. The level of hype is white hot. He's going to see some summer blockbusters just to avoid people waiting for iPhones. Scott points out that even though there's a ton of hype, it's still a lot of people that are going to buy it.
Tip #1: Beat the crowd and sign up for your Yahoo! e-mail account now to ensure you get the address you want.
Tip #2: Since Yahoo! mail is the only "push" e-mail you can get on an iPhone, you may want to have your main desktop client scripted to forward messages to it so as to not have to deal with the delays of waiting for your iPhone to send & receive. Make sure it's working before Friday, folks.
Tip #3: Use a separate e-mail account that you can "cut off" for your iPhone this way if you leave it behind somewhere, your e-mail doesn't fall into the wrong hands.
Tip #4: If you use Gmail, it'll work, but you'll lose the "push" capabilities. Andy points out that you will lose a lot of battery power if you can't use the push capabilities since your phone will be sending and receiving at timed intervals.
Tip #5: If you have a large media library, use Smart Playlists in iTunes. Use it to sort the kind of music, etc., that you want to store on the iPhone, then sync that one playlist. You can even use it to sync a certain amount of music (say 512 megs) that you haven't heard. Good stuff. Each time you plug in your iPhone, it'll remove old stuff and replace it with fresh and tasty stuff. Andy points out that he has a 4 gig Nano, and that unless he wants to go Deep Track, that's the only time he realizes he doesn't have a regular iPod. Secondly, as far as video, don't rip the full gigantic size of DVD's, as that'll be mostly wasted space. Handbrake has an option to make something fit into X number of megabytes, for example.
Tip #6: Scott wants to have a separate album in iPhoto for photos he wants to show off on the iPhone. Make sure you check the "downsize" option so that you don't end up with full resolution photos. If you're on a PC, grab Photoshop Elements so you can do similar image management in preparation for your iPhone.
Tip #7: If you have iTunes manage your iPhone's media, you're going to blow through storage very quickly. Manage your stuff manually.
Tip #8: Keep half a gig of space available for e-mail attachments, etc. You won't want to be stranded and having to rush home to grab an important e-mail attachment.
Scott points out that the software for the iPhone occupies 750 megs of the available memory. Andy points out that it shouldn't be a problem if the iPhone manages internal memory efficiently.
Tip #9: Buy some hand sanitizer so if your friends touch your iPhone with their grubby hands, you won't want to get the ebola virus or something. Andy is going to demo the ease of data entry by handing the iPhone to cute waitresses and encouraging them to try it out. What a sacrifice, Andy. Seriously :-)
Andy's new book, "iPhone Fully Loaded" will be available some time in October, but you can get his current book, "iPod Fully Loaded" right now!
And now Chris Breen with the news...
AT&T has finally released the rate plans and they're quite reasonable, much to everyone's surprise.
If you're an existing customer, you can add the iPhone data plan for a mere $20. That's cool because you'll still pay launch price for the iPhone as if you were a new customer.
Secondly, AT&T & Apple have announced that the iPhone activates just like an iPod or AppleTV. You plug it into iTunes, fill in a form, and you call it a day. Apple posted a video and it's stone cold easy. You can even port your number from your old carrier. Scott was particularly happy that the $20 data plan is proof that AT&T didn't take the opportunity to gouge iPhone users. Chris thinks it's an indication of the deal that Apple made with AT&T. Scott is wondering how good the 200 SMS messages are. Chris thinks it depends on your age. If you're younger, it might be a problem because younger people text more. If you're older, it may not be that big a deal, but you can spend $10 more, you can get 1,500 text messages or $20 more for unlimited texts, so even that isn't too bad. Just for the record, an SMS is 160 characters of text.
Some people are upset that you're giving a social security number to AT&T. Sorry folks, but the whole industry works that way. All carriers ask for SSN's.
Apple says the iPhone will be available in the continental US. In Hawaii, however, you will be able to get it. In Alaska, you may be out of luck due to coverage issues.
Apple Stores will be closing at 2pm, and AT&T stores will be closing at 4:30.
The 5th Avenue Apple Store already has campers! WOW.
We're going to have wall to wall coverage of the launch on Friday and Saturday, so be prepared folks!
If you have ideas for the show, you can tag a story on del.icio.us with applephoneshowideas and we'll check that before each episode.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
New Apple Phone Show theme performed and arranged by Scott Bourne. | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #7 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 36 | iLifeZone 36
One Year Birthday Show
Thanks to all our current and past cast members, including but not limited to Derrick Story from www.digitalstory.com, Colleen Wheeler from OReily, http://www.oreillynet.com/digitalmedia/blog/, Chris Breen from Macworld.com, and Alex Lindsay from www.pixelcorps.com.
Thanks to Vinny Ferrari from http://www.ispnmedia.com/ for excellent show notes. Thanks to libsyn.com who originally hosted us and now thanks to Podango.com who currently hosts us.
Effective this show, we'll only publish once per month on the 20th of the month until October when we expect the new edition of the iLife suite.
Here's a cut list for this episode - all compiled as a best of from the last six months of the Zone. Enjoy.
Episode.Cut# Clip Length Description
21.1 2:16 Chris and Scott discuss their initial reactions to the keynote
21.2 0:39 Scott informs everyone that he's getting in line for the iPhone (which is coming in 6 months)
21.3 1:05 Merlin Mann joins the show for the first time along with Colleen Wheeler
21.4 0:24 Merlin pans the Apple TV
21.5 4:04 Derrick's reaction to the keynote and Scott and Derrick discuss the future of the Apple TV
22.1 2:33 Derrick has a theory about iLife and why we didn't see updates at MacWorld 2007
22.2 1:42 Scott violates labor laws by making a kid stand in line for an iPhone for him
22.3 1:05 Scott got a nuvi and she has issues with WA
22.4 2:05 Why Macworld is better than CES
22.5 0:25 Macs are kinda like Harleys with their rabid fan base
23.1 0:41 Derrick intros Scott
23.2 0:56 Chris Breen suggests Applel use Jazz singer names for future versions of OSX
23.3 1:01 Listener e-mail about Derrick's flawed reasoning re: EyeTV.
24.1 1:01 Scott and Chris talk about the upcoming tip monster and the longevity of podcasts
24.2 0:53 Scott hires an assistant named Ernie.
25.1 0:49 Derrick and his hoops for adding voice annotations.
25.2 0:52 James the fan is our first ever Virtual Mac user.
25.3 0:22 Colleen is hurt by Scott mentioning an Intel-based Mac that she doesn't own.
25.4 0:15 Weight Watchers has banned Bridge 2.0 because it takes too darned long to do anything and people are getting fat.
26.1 0:56 Scott tells a joke about a couple still wanting to be brother and sister after their divorce.
28.1 1:39 Scott explains to us that he's a "pure blood"
28.2 0:10 Scott reminds everyone to pat themselves on the back for being smart enough to be Mac users.
34.1 1:11 Welcome to the Podango studios!
34.2 0:37 Scott explains that you need ADD to do this job, but can't remember who told him that because he wasn't paying attention. | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 36 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #5 | Apple Phone Show Episode #5
Host: Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, Podcastingtricks.com and iLifeZone.com Special Guests: Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
WWDC - and other fun stuff...
Run Time: 35:37
Let's jump right in...
Scott starts off by wondering what the data and voice plan pricing is going to cost us. No more guessing, especially seeing as the phone is shipping in a mere few weeks! Come on guys! Let's get some info!
Secondly, don't forget about our contest. I mean, really, don't you want to actually win one of these sexy wonders for yourself? And of course, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes. Whether or not you're planning on listening via iTunes, the sponsors like the numbers and when they're happy we're happy, capiche?
And now, Mr. Andy Ihnatko:
It's been a very busy iPhone week, particularly since it's WWDC week. Steve Jobs did reinforce the fact that the iPhone will be released on June 29th, and that it would be released at 6pm! Andy thinks this is due to the fact that the evening news broadcasts will be ready to do their live standups in the field. It also means that people will have a lot of time to get the hang of things over the weekend. In the end, it's probably a smart move for publicity first. Scott wonders if the Apple stores are going to be open beforehand for people to pretend they want something other than an iPhone. Andy points out that Apple stores are great at controlling large crowd crushes and wonders if AT&T stores are similarly skilled. Scott had heard that the 6pm time was a joke but Andy isn't convinced.
We're going to be live on the scene at the Stockton Street Apple Store with dancing girls and everything. Andy is happier that he has some cool soda. Vinny is still convinced that he lives on the wrong coast. Andy wants to podcast about the people who are going to be podcasting from various Apple stores around the country. Diggnation is going to be at the Palo Alto Apple Store having their own little shindig on launch night. It's going to be one great big party, folks, so even if you aren't buying an iPhone on day one, you may want to hang out at the Apple Store near you and take some of it in.
Scott points out that, at least initially, the iPhone will be all about web apps. Andy notes that people were expecting to have some kind of development kits available for the iPhone and were somewhat disappointed about not having actual software. He thinks that it's probably the best they could come up with for now and it allows them to keep a tight lockdown on iPhone software. As far as he knows, you do get access to what the hardware is able to do (look up addresses and make calls) and because of how good web apps are lately, it may not be that bad. Of course, this means you have to be "always on" but we'll have to wait and see. Scott thinks it's a minority of people that even care about installing an app on their phone but that the people who want it are just really vocal. Secondly, people would probably complain about how secure it was straight off the bat because they would be letting "anyone" get into the OS. Thirdly, this is the first step, not the last, and it's important to make sure the basics are nailed down first. Andy points out that in television they don't let outsiders contribute to a series until the first 5 episodes have established the story, and the same is probably true here. Andy also points out that the iPhone has to overcome its price for people who aren't comfortable paying that much for a phone that costs as much as the iPhone does.
Scott is annoyed by people who were outraged by the neckbeard folks who wanted to do development for the iPhone, and he finds their complaints a bit wacky. Either way, app developers aren't thrilled, web developers are, and plenty of people are going to be waiting on line for the iPhone to get theirs. Scott has lots of plans to get some iPhones into his hot little hands. Scott and Andy are both getting lots of e-mails from people who think that listening to the show entitles them to an iPhone. Sorry guys. That's for Apple to decide.
Andy can't wait to really start the punditry, though, so he can start spreading rumors that Apple won't confirm or deny!
And now the iPhone News with Chris Breen:
1. At WWDC, Steve Jobs told us the iPhone will be released at 6pm.
2. He also talked about third-party "apps." It's all about web apps, and how people would be able to create web apps to hook into the various system functions of the iPhone. Instead of saying "no, you won't get that," the spin is that "You can do web apps!" Not exactly what developers wanted to hear, and not the same as writing actual apps. How good this is depends on how well it'll work when you aren't online. Also, you have to wonder if people who have metered connections are going to want to be online all the time anyway. Chris thinks that the main objection is that it was a lot of spin and not what developers were hoping for.
3. Apple sent out an e-mail to iPhone waiting list people. There are lots of details about what apps are going to work with the iPhone (such as Entourage or Address Book on the Mac or Outlook / Outlook Express on Windows). For contacts, you can use iCal or Entourage on the Mac or Outlook on Windows. For E-Mail it'll work with Yahoo!, Gmail, AIM/AOL Mail, and standard Pop3 accounts. For Photos, iPhoto on the Mac and Adobe Photo Album on Windows. The one interesting factoid is that you need an iTunes account sync your iPhone. You don't have to buy songs, but it just means that you've set up an account. If you have an AOL account, you already have an iTunes account.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Show theme by Steve (derx_2004@mac.com). | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #5 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #4 | Apple Phone Show Episode 4
Lots of iPhone Musings, and How You Can Win One!
Run Time: 39:29
Host
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, Podcastingtricks.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests:
Chris Breen: Macworld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
It's time to talk iPhone but first, our first contest...
Win an iPhone! The details are at that link, but to summarize, it's very simple... Just place a link to the ApplePhoneShow.com on your blog or web page. Then send us a registration email with the URL and your contact info. The URL must be a primary page on your site, not a hidden page. The Apple Phone Show will be the sole judge of link acceptability.
We will randomly select one site from the list of submitted sites on August 30, 2007 and will contact the site owner. If the owner?Äôs identity and contact information match what we receive in the registration email, that person wins the phone.
Okay now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's sit down with Andy Ihnatko and talk data plans, pricing, and other nuts and bolts.
We finally have a date for the iPhone! Apple has announced in commercials that the iPhone will release on June 29th! Scott guarantees that the first boatload will sell easily regardless of the price of the plans, or anything else. He has it on a reliable source that the price of the phone will be $999 without a contract. Andy points out that if it's a GSM unlocked phone, people pay money for it just like they always have. Scott points out that we don't know for sure the phone will be unlocked. Andy hypothesizes that for that price, you have to be getting something for it.
As we get closer to the launch date, people are less OCD about keeping stuff secret. Scott got the news from an employee at a television station who went in to a AT&T store and was told that they want to sell it primarily to new customers, and then was told that $999 non-contract price. Scott has this from two sources. Andy points out that it's odd we haven't seen some corporate confirmation leaked to the blogs like it usually is. Andy and Scott both agree that we don't know anything for sure until June 29th. Scott points out that the guy who gave him this info has a long-running relationship with the manager and the store he got the information from.
Andy correctly points out that the fun of speculation is coming to an end.
Scott also heard a rumor that they still haven't solidified the plans for the iPhone yet. They range all the way from $299 for a family plan to $39 for a single line. There's a possibility that they'll change the plans, but we obviously won't know until we get closer to the launch. AT&T is also, according to a few sites, boosting the speed of their EDGE network in preparation for the crush of users getting an iPhone. Scott thinks that in the first couple of months, the plans will be higher and then come down as demand cools.
Scott is hoping that AT&T proves their commitment to customers rather than just trying to gouge them. Andy agrees. They've got a successful product here as long as they don't screw it up. If the launch falls on its face, AT&T will have itself to blame. Andy thinks the importance of both the data plan price and voice price are both very important and also points out that people aren't going to accept an EDGE phone that costs as much to operate a 3G phone.
Andy points out that there are a lot of "skeptics" out there and they'll hate Apple no matter what. Andy says that a $100 a month data plan is probably a deal breaker. AT&T has a $50 data plan for BlackBerry users, and both Scott and Andy think that could be the upper ceiling for data price plans on AT&T. Andy thinks that people won't be pleased if it's perceived AT&T is asking for the world simply because they'll get it.
Scott points out that as long as they stay within their current price plan constraints, they should be fine. We don't know if there will be prepaid service, either. Andy does point out that AT&T is not in the habit of crippling phones to hurt customers, so that's a good sign also. Scott hopes someone at AT&T is smart enough to know that this will build long-term clients.
Scott also points out that this isn't a typical product, it's an Apple product, and the fact that Steve Jobs is behind it will definitely keep things moving along. As Andy says, you don't get into a spitting contest with Steve Jobs. If he's convinced he's right, he won't budge an inch. Steve most likely wouldn't allow Cingular to do something detrimental to the iPhone launch.
With WWDC coming up, Steve Jobs has hinted there might be something there for developers with regards to the iPhone. He also said that he wants to make sure upcoming software doesn't compromise the security and stability of the phone. Andy thinks that the software for the iPhone might be related to Dashcode, Apple's Widget Development software. He hopes that if Widgets are the development method, it's more than just 30 different clocks. Andy is hoping for stability, first and foremost, for the iPhone.
And now for the news!
Obviously, the big news is that we have a release date for the iPhone. The first ads aired on June 3rd, and they announced the June 29th date. In the fine print at the end of the ad, it says you have to agree to a new 2-year contract. Both Scott and Chris have seen a rumored price for an unlocked iPhone, but AT&T has not really stood up and said it's true.
The 4th commercial that arrived recently is about Safari. The message of the commercial is that it's the "real" internet. Not the mobile web and not some watered-down internet.
Chris says that buying the iPhone will only happen at the AT&T store or the Apple Store, but the Huffington Post says that Steve Jobs has warned people not to go to the Apple store to get it because it'll be a madhouse; you'd be better of going to an AT&T store. Some sites are reporting that he's gone back on that, but the Huffington Post is standing behind it.
There's a Pollhost poll that says lots of people are interested in the iPhone, and it dovetails nicely with AT&T saying 1.1 million people are on the "let me know" list to know when the iPhone is coming out. Apparently, the anticipation is definitely there for the iPhone and there are no shortage of people hungry for information on its arrival.
That's all for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at applephoneshow@gmail.com.
Or you can also subscribe to the Apple Phone Show on Podango.com's channel called iThisiThat.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Show theme by Steve (derx_2004@mac.com). | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #4 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 35 | iLifeZone Episode 35
All About iTunes
Run Time: 31:14
Scott Bourne www.podango.com and www.applephoneshow.com
Chris Breen MacWorld and Playlist Magazine
Let's get on with it, shall we?
As of May 30th, iTunes is now offering DRM-free tunes as something called iTunes Plus. The songs are non-DRM'ed AAC files (meaning you can play them pretty much everywhere) and they cost $0.30 per song more. Albums cost anywhere from $9.99 to $12.99 and the songs are encoded at 256k instead of 128k like the older files. There's no longer any copy protection on the files, so you can drag the files into a converter and voila, instant MP3. You can also right-click a file and click Convert to MP3 right inside iTunes.
Chris believes the impotus for this move is cash. Songs now cost more. Secondly, most music today is purchased via CD anyway which is unprotected as it is. As record companies see digital downloads increasing, they're going to have to cut their losses and attract more customers. Chris also thinks that other record companies should follow suit but some probably won't no matter what and they would be wise to change their ways.
Chris noticed a few glitches with iTunes Plus. A large number of the billions of tracks sold on iTunes are now available as iTunes Plus tracks. In iTunes, you can now "upgrade" your tracks to iTunes Plus without DRM. The catch is you have to either do all of your songs or none of them; you can't pick and choose which available tracks you can upgrade. Right now things are really slow or not downloading at all. Things are going to be slow-going for a bit, but eventually all will be right with the world at some point.
Scott thinks this is a good thing. His tip is that no matter what happens, even if you've deleted songs that are now available in upgraded form, you can still get those tracks from iTunes. Chris points out that you can also get any downloaded tracks a second time by going to the iTunes Store's support section in case something catastrophic happens.
Chris also points out that some people are a bit upset that their name and Apple ID appear inside the new unencrypted tracks. Chris points out that it's a pretty dumb idea to share these files seeing as the source of your song will be available to anyone. Scott points out that with just a bit of figuring out, someone can get your password and voila. Gone. Don't share stuff you bought, people.
Chris isn't thrilled with the fact that you don't have the option to, on an album by album basis, pick which albums you want to buy as iTunes Plus and which you want to download as standard iTunes. Instead, you have to set a default preference. Chris is correct in saying that it's slightly inconvenient. Scott is surprised that it isn't more intuitive also. Chris notes that the page is somewhat empty for now as far as available albums go, but that will probably improve as time goes on.
Chris has one more tip. In older versions of iTunes, you could burn your protected files to a CD and then re-rip them to remove the DRM. In iTunes 7.2 that functionality seems to have been broken a bit. In 7.2, it'll have problems doing that, but you can get around that by just using a different program to rip your CDs. If it truly is a bug, this is going to probably be fixed.
Scott points out that the podcasting section was acting weird last week on the iTunes store, but it has since been fixed.
Chris and Scott wonder where Paul McCartney's complete catalog is (Vinny's Note: Shortly after this recording, Mr. McCartney's Catalog did in fact appear in iTunes). Could the Beetles be far behind? Hmmmm...
Some iTunes Tips:
Scott: If you hold down the Option key when loading iTunes, you can choose which iTunes library you want to load. This allows you to create a new library or even create a new one.
Chris: You can create a second account in the iTunes store. You can use this to create an account that's limited by an allowance in case you have no self control (like all of us!). You will need a second e-mail address to do this, but it's a good way to keep your spending under control.
Scott: In the iPod, you can randomly listen to albums. It'll shuffle through albums as opposed to songs if you set it that way. If you use the Albums option, you can have it randomly play songs within the same album then it'll move to another album instead of song to song.
Chris: If you go into the iTunes preferences, you can turn on the shopping cart. This is good because with one-click shopping, you can spend a lot of money very quickly. If you use the shopping cart, the cart will appear in your Store section of the sources. It'll also tell you how much you're about to spend. This is your chance to remove a bunch of stuff rather than just buying everything.
Scott points out that none of Chris' tips this week are going to make him very popular at Apple.
That wraps it up. On June 20th, we turn 1 year old! We'll have a retrospective to celebrate with clips from the past 6 months (the last time we did a best-of).
We're going to move to a once-a-month publishing schedule from here forward. On the 20th of each month, you'll get a new episode of the 'Zone. This is only temporary until October when we'll most likely be getting a new version of the iLife suite. Don't fret! It isn't permanent!
Thanks everyone!
Important note: Our show is no longer on Libsyn. If you still subscribe on Libsyn, please use the new subscribe link below or visit Podango.com.
This episode was sponsored by Overstock.com and ShieldZone.
The next show lands on June 20, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 35 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #3 | Apple Phone Show Episode #3
How to get out of your current contract and other fun stuff!
Host: Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, Podcastingtricks.com and iLifeZone.com Special Guests: Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times
Now that we know who everyone is, let's have a chat...
First, let's hit the subject of how to get out of your existing cellular contract. After all, if you're a Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint / Nextel customer, you're out of luck if you want an iPhone!
Take a look at your contract. Most charge an ETF (Early Termination Fee). Verizon's, for example, is $175. Plan out how much it would cost to maintain your account for the time remaining in your contract. If it's less than $175, then leave it be. If it's more, you can actually save money by cancelling and paying the fee! Scott suggests downgrading your plan, but be aware that on most providers, downgrading your plan extends your contract another year or two. Check with your provider before making any changes to your plan.
Carefully read the clauses in your contract. If there is any fine print that can get you out, take advantage. For example, a raise in the fee for text messaging can be grounds for account cancellation. Read it carefully, and if you do call in, be persistent but polite. You'll get nowhere if you pick up the phone yelling and screaming.
Most major carriers train their staff to not let you go, so just be aware it won't be easy. Scott points out that you should do anything at all in writing and make sure everything gets done as promised. If you're still having problems, consider calling your local government and complaining.
If you'd like to hear Vincent Ferrari's AOL cancel call, check it out here.
And now, Andy Ihnatko from the Chicago Sun Times. Today Scott and Andy talk about the hopes they have for the iPhone.
Scott wants an experience similar to that of his desktop as far as usability, etc.
Andy believes this is a chance for the cell industry to wipe the slate clean and start over. No more incremental improvements and no more "old way" of doing things. He thinks the biggest improvement the iPhone brings is that it's a completely fresh look at the way a phone should work. While using the real iPhone, he thought it was the first phone that worked the way it "should." When you get a call or voicemail, the user interface is very intuitive.
Andy says the biggest challenge of the iPhone is to be thought of as something brand new rather than comparing it to the old and the preconceptions that come along with it. You have to understand the uniqueness of the iPhone to "get it." Scott points out that Aperture is very similar in that it's something new and not to be compared to other apps.
Scott points out that the problem for Apple is going to be that the network is not within their control and they have to rely on AT&T to provide a good experience there. Andy has been a Cingular subscriber for a really long time and he's never had any real complaints, but he realizes a lot of people have and hate AT&T. The reason he stuck with Cingular was because of the cheap data plans as opposed to other carriers. He does note that the "best" carrier will depend on where you are in the country.
Scott brings up EDGE v. 3G data and how there are gigantic holes in the 3G network. AT&T claims most people aren't taking advantage of the 3G that's out there, 3G is not widespread, and that their EDGE network is much more reliable. Andy doesn't understand people being annoyed about it being an EDGE phone. 3G is great when you can get it and in his experience, 3G coverage isn't that great. He also can't think of a lot of applications where he needs 3G data from his phone. You always want the speed, but in reality, how much do you need it? Andy's argument is that he's mostly dealing with smaller bits of data that works fine on an EDGE connection, and also he doesn't see that big of a difference where he's gotten 3G coverage. He also notes that the iPhone has WiFi anyway which is faster than any data available.
Scott said that contacts inside Apple have confirmed to him that they're expecting WiFi to pick up the EDGE slack. Andy points out that during bandwidth tests, he barely gets EDGE speeds on some days.
Andy points out that for some people, everything including EDGE is a dealbreaker, so take internet complaints with a grain of salt.
Scott says the one thing the iPhone should do really well should be syncing with iCal and Addressbook. Andy hopes so, also, and also hopes that syncing wirelessly is a feature that's added. Andy would also like the iPhone to work as an ID tag of sorts, meaning as he moves from one Mac to another, his keychain will move to the Mac he's sitting near. Things like that would be great, creative, and interesting. Even though that's far off, he hopes Apple eventually moves in a very technically advanced direction.
Scott actually said he would put Parallels on his Mac if the iPhone doesn't sync. God help us all.
Andy wants to know to what extent he has control over the files placed on the iPhone and hopes that file management is as good as it is on Windows Mobile.
Steve Jobs did say that eventually we'd have 3rd party apps, but we'd just have to be patient and it probably won't have that functionality out of the box.
Andy points out that a cellular phone is the only device a modern person always has with them, so it's the richest opportunity to carry features and functions around with you. He points out that you don't need a million apps, just a few apps that you really need to use when you need to use them. Andy notes that if the iPhone experience is only what Apple wants it to be, it runs the risk of being a major disappointment.
And now the news with Chris Breen...
1: The iPhone is coming but nobody knows when. Wires have been reporting that the iPhone will be in stores on June 20th. The best we know is that it'll be out between the middle of June and the middle of July. Chris would be thrilled for it to come out sooner than later. Scott points out that whenever the iPhone is released, it'll be the biggest story out there as far as Apple goes. In the end, expect it at the end of June.
2: AT&T stores seem to be maintaining private waiting lists for iPhones. Channelcheckers canvased 36 of the estimated 1800 AT&T stores and found that more than half are keeping private waiting lists despite it being against company policy. According to AT&T, 1.1 million people have contacted them for e-mail info on when the iPhone is released. Chris goes way out on a limb and predicts that more people might be interested in the iPhone than the Zune. Risky one, Chris. Really! Seriously, supplies may be low at the beginning, so be ready to jump on line quickly!
3: Apple has a 5-year exclusive deal with AT&T for the iPhone and because AT&T uses GSM, it makes the iPhone a good world phone. Verizon claims they have a competitor, but their Prada phone probably won't have iPhone's mass market appeal. AT&T is not concerned about competition from other carriers. Scott points out that Apple is great with UI's and in the end, that's going to be the bread and butter of the iPhone. Chris says there's no guarantee, but he has faith.
That's going to do it for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at info@applephoneshow.com.
Subscribe to the Apple Phone Show on Podango.com's channel called iThisiThat.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Show theme by Steve (derx_2004@mac.com). | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #3 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #2 | Apple Phone Show Episode 2 with Special Guest Andy Ihnatko Run Time: 30:37
Host: Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, Podcastingtricks.com and iLifeZone.com
Special Guests: Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine Andy Ihnatko: Colossal Waste of Bandwidth and The Chicago Sun Times Let's jump right in, shall we?
Scott wonders what is it about success, Apple's in particular, that makes the haters come crawling out of the closet. Jealousy, fear, linkbait (*cough* Dvorak). Scott asks the great questions: How do you know the iPhone is slippery, the screen isn't bright enough, and the battery doesn't last? It isn't even out yet! Scott promises that we'll let people know if there are problems, but we should at least wait until the product hits shelves before we start losing our minds.
We need help! We need a jingle for the iPhone haters segment on future shows. Hit us up at info@applephoneshow.com. And now, Andy Ihnatko! Andy is in the final stages of writing a book about the iPhone called iPhone Fully Loaded (see his prior book, iPod Fully Loaded here). Right now, he's just waiting for the release to fill in 25% of the outline with whatever comes along at release time. The FCC has supposedly approved the iPhone (no official verification from the FCC yet). Andy says that the new book isn't exactly like the iPod book, but it's not an instructional manual either. It's how to cram everything you can possibly carry with you on your iPhone. Andy did have some time with the iPhone (45 minutes) but he absorbed as much as he could in a spongelike way. Now that we're down to weeks prior to release, and we have 6/11, 6/15, and 6/29 as possible dates. Andy is leaning toward the last week in June. It would be nice if it came out during WWDC, but he thinks Leopard is going to be the big cheese at that party. The iPhone will garner a lot of attention at launch, so whenever it comes out it'll be the star of the show. Scott points out that we have the AT&T memo that says employees can't take a vacation between 6/15 and 7/15. Andy isn't 100% convinced that it's a giveaway that the iPhone is coming along with other information that's been leaked out. Scott mentions the Engadget story about the alleged delay of the iPhone and Leopard. Andy points out that considering the publication schedule and so on, that he understands where Engadget was coming from, but also points out that the e-mail was counter to everything we already know and have heard and should've probably been vetted better. He thinks they could've pointed out that they had an e-mail that said the iPhone and Leopard was delayed, rather than pointing out that it was. Andy likes Apple Insider and their journalistic processes. Scott points out that the SEC could actually look into this story now because of the effects on the stock. Andy agrees and says that it would be very easy to see who bought a ton of Apple stock at its low that day. Andy also points out that if it was someone within Apple, that's going to be a real problem for Apple and a lot of questions asked. Scott points out that he's a host, not a journalist. Andy is actually a real journalist with different standards. Our blog is run with some more journalistic standards. With the FCC story, for example, we're still waiting for verification from the FCC. Andy points out that the Engadget story was really easy to verify and just wasn't. He thinks that the fact that this story went out without any kind of real verification is problematic. And now, some iPhone news with Chris Breen. The theme for this week is infrastructure, namely, we know this thing is going to be sold soon, but how? They will be sold in 2000 stores according to Apple (Apple Retail and AT&T Corporate stores). Apple is now advertising for iPhones sales and service representatives out of Austin, Texas. You can call these folks to find out about the iPhone, technical specs, pre-sales questions, etc. Now let's say you have the iPhone and you have a puzzling problem. Ads are also out for Senior Tech Representative. These are the folks who will deal with troubleshooting, WiFi, EDGE, and other issues. Apple is in the process of arranging staff to be ready when you get your iPhone. OUR FIRST TIP: When you call the iPhone support line, immediately ask for escalated support. Chris points out that you also need to be polite and it'll go a long way toward getting you better support. Scott asks Chris about the Engadget story. Chris and Scott talk about the Engadget story. Chris also agrees with Andy in that there wasn't enough skepticism in viewing this story. Chris is also writing a book on the iPhone called The iPhone Pocket Guide which should be available shortly after the release of the iPhone. That's going to do it for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at info@applephoneshow.com. Subscribe to the Apple Phone Show on Podango.com's channel called iThisiThat. Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes! Show theme by Steve (derx_2004@mac.com). | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #2 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 34 | iLifeZone Episode 34
Fireside Chat, E-mails, Etc.
Run Time: 54:08
Scott Bourne www.podango.com and www.applephoneshow.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Colleen Wheeler O'Reilly Digital Media
Just a bit of everything today. A more relaxing pace appropriate for a Saturday release...
Scott Shaw writes in. He was listening to the Switcher show and wants to expand on the tip about Cmd-Tab switching apps. If you let go of the tab, but leave your finger on the CMD key and hit H, it will hide the app you've selected. If you hit Q, it will quit the app you've selected. You may need a few extra fingers, but this is a great tip. Thanks Scott!
Colleen: If you press CMD Tab quickly, it'll switch between the two most recently used Applications. You can repeatedly press Cmd Tab to switch quickly without waiting for the switch bar to come up.
Piggyback from a listener!!! Troy D. Murray writes in about Cmd Tab switching: If you use the Cmd Key Plus the Tilde, it'll cycle through open windows in the current application. Derrick prefers Tabs to Windows (Vinny: I prefer anything to Windows.) Derrick likes Expose for this same purpose. Scott uses Expose with his mouse which has a dedicated button. Colleen points out that turning on the hot corners can be fun, and with dual monitors it's torturous. Derrick isn't a fan.
Chris writes in: Chris Breen says Mac laptops don't have a right click. On newer models, you can put two fingers on the pad and click to get a right click. He uses Preview to read multiple PDF's. He wants to know how to follow web links in PDFs in Preview. We'll look into that for you, Chris. We can't seem to get it to work either. You may need to grab Acrobat Reader to get it working. If you have any suggestions for Chris, please e-mail us at info@ilifezone.com.
Colleen likes Preview too, but doesn't like the way it's set as the default for certain kinds of files (for example PSD Photoshop files). Colleen's new MacBook has enticed her to use the actual Apps to open PSD files because they run fast enough now, but she keeps Preview handy when she just wants to take a quick look at a file. Preview pretty much opens everything. Derrick likes PDFPen because of all the neat things it lets you do.
Tom Brody left us a voicemail: He wants to suggest two topics: 1. A show on nothing but info on Preview. 2. Another show on QuickTime Pro and all the things that can be done with it. We'll work on that for you, Tom... Colleen likes the idea because she bought QuickTime pro and has no idea why she did it (it's the hypnotic power of Derrick, Colleen).
E-Mail from Neil Bernstein: Happy with the photography show. Would love to hear more about Workflow because he wants to know what it really means to an amateur. He would like to hear more about workflow as it pertains to iPhoto, seeing as he doesn't use LightRoom or Aperture. Derrick's jonesing for a new iPhoto and Scott expects it in the fall with Leopard. Derrick points out that Workflow is really just going from point A to point B and isn't really anything more than that. He's really big on rating images then only working on the "good stuff" and so on. Workflow is an individual series of steps, and not every flow will work for every person. Scott says that the basic recipe for digital photo is what looks good to you. There's no set recipe and no magic bullet. If it looks good to you, you've done your job. Colleen thinks that it's also the process that all your images go through and how to make that as efficient as possible and lets you get on with your life. Scott doesn't rate all his photos because they're all five-star (and he's so modest!)
Tavita Wilson congratulates us on having a woman on the show. She appreciates that we all get along like we're friends, and she wants to know why it's so hard for elderly people and non-technical people to take the leap into computers. She has daughters who are afraid because they're into tech more than the other girls they hang around. Colleen says the age thing is overrated. Her young son is fearless when it comes to tech. She thinks that most people who aren't comfortable with tech are probably uncomfortable because it came around after they were set in their ways and they're afraid to break something. As far as girls v. boys, she sees that changing quite a bit. Colleen, for example, carries two laptops with her (wow!).
Scott, Colleen and Derrick are all about not using anything Rosetta anymore because of the performance hit. Colleen tried to open a Word Doc on her new MacBook and the test drive opened. Scott says to immediately remove the test drive first before you do anything else with a new Mac. Colleen points out that with the Pages test drive on a Mac, Pages should open up, not the test drive of Word. Scott wishes they would just charge more for a Mac and throw in Pages and iWork. Scott wanted to know why Colleen paid extra for black. Her answer is that it's gorgeous. She loves the Marware protection pack and so does Derrick and Scott. It's her first new self-bought Mac! Derrick, Scott, and Colleen love the keyboard (Vinny: I'd have to agree... I have a black MacBook also and it's awesome). Colleen also has her trackpad set to turn off when she plugs in a mouse to save from stray marks on the trackpad. Colleen also notes that the positioning of the pad is different than it is on the MacBook Pro. Derrick prefers the MacBook keyboard to the MacBook Pro keyboard. Colleen likes the feel of it also.
Colleen has two revelations as far as what you get with a MacBook and a MacBook Pro. Revelation #1: No FireWire 800 (MacBook's have FireWire 400). Revelation #2: No internal card slot (No EVDO cards, and no Express Cards). Don't fret Colleen, Sprint and Verizon both offer EVDO USB dongles. I have the Verizon one and it's RevA which means it's faster than most of the Express Cards / PCMCIA cards out there. Keep in mind, the MacBook is also quite a bit less expensive.
Scott points out that it's a matter of weeks until the iPhone launches. Derrick says he needs it and he's having a heck of a time waiting for it. Scott thinks that the iPhone is going to hurt laptop sales because it does so much and he primarily does e-mail which the iPhone does. Derrick doesn't think it'll hurt laptop sales, but that the iPhone will just be another spoke in the digital hub. Your Mac / Laptop will still be the center of everything. One thing he agrees with, though, is that the iPhone will be great for when you're on the plane waiting to leave the runway and he won't need to do it with a big MacBook Pro. He could do it now, but he thinks current phones mostly suck. Scott doesn't care for the Treo, and neither does Derrick. Scott says the second happiest day was when he bought his Treo and the first happiest was when he got rid of it. Derrick points out that Ben Long loves his Treo.
Scott points out that you can find out all you want to know about the iPhone from Applephoneshow.com!
Ray Biker says: He's a double switcher. He switched from the Apple IIc to the PC and back to Macs! He got an iMac and says it's a far cry from his previous computers. He likes to make big pictures. You can resize your pictures with Automator actions. If you go to Automator.us you'll find a ton of pre-made actions you can use in Automator to do all kinds of things. No code involved. You link one action to another and you're ready to roll! Just about any Apple app you may want to use has some functions that can work with Automator.
Mark Laidlaw: Liked the photography episode but thinks we missed one thing. Moving from the Auto setting on a camera. He wants to learn how to use Aperture and Shutter. Colleen recommends The Digital Story. Derrick points out that a lot of people don't realize that the "P" mode on the camera stands for Professional. Most event photographers use "P" most of the time to ensure they get the right settings. Scott recommends checking out the scene modes built into your camera and seeing if they do the job for you. There's no shame in using those settings. You can also make note of the settings those presets use, and then you can make those adjustments in the manual sections.
Scott wants to point out that you can also get plenty of information on your camera from the owner's manual. Derrick points out that there's now a discussion forum on The Digital Story too, so that's a good resource, along with the podcast he does weekly.
Techmate writes in: Re: The tip in our Tip Monster about enclosing URL's in brackets in e-mail: You can achieve the same effect in OmniWeb which will send links to your current page, but in the body of the e-mail it'll enclose them in brackets automatically.
Richard: Doesn't want to use all the songs in his library on his iPod and doesn't like the Sync Checked Song option works. He uses the comments section of the songs with a NOT ON IPOD in the comments, then makes a smart playlist that only has songs that don't have that in the comments and that's the only playlist that syncs to the iPod.
Derrick discovered that he likes having different iTunes libraries. He has a basic music library on the laptop, and a hard drive with other libraries. If you hold down the Option key when you start iTunes, you can select which library you want to load.
Important note: Our show is no longer on Libsyn. If you still subscribe on Libsyn, please use the new subscribe link below or visit Podango.com.
This episode was sponsored by Overstock.com and ShieldZone.
The next show lands on June 1, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 34 | Play in Popup.
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| ApplePhoneShow #1 | Apple Phone Show Episode 1
Welcome to the Apple Phone Show!
Run Time: 14:07
Host:
Scott Bourne: Podcastgearguy.com, Podcastingtricks.com, iLifeZone.com
Special Guest:
Chris Breen: MacWorld Magazine and Playlist Magazine
Welcome to the very first episode of the Apple Phone Show! We're here to keep you informed of all the latest notes, news, and rumors about Apple's much-anticipated iPhone! We're going to have Chris Breen joining us from MacWorld for each show, an editorial from Scott, and lots of tips, tricks, etc. You're not going to want to miss a single episode! You can e-mail us at info@applephoneshow.com with any questions, suggestions, or tips you may have.
The iPhone is a few weeks away, and already we have accessories hitting the market for it. There are cases and other goodies trickling out and no one even has the phone in their hand yet!
Where we are today:
1. It looks like the phone will be on time at some point in June. Dates look to be the 11th (WWDC), the 15th (an email rumor), and the 29th (an AT&T Shareholder rumor).
2. It's going to most likely be in short supply!
3. Get on any lists you can now! If you think you're on it and you haven't gotten an e-mail, get back on it.
4. Every single survey indicates that the iPhone is going to sell tons. (Scott points out that today's nay-sayers sound like iPod nay-sayers).
5. Will Apple open up to third party apps? Not sure. Not really important yet but it will be eventually.
6. Will it sync with PCs and Macs well? Hopefully, and if it does, it'll be a success.
7. Apple is hiring iPhone support reps in Austin Texas. Check it out at Apple.com
8. Will AT&T Subsidize the iPhone? Looks like no as of now, but we shall see...
There is a series of small snips of previous podcasts featuring Leo Laporte, John C. Dvorak, Merlin Mann, Alex Lindsay and others discussing the iPhone with Scott.
And now the iPhone News from Chris Breen:
On April 3, Apple sent out an announcement to people that the iPhone really is coming out in June!! No exact date was given, but we'll take it! Like we said earlier, go sign up so you can get the e-mails!
Piper Jaffray says that 1 in 4 teenagers would be willing to buy the iPhone at $500. Chris thinks we should survey the parents instead. As he says, that's a lot of lawns to mow! In Scott's 'hood, the kids can loan the parents $500. Good to know!
Leopard will be delayed until October because Apple needed to pull resources over to the iPhone team so that they could hit their target date. Just goes to show how much the iPhone means to them.
That's going to do it for now... If you have any questions, comments, concerns, tips, etc., let us know at info@applephoneshow.com. On the next episode we should have Andy Ihnatko from the Chicago Sun Times who's writing one of the first books on the iPhone so don't miss it!
Subscribe to the Apple Phone Show on Podango.com's channel called iThisiThat.
Thanks to Apple Phone Show producer Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Show theme by Steve (derx_2004@mac.com). | Get at Short URL | Download ApplePhoneShow #1 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 33 | iLifeZone Episode 33
The Photography Edition
Run Time: 46:54
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Chris Breen MacWorld and Playlist Magazine
Okay shutterbugs, assume the position. It's time for our Photography special! Let's not waste any time!
As a beginning photographer, Chris is interested inwhat to look for in a camera (point and shoot or DSLR).
Derrick thinks that megapixels aren't that important if you have a good 5, 6, or 7 megapixel point and shoot camera, you can pretty much do what most people want to do with photos including blow up to 8 x 10, crop and enlarge, etc. The benefit to a lower megapixel count is that you don't have a Mac full of photos. On DSLRs, some get as high as 10 megapixels, but in reality, most people need far less. Scott points out that megapixels are a mostly marketing hype. Scott notes that the pixels in a point and shoot are generally not the same as the pixels in a DSLR and DSLRs use bigger sensors that can pick up more light so a 6 megapixel point and shoot probably won't have the image quality of a 6 megapixel DSLR at the same resolution. DSLRs also tend to produce less noisy images at higher ISOs.
Scott says that one of the benefits of a DSLR is that you can change the lenses and gain additional flexibility. Scott and Derrick agree that most cameras around $400 take pretty good pictures and interface pretty well with iPhoto.
Chris uses a card reader to copy his photos from his flash cards to his camera, rather than hooking up the camera directly. iPhoto will also be smart enough to not copy duplicate images a second time. Scott notes that once you get your images off your card, you should probably erase the card. (Vinny's tip: During the import to iPhoto, you have the option to delete originals if you're feeling brave!). Derrick has only had one card go belly up. Scott hasn't. Scott says you can pretty much use a card for as long as possible without worry. Derrick notes that even though they last forever, you aren't getting a whole lot of images on it. Scott points out that the older cards also have much slower transfer rates.
So what is workflow?
Derrick says it's the series of steps you take from the very beginning from when you take the card out of your camera to organizing to adjusting, to processing, to outputing the image somewhere (web, print, etc.). Scott says there's no "best" workflow; instead, the best workflow is the one that works best for you and your software. There are some standard rules Scott uses. For example, the last step is sharpening. Color correction, etc., comes first, then sharpening. Your mileage may vary. Derrick notes that software like LightRoom and Aperture are geared toward taking you through the process step by step.
Chris likes making black and white photos and hasn't had a lot of luck converting to black and white inside iPhoto. Derrick thinks that iPhoto isn't that great at doing it. According to Derrick, you can use iPhoto just for management and so on, but you can make iPhoto work well with Photoshop Elements and inside it, you can really do some great work converting it to Black and White. When you save it, it saves it back into iPhoto.
Scott says you should never shoot directly in Black and White on the camera because in the end you throw away a lot of data. In the end, you want to bring the full RGB palette into an editor and work from there. Scott's pick for this is Aperture because you have very fine control and there's no data loss. Scott points out that converting to grayscale throws away a large chunk of data in your image when you do it in Photoshop.
Chris also wants to know how to get your image color matching to work between your monitor, your printer, and your camera. Derrick thinks you should start with calibrating your monitor (found in the System Preferences under Displays). You could invest in something like the Spyder Pro if you're really picky, but you should start in System Preferences first. As for printing, that's where you get into ICC profiles which tell your printer what kind of ink it's using, what kind of paper it's printing on, and so on, and this way the Mac's color instructions are translated to the printer properly. Derrick notes that you'll probably get pretty close right away, but the rest of it is a bit of voodoo magic. So you can gauge the difficulty of this, Scott used to teach a 1-week class in color management (YIKES!).
Scott adds that color management promises you consistent results, not necessarily that you'll like it. The second thing to know is that you do need some kind of colorimeter if color is important to you. If you use a colorimeter and an ICC profile, your results will always be consistent, although you may need to compensate. Scott points out that the best way to go is to let the software you're using control color, not the printer.
Chris wonders what to do if you don't have the time to do all this and if just printing photos to a service is a smarter route. Derrick thinks it may be, but in the end, you still have to work out the color settings of your monitor if you want to make sure what you see on the screen was what you saw in the camera. It only eliminates the second half of the equation, the ICC profiles. Scott uses Mpix for small orders. He notes that the only reason to do it yourself is speed and instant gratification. Scott and Derrick both like the 4 x 6 personal photo printers that are out on the market now and recommend them because in most cases, you can hook the camera directly to the printer.
Derrick notes that 4 x 6 online prints are about $0.19 + postage a piece whereas inkjet prints are about $0.29 to $0.39 per print and, as Derrick notes, 4 x 6 prints matte nicely in a 5 x 7 frame.
Scott points out that a lot of things we would want to do don't even need a computer either. His new plasma TV from Panasonic has a built-in card reader. Scott also notes that services like Flickr have become enormously popular for sharing photos. Derrick also likes the video functions on many point and shoot cameras.
Scott notes that an iPhone picture (or what claims to be one) is indeed out there and that the iPhone stands to be a great portable photo album.
Derrick notes that the 3 megapixel sensor in the iPhone won't be quite as good as a 3 megapixel point and shoot, but that they're good for most everyday uses and for sharing moments and that's where the iPhone should excel.
Chris notes that often, the same shot taken by two different people will end up looking different after processing. He wants to know how to punch up his images and wants to know what to do after the shot is taken and where to begin post-processing.
Derrick says that a good image starts at the point of capture and not from fixing it afterward. He recommends using RAW if you have it because it retains more data. Also, getting good exposure is important. Derrick also notes that light is a funny thing and a slight adjustment to something like position can make a huge difference. Even something as simple as moving around your subject or changing the elevation of the camera can make a huge difference.
Scott agrees on exposure and points out that capturing for the back of the camera is not a good idea. It's important to note that with RAW, you can adjust quite a bit of exposure data even after you shoot. With JPG, "second chances" don't exist. In RAW, you can fix quite a bit afterward. Scott also points out that learning exposure is much better than using something like exposure bracketing. The best way to work is to figure out how the camera "sees" an image.
Exposure explained: If you're in a dimly lit room with a few bulbs, and white walls, and you turn to your left and point the camera at the wall on Auto, you'll have a certain exposure. If you point the camera at another wall, you'll have a different exposure. In the end, they'll both be gray because the camera is constantly trying to make the wall gray.
Derrick notes that most cameras now can display a histogram to understand color balance and exposure and that can be more helpful than just eyeballing an image on the LCD. Scott notes that just about every Mac photo editing program will let you adjust the histogram afterward.
Derrick likes the new Photoshop CS3. There are two really cool things in it. The first is a new Black and White option under the Adjustments menu and you have a ton of fine control over the image. They also fixed brightness and contrast so that it really works well. Prior to CS3, you had to use the Levels option, but now all is right in the brightness and contrast world.
Scott and Derrick both expect an upgrade to iPhoto with the upcoming release of Leopard.
This episode was sponsored by Overstock.com and ShieldZone .
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
The next show lands on May 20, 2007 and it's gonna be an all audience e-mail episode! For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 33 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 32 | iLifeZone Episode 32
Tip Monsters After Tip Monsters
Run Time: 46:35
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Chris Breen MacWorld and Playlist Magazine
Kenji Kato Kenjikato.com
Craig Syverson Grunt Media
John Foster Beerschool.com
Let's get going right away and startpumping out the tips!
Kenji: In iTunes, you can full-screen Coverflow (the album art work flippy thing) by clicking the expanding square next to the scroll bar. If a video pops in while you're playing your music, you can switch to the video player by pressing Command+Tab and switching to the video player.
Craig: In Microsoft Word for Windows, the default format is DOCX, and you can't open them by default with Word 2004. You can change the extension from .DOCX to .ZIP, unzip the file, and find the XML file, then drag it into Safari and you're good to go! (Vinny's tip: If you have some extra time and you're not in too big a rush, check out Zamzar which claims DOCX as a format it can convert to and from; be warned though, it sometimes takes awhile to get the link back for the file you're converting). Scott suggests simply telling people not to send you those kinds of files.
John: In Mail.app, you can colorize mail from specific people. Select the e-mail you want to monitor, then click Preferences - Rules. Click Add Rule and give it a good descriptive name in the top. The FROM CONTAINS ______________ should be filled in with the e-mail address. In the bottom half of the screen, choose SET COLOR, of background, and then choose a color. Whenever a message comes in from that address, it'll be colorized making it much easier to find!
Chris: With Coverflow in iTunes, you can click on an album cover and drag it to the desktop which will copy all the individual tracks to your desktop.
Scott: From Carl W. Smith of Fort Lauderdale, FL: Most people seem to breeze right past Crossover from Codeweavers when talking about Windows compatibility on the Mac. The nice thing about Crossover is that you don't have to install Windows to make it work like you do with Bootcamp or Parallels.
Kenji: Because of security concerns, Flash content is disabled in Quicktime. If there's Flash in a QuickTime movie, it won't play for you, so you need to go to System Preferences, choose QuickTime, and on the last tab (Advanced) there's a checkbox to enable Flash and a movie's interactive features.
Craig: In Keynote, you can Copy Styles and Paste Styles from one object to another. For example, if you had a black square, and you wanted to match the style on another one, you can just copy style from one and paste it to another.
John: You can have your Mac read something to you by choosing Start Speaking Text from the Services menu.
Chris: You can download the Harmonic widget and it will grab the lyrics for the current song in iTunes. It then copies the lyrics to iTunes and syncs to iTunes!
Scott: In OSX, partitions greater than 1 terabyte are problematic. If you get a huge drive, partition into smaller disks using Disk Utility.
Kenji: To use the speech function even easier in Mail.app, highlight all the text, right click and click Speech, Start Speaking. This also works with Safari and other Cocoa Apps.
Craig: In Keynote, you can use the iPhoto Media Browser. In the inspector, you can see the actual name of the file. Go to the File Info tab in Keynote and find the icon. You can then drag that into the dock and it will put that file into a separate library so that everything can be easily located later.
John: Devon Technologies makes something called Word Service. It can reformat text, remove multiple spaces, and a bunch of other functions all with a right click. Find out more about it here . It works in all Cocoa Apps and in any Carbon app that supports services! And it's free!
Chris: Buy Spamsieve . Now that you've gotten that out of the way, you can also get rid of a lot of spam by creating a rule that wipes out Imagespam. You can find a complete set of detailed instructions here . You'll find that it gets rid of a lot of the spam you're getting right now.
Scott: Heinrich Berg suggests that in OSX, the CMD+Left Bracket helps you cycle through all windows in the same application. (Vinny's tip: This may not work in all applications because some, like TextMate use that as a shortcut. In those cases, CMD+` will do the same thing and since it's a sytem-wide function, applications can't co-opt it)
Kenji: Speaking of TextMate, Kenji recommends it because it has a huge amount of libraries, it does syntax highlighting (meaning it highlights special keywords for you) and there are even tons of plugins out there for it. You can grab it at macromates.com .
Craig: Likes to record directly into his Mac for video, but it's not as reliable as it could be. QuickTime Pro will continuously write to the disk so even if the disk has a problem, you won't lose everything whereas with some other programs, you might.
John: Recommends AcidSearch . It installs into Safari and allows you to change your search engine from something other than Google. It brings the search bar on par with what you can do with FireFox. You do need to have SIMBL installed, but it is free!
Chris: If you burn an audio CD in iTunes, your SoundCheck settings will go with it. It will also burn a gapless album. Crossfades will not burn, however. If you want to do that, Roxio Toast Titanium 8 will do it. iTunes will also not burn over any EQ settings, but it will copy over CD Text. Scott points out that Roxio Toast is also another app that you should absolutely own.
Kenji: In Safari, and you see a blue RSS button in the address bar, click it. It'll take you to the feed for that site that'll let you view the site's headlines, and in some cases the entire articles. It's fantastic because it brings all your news and sites into one place. If you have those RSS feeds, and you drop them into your menu bar, it'll show you how many new items there are.
Craig: In iWeb, and in the blogging tool, you can only make images a certain size. Using EasyCrop ($15) , you can resize it properly before you insert it into iWeb.
John: In Spotlight, you can set it up so that you're only searching through things you care about using the Spotlight System Preference and you can remove the keyboard shortcut. After turning a bunch of searches off, applications seemed to run quicker.
Chris: If you're using GarageBand, there is a ducking feature. Ducking drops the music track under the vocal track. Unfortunately, it isn't that great. You can draw lines to simulate the ducking feature and you'll probably end up much happier with the results. (Vinny's tip: Manually doing it also saves the problem of the music bouncing up and down if there's a break in your vocal track). Scott suggests to make sure your ducks line up correctly.
Scott: For podcasting, there are a few things you can do to improve performance during recording. 1: Turn off all the energy saver stuff. It messes up the timing with these programs. 2: Turn off Spotlight! 3: Turn off your screensaver! 4: Don't record really long files without stopping periodically because some programs love to mangle longer recordings.
That's a wrap for this week! Our next show will be about photography and the Mac.
This episode was sponsored by Overstock.com and ShieldZone .
The next show lands on May 10, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store
ï | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 32 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 31 | iLifeZone Episode 31
The Return of the Tip Monster
Run Time: 46:24
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Chris Breen MacWorld and Playlist Magazine
John Foster Beerschool.com
Craig Syverson Grunt Media
Kenji Kato Kenjikato.com
Let's get rockin' with the tips!!
Scott: Needed to delete stuff from the trash can and found that you can force it to delete even if it's stubborn. One way is to use the terminal. In a new terminal window, type the following: rm -rf ~/.trash/*
That will manually empty your trash no matter what's in it. If you would rather not dabble in the command line, you can also hold down the Option key while you're emptying the trash. In some cases, the Option key method won't work, though, so you may have to dabble in the terminal. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN THE TERMINAL. YOU CAN DO A TON OF DAMAGE IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL.
Chris: Chris recommends Batchmod which is donationware and includes an option to "Force Empty Trash" even if there is a locked file. It has a lot of other functions too, including the ability to change permissions on groups of files.
John: Uses lots of networks and gets tired of setting up the networks preferences for each one. He recommends using locations in the Network preference and you can make changes specific to the networks you use right there.
Kenji: When you want to switch, you can change locations directly from the Apple menu.
Craig: In many Apple applications, you can customize the toolbar. That's often a good way to learn about the app and its features. You can usually find it under the View menu.
Kenji: If your machine won't boot, hold the option key then press the power button. You can then pick what device you want to boot from. Besides giving you different boot options, this will also clue you in to whether or not your internal drive is being detected at all.
Scott: If you've ever sent someone an e-mail and they can't open a url in it, it's probably because the URL is longer than 80 characters. If you want to make sure your recipients can always open your e-mailed links, enclose them in angle brackets and you should be fine.
Chris: In iTunes, if you're at the iTunes store, there's always a link. You can click and drag anything from the store to your desktop to create a URL alias. You can then send that alias anywhere. (From Vinny: Another tip would be that you can right click any item in the iTunes store and click Copy URL to get the direct URL)
John: To connect to a server without an FTP tool, go to the Finder, pull down the Go menu, and select Connect to Server. You can type the url of a server, etc. Click Ok or Connect. Type the username and password. The volume will open on your desktop right alongside any other drives. If the server has WebDAV, you can write to it also, no FTP included.
Craig: When Craig has a long URL, he recommends selecting the word and clicking "edit link" where you can then add a link to a site instead of using the URL in the message.
Kenji: Sometimes you can repair some Mac grief by zapping the Parameter Ram (or P-Ram). To do it, while you're booting, hold down the Command, Option, P and R keys. After the system bongs a third time, let go and let the system boot.
Scott: When copying a folder from one drive to another, make sure to copy the files inside the folder and not the folder itself. That's a listener tip (From Vinny: David! That tip was on our site in one of our followup posts to the switcher shows! In fact, it was tip #1!). Either way, folks, be careful. On the Mac, always copy the contents of the folders and not the folders themselves. In Windows, it merges. On the Mac, it copies over.
Chris: In iTunes, if you have a lot of playlists and sources, they scroll beyond your view so you can't drag and drop into a playlist. The easiest way to add something to a source you can't see is to right click (or Control click) the item and click Add to Playlist, then select the playlist you want the song to be added to.
John: Big fan of GTD . If you need an easy timer, go into System Preferences, Desktop and Screensaver, and select the folder you want to use, and then you can set it to change the picture every X number of minutes.
Craig: In Keynote, there's an option for Web View which lets you drop a webpage into a Keynote presentation that's live! They'll work like any other object in Keynote and at the same time, they'll be live content.
Kenji: If you're looking to repair a hard drive, Data Rescue II does a great job.
Scott: A tip from Australia! Lisa suggests that you look into Omniweb . Omniweb is a very customizable alternative browser. Scott's favorite idea is the tab drawer which lets you store multiple tabs under one spot. Scott finds it performs better than Firefox on his systems.
Chris: In iTunes, sometimes you want to know what doesn't belong to a playlist. You can now create folders inside the source list. Create a new folder and drag all your playlists into it. Then create a new smart playlist. The condition will read PLAYLIST -- IS NOT -- (NAME OF YOUR FOLDER). Any song that isn't in that folder you created will appear inside that Smart Playlist.
John: Just finished recording, framing, and editing his podcast. Now he needs to find that file. You can right click on the file and click Show in Finder to see the location of the file on your hard disk.
Craig: Change your filenames before you drop your podcasts / files into iTunes to change ID3 tags, etc. Once you've done all your iTunes stuff, you can drag it from iTunes to the finder, so you can control where the file is and where it goes. Also, don't use spaces in your filenames. Use underscores for compatibility purposes.
Scott: Keep the podcast names short. Scrolling is not cool!
Kenji: If you hold down the option key, you can drag your links in the link bar around.
Scott: In Aperture, when you're working in the Light Table view, you can't have a photo in there twice. To work around this, in Aperture, clicking Option V will create a new version of the picture. Then hit Shift Command K to unstack it. Now you can move the original image onto the light table and underneath it will be an identical copy!
Chris: In Garageband, to export your podcasts as AIFF, delete the Podcast track after everything is arranged. After you do that, share it to iTunes and it will be an AIFF file.
John: In Safari, if you press Command I, it will send the entire page in the body of an e-mail. (Note: You need to be using Apple Mail)
Craig: In Pages and Keynote, you can't increase the size of the Inspector Window. You can, however, have multiple Inspectors! Under the View menu, click New Inspector. You can open multiple inspectors for different functions.
Kenji: On rare occasions when you have to fax something, you can go to the File Menu, go to Print, and in the lower left corner, hit the PDF button. Fax PDF is an option, you can put a number in, and voila! Any app that uses the standard Mac printing menu will work.
That's a wrap for this week! We'll see you soon with another Tip Monster!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
The next show lands on May 1, 2007. For more information (or to send us your tips so Scott doesn't have to do any work for the next Tip Monster) email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks to Libsyn for hosting services.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 31 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 30 | iLifeZone Episode 30
Live from GMT 2007
Run Time: 33:12
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Alex Lindsay Pixelcorps.tv Leo Laporte Twit.tv
Today we're going to talk about the AppleTV and iTunes.
Leo describes the AppleTV as an iPod for video and Alex says that the AppleTV is more expensive than he planned when taking into account the price of the unit itself and a TV that worked with it. Scott points out the irony of a special effects guy like Alex not owning a television and not owning a car to go with his GPS unit (what's up with that, Alex?).
Leo thinks Alex is the exact target of the AppleTV because of how much content he watches on his Mac anyway. For Alex, he set up the AppleTV and it immediately picked up all the computers on the network and their shared iTunes libraries. Leo and Alex points out that not necessarily everything can move from iTunes to the AppleTV but it's rare. Alex points out that there is an export in Quicktime Pro for the AppleTV and it looks fantastic, even better than the 720p trailers you can grab from Apple.
Scott wishes it could sync directly with iPhoto. Leo points out that it's not 100% obvious what it's copying. Scott wants the editing abilities along with it. Alex wishes he could just use it without going back to iTunes. Leo says the most interesting hacks include booting it from an external USB drive.
Leo points out that it was hacked faster than any set top box he had ever seen and Apple hasn't done much to prevent it. Alex predicts we'll be buying content directly through the AppleTV directly. Leo points out that it could be a problem for people who have authorized the maximum 5 computers if you also, at some point, have to authorize the AppleTV as well. Leo also points out that the AppleTV is only a Pentium M, not a Core Duo like the newer Minis.
Leo doesn't like how hot it gets. Scott says they put a pan of Jiffy Pop on it and got a few kernels of popped corn.
Alex says he would also have liked to have 1080p instead of 720p HD.
Leo points out that whatever the quality of the box, content producers should be just producing the best quality possible because it will make them stand out next to the lower quality HD broadcasts or the content you can purchase from the iTunes store. Alex agrees and points out that because a lot of the stuff they produce is compressed less than the commercial stuff, it ends up looking much better.
Leo just wishes it looked a little better overall.
Scott points out that since every Mac comes with iMovie HD, everyone can produce content for the AppleTV. Alex agrees. Leo points out that Apple has been slowly closing the circle. First they created the iLife Suite which created and stored the content. Now the circle is closed because now you can extend the iLife content you have beyond your computer.
We're going to hop into a listener question for now. A listener wants to know about using a Sony HD camera with iMovie. Scott points out that one of the problems with the HDV format is that it isn't a specific standard. You have to read up on whether the camera you want to purchase is compatible with iMovie because, unlike regular DV cameras, HD cams aren't necessarily compatible. Check with your camcorder's manufacturer to make sure the camera is supported in iMovie.
Leo thinks that an upcoming upgrade to Leopard is going to bring a new version of iLife as well and he thinks it's going to be impressive. Alex thinks we'll see Leopard by the end of June. Leo points out that customers are in an interesting conundrum. If Apple gives a date for Leopard's release, people will stop buying Tiger and wait. If they don't, people still may not buy Tiger because they're not sure when it's going to be obsolete.
Scott advises listeners that if they're going to make a hardware purchase to wait until Leo does lest they be shackled with a G4 cube two days before production is halted on it.
Scott predicts that the iPhone, Leopard, and iLife Suite will all come out on the same day. Leo disagrees but he points out that the iPhone has put Apple in a new category of perception among non Apple users, and along with the AppleTV has made Apple into a convergence company. Scott notes that 1,000,000 people have given Cingular their e-mail address to be notified when the iPhone is coming. Scott points out that CTIA, the iPhone was all that was discussed by everybody there.
Leo points out that Apple hack sites are hoping the iPhone is as easy to hack and install 3rd party apps on as the AppleTV because Apple did nothing to stop people from hacking the AppleTV. Alex points out that this is similar to the way Apple didn't release a spec for the iMovie plugin format, and how developers had to work around it which gave developers the ability to make changes, but left Apple to not have to support any of it. Leo suspects Apple is a bit two-faced and they're telling Cingular no third-party apps while winking and nodding at the hackers out there telling them to do what you want and we won't stop you.
More than half the folks at GMT plan to buy one.
Interesting tidbit: The Ken Burns effect built into iMovie and iPhoto was a deal worked out with Apple and Ken Burns.
Scott thinks it'll be interesting to see if you can kludge all the new Apple devices together. In an ideal world, you can find content on your iPhone, then click a button and have it sent to your iTunes and synced to your AppleTV.
Alex points out that this closes a lot of holes in that he can produce content for a specific targeted device and optimize content for each device.
Scott sees the iPhone as more of a media device, while Leo thinks that all the media stuff is extra but the iPhone is all about making a better phone. Leo notes that the media functions have been around for awhile, but the true selling point is that it's going to be a better overall experience.
Scott thinks a new iMac is on the way because it's the oldest product in the product line.
That's a wrap for this week!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
The next show lands on April 20, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks to Libsyn for hosting services.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store
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Technorati Tags: ilifezone , ilife , macintosh , macbook , mac
apple | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 30 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 29 | iLifeZone Episode 29
Switchers Unite Part II (AKA The Drag & Drop Show)
Run Time: 42:52
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Chris Breen Macworld and Playlist Magazine
John Foster pixelcorps.tv and Beer School
First a listener audio comment...
Dan in Cambridge likes Derrick's "Show Path in the Menu Bar" tip and Colleen wanted to know how to get that path into a text format. Dan has the answer. If you open a terminal window, you can just drag the window into the terminal and see the full path for the window's location. Great tip, Dan! Thanks!
Now on with the show! We'd like to think of today's show as a mini tip monster for the switchers (those who were formerly walking in darkness who have now seen the light!).
Derrick says that for a web browser, Derrick likes Firefox for switchers instead of Safari because it's identical to the PC version as far as user experience. He also points out that some sites that balk at Safari end up working fine with Firefox. Scott points out that it is free but it isn't included. John's primary browser is Safari. Scott likes having multiple browsers and uses Camino .
Chris is a Firefox guy also because he's had better success with certain sites loading. He also points out that if you'd like to use Safari, you should grab Safari Enhancer . When you get it, it enables a debug menu. You can change the browser it's emulating and you should be okay. (For a more detailed explanation of what User Agent Strings are, check here ).
Scott points out that people who don't write good RSS code often leave styles out of their feeds. A more standards-compliant browser like Firefox usually fixes that also. Derrick points out that you shouldn't use IE on the Mac because it hasn't been updated in ages.
Another favorite of Derrick's is iChat and points out that it's lightyears ahead of AIM as far as user interface, and overall experience. It does video, audio, conferencing, and of course it's free also! Derrick also reminds us to update our iChat pictures from time to time. It's easy enough; just take a shot with your iSight and drag it onto the window!
John's favorite free application is TextEdit . TextEdit is great for basic editing, lightweight, and doesn't crash. It even opens Word .doc files.
Chris' favorite free app is Garageband and it's unique to the Mac. You drag in loops, sound effects, and so on, and instantly you're creating music. As John points out, it's a major time suck.
Scott uses Microsoft Word on the Mac to open .doc files from Windows users and says that the myth that you can't use Office on a Mac is silly. Derrick says you have nothing to fear but that you do need to realize that the Mac version of Office is not written by the same people so it's not 100% identical, but you'll get used to it. Give yourself some extra time and be patient. You'll get the hang of it. Scott points out that Office 2004 runs under Rosetta, which makes it run a bit slow. Office 2008 should be available mid 2007, which will run natively on Intel-based Macs.
Derrick also uses Nisus Writer Express when he doesn't have to worry about exchanging files with Word users which also saves as Word Documents if you really need it. Scott points out that there's also Pages which is a cross between a word processor and a page layout program. Chris notes that when you do buy Pages, it comes in the iWork suite along with KeyNote. He also points out that there's nothing like it on Windows as far as style. Scott points out that for most people, iWork will cover the needs of most users along with the free stuff that's already included.
Derrick notes that the myth of Macs cost more misses the point because you get a lot more out of the box with a Mac than you do with a PC and the learning curve is shorter because once you learn one app, you can probably apply what you know to the others. Scott expands on that by pointing out the Media pane which ties together your movies, music, and photos so that they work across multiple applications. John points out that in an application like Comic Life (which is also included on all new Macs) you can use the Media pane to get your photos from iPhoto into your comic strips.
John also likes that text can be spoken anywhere and in any app and Chris says that it's only going to get better in Leopard.
Derrick's one thing he thinks everyone should be aware of as far as the operating system goes is that you have to choose your password carefully and make sure to remember it. Forgetting it makes for huge problems.
Chris points out that once you empty the trash in OSX it's gone. Period. Buh bye. Open up the trash before you delete and make sure you actually want to get rid of stuff before you empty it.
John points that you can take all the icons out of the left pane in finder, but do not touch the Network icon because it's a pain to get back in.
Derrick notes that the Finder has a Go menu that organizes pretty much everything you can do inside the Finder. To get back to the Finder, just click on the desktop. If you want a new Window, just press âÃÃ+N to open a new window.
Scott points out that you may be used to using the Control Panel to install applications in Windows. On the Mac, you just put the disc in, and drag it to the Applications Folder. That's it. Chris points out that you can get rid of them by taking them over to the trash. Derrick points out that you can drag and drop pretty much anything anywhere at any time.
John points out that if you're really comfortable with the Start Menu, you can drag your Applications Folder to the Dock and when you click it, it'll open up just like the Start Menu in Windows.
Chris has another drag and drop tip. If you drag a document or file over an Application, it'll light up if it can handle that file.
Scott points out that often if you can drag something somewhere, you'll see a green plus sign.
Derrick explains that if you want to drop a folder a few levels down, you can drag the file onto the first level, hover, wait for it to open, drag it to the next level, hover, wait for it to open, and so on. No more click, click, click.
Chris explains how Expose works. If you press F9, little thumbnails of all your open windows appear. You can then click the one you want and they'll all zoom back to regular size with the one you picked up top.
Derrick explains that you can use âÃÃ+TAB to switch applications and it's similar, but not exactly the same. You can also click on an icon to change the app when the switcher is up. John points out that if you choose a Window, press F10 (which shows you the active window and darkens the rest) and then press âÃÃ+TAB, you can cycle through open apps right there on your screen.
Scott points out that unlike Windows, you can run dual monitors on just about any Mac on the market (with the exception of the Mac Mini). The Mac is also smart enough to span the monitors so you have one gigantic desktop.
John's last tip: If you go into Format, there's a thing in the font menu called Show fonts (or âÃÃ+T). It's a great dialog with all your fonts so you can see what's installed on your Mac and even a good way to actually pick a font. You can even search for a font.
Derrick's last tip: 1. There's a nifty utility called Grab which does screenshots.
3. Finally, there's the Services Menu under Grab.
Chris' last tip: Windows users minimize lots of stuff. In every Mac window, you'll see three buttons. The Red one closes the window. The green one expands it to as big as possible. The Yellow one puts stuff in the dock. If you click it in the dock, it'll zoom back up. If you hold down the shift key, it makes the dock transititions slow down and it looks pretty darn cool.
Derrick adds on that the green button is great if you connect your Mac to a projector, the green button will zoom your window appropriately for the screen it's on.
Scott's last tip: Get to know the preferences menu of all your applications. It's always in the same place in the menu. Under the Application's name, click Preferences and explore.
That's a wrap for this week!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
The next show lands on April 10, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks to Libsyn for hosting services.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 29 | Play in Popup.
| |  |
| iLifeZone28 | iLifeZone Episode 28
Switchers Unite!
Run Time: 28:34
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Chris Breen Macworld and Playlist Magazine
John Foster pixelcorps.tv and Beer School
It's all about switchers. Today we honor the brave souls who shunned the evil Redmonopoly and saw the bright white light of Apple. We applaud you brave souls, and we dedicate this episode to you...
Chris Kim from South Korea likes Pages but wishes it was more customizable and would like to be able to do some of the stuff without a mouse. He wants to know if there's a way to change the size of the Inspector in Pages. John says no. You could kind of cheat by using the scrollwheel zoom.
Mike Couples asks if there's a way to make Preview print / preview JPG's with the correct aspect ratio. In Preview, open Preferences, click on Images, and one of the options is Default Image Size. Try the "Actual Size" radio button; that might solve the problem.
Now on with the show.
Scott points out that we're seeing more and more switchers and Chris attributes it to the iPod halo effect (people like the iTunes / iPod experience and want that in a PC). Scott points out that the ability to run Windows on a Mac also has something to do with it. Derrick agrees and points out that he shows people XP all the time on his Mac and it changes their mind.
John recommends software called Move 2 Mac . It's a USB cable and two pieces of software... One for your Mac and one for your PC and basically what it does is transfer your files from a PC to a Mac over USB as well as any applicable settings and put documents where they belong on your new Mac. John points out that even though it's $50, the time it saves is worth it.
Chris explains that the dock is the equivalent of the Start Button and in the dock are the primary applications your most likely to use. Out of the box, the dock is configured with the most commonly used applications. He also points out that something like pulling photos off of a digital camera is a snap because all you have to do is connect your camera and iPhoto opens up and downloads them. Scott likes dazzling his friends with the Genie effect.
Chris also points out that things like My Documents have equivalents of Documents, My Pictures becomes Pictures, My Movies becomes Movies, etc. In Windows, all the individual user files are stored in Documents and Settings/Username. On the Mac, they're saved in /Users/username. (Note: In Windows Vista, there's no more "My" in front of document and media folder names anymore).
Derrick recommends Windows users get a 2-button mouse right away because on the Mac a 2-button mouse works almost identically to the way it does on Windows. Scott points out that you don't have to be a switcher to enjoy a 2-button mouse and it makes the overall experience better. Derrick points out that if you open an application, you can right click on a running application and click Keep In Dock to keep things in the dock after they're closed.
John points out the boneheaded move of Apple to make the Mighty Mouse act like a 1-button mouse out of the box. Chris doesn't like it, neither does Scott, and neither does Derrick. Chris points out that most people already have a 2-button mouse anyway so you'd might as well use it.
Scott points out that you shouldn't immediately try to shoehorn the Mac OS into what you know about OSes from using Windows (for example: using a right click in a folder to create a new document). . John agrees and points out that you should use a Mac as a Mac and you'll enjoy it more.
Chris points out that the Command key is the "do everything" key similar to what the CTRL key is on a PC. It'll take your brain a while to adjust but it'll happen. John points out that most commands are consistent across applications whereas on Windows, that consistency isn't necessarily there.
John points out how cool the Option key is for things like finding special keys for copyright, trademark, and reserved symbols as well as international characters.
Scott and Derrick disagree with folks that think the Mac isn't customizable. Most of it can be set up using System Preferences including various dock options, screensavers, backgrounds, fonts, and so on. Derrick advises people to sift through it all immediately and you will be more familiar with everything. Scott says that doing this will make you more familiar with your Mac than you could ever be doing the same thing with Windows' Control Panel.
Scott and Chris point out that hooking devices up to the Mac is idiot proof because Apple bundles tons of drivers with the OS. While that may not include everything, it does include a great deal of devices that most people would want to use (printers, scanners, etc.). Scott rarely has ever had to install drivers. Derrick can't remember the last time he did. Of course, Derrick does have the universal issue of having the USB cable pointing in the wrong direction when he tries to put it in, but that's an affliction we all suffer from!
John points out that legacy scanners might be a problem. Newer ones pretty much work out of the box, but older ones don't have current drivers. A tool like VueScan should make that much easier on you. As of right now, it supports 700 different models of scanners!
Chris' last word: If you still want to run Windows, run Parallels. Avoid Vista because it runs much slower than XP in Parallels. That should cover you.
Derrick's last word: When you close the last window in an Application, the App still stays open (pay attention to the little triangles under the application icon on the dock!)
John's last word: Empty the trash. You can click the trash to see what's in it, and if you see that there's paper in the trash icon, there's stuff that should be deleted in there.
Scott's last word: Give yourself a great big pat on the back for being smart enough to switch to the Mac!
We'll pick this up again next week, folks. More for the switchers is coming!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
The next show lands on April 1, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone28 | Play in Popup.
| |  |
| iLifeZone 28 | iLifeZone Episode 28
Switchers Unite!
Run Time: 28:34
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Chris Breen Macworld and Playlist Magazine
John Foster pixelcorps.tv and Beer School
It's all about switchers. Today we honor the brave souls who shunned the evil Redmonopoly and saw the bright white light of Apple. We applaud you brave souls, and we dedicate this episode to you...
Chris Kim from South Korea likes Pages but wishes it was more customizable and would like to be able to do some of the stuff without a mouse. He wants to know if there's a way to change the size of the Inspector in Pages. John says no. You could kind of cheat by using the scrollwheel zoom.
Mike Couples asks if there's a way to make Preview print / preview JPG's with the correct aspect ratio. In Preview, open Preferences, click on Images, and one of the options is Default Image Size. Try the "Actual Size" radio button; that might solve the problem.
Now on with the show.
Scott points out that we're seeing more and more switchers and Chris attributes it to the iPod halo effect (people like the iTunes / iPod experience and want that in a PC). Scott points out that the ability to run Windows on a Mac also has something to do with it. Derrick agrees and points out that he shows people XP all the time on his Mac and it changes their mind.
John recommends software called Move 2 Mac . It's a USB cable and two pieces of software... One for your Mac and one for your PC and basically what it does is transfer your files from a PC to a Mac over USB as well as any applicable settings and put documents where they belong on your new Mac. John points out that even though it's $50, the time it saves is worth it.
Chris explains that the dock is the equivalent of the Start Button and in the dock are the primary applications your most likely to use. Out of the box, the dock is configured with the most commonly used applications. He also points out that something like pulling photos off of a digital camera is a snap because all you have to do is connect your camera and iPhoto opens up and downloads them. Scott likes dazzling his friends with the Genie effect.
Chris also points out that things like My Documents have equivalents of Documents, My Pictures becomes Pictures, My Movies becomes Movies, etc. In Windows, all the individual user files are stored in Documents and Settings/Username. On the Mac, they're saved in /Users/username. (Note: In Windows Vista, there's no more "My" in front of document and media folder names anymore).
Derrick recommends Windows users get a 2-button mouse right away because on the Mac a 2-button mouse works almost identically to the way it does on Windows. Scott points out that you don't have to be a switcher to enjoy a 2-button mouse and it makes the overall experience better. Derrick points out that if you open an application, you can right click on a running application and click Keep In Dock to keep things in the dock after they're closed.
John points out the boneheaded move of Apple to make the Mighty Mouse act like a 1-button mouse out of the box. Chris doesn't like it, neither does Scott, and neither does Derrick. Chris points out that most people already have a 2-button mouse anyway so you'd might as well use it.
Scott points out that you shouldn't immediately try to shoehorn the Mac OS into what you know about OSes from using Windows (for example: using a right click in a folder to create a new document). . John agrees and points out that you should use a Mac as a Mac and you'll enjoy it more.
Chris points out that the Command key is the "do everything" key similar to what the CTRL key is on a PC. It'll take your brain a while to adjust but it'll happen. John points out that most commands are consistent across applications whereas on Windows, that consistency isn't necessarily there.
John points out how cool the Option key is for things like finding special keys for copyright, trademark, and reserved symbols as well as international characters.
Scott and Derrick disagree with folks that think the Mac isn't customizable. Most of it can be set up using System Preferences including various dock options, screensavers, backgrounds, fonts, and so on. Derrick advises people to sift through it all immediately and you will be more familiar with everything. Scott says that doing this will make you more familiar with your Mac than you could ever be doing the same thing with Windows' Control Panel.
Scott and Chris point out that hooking devices up to the Mac is idiot proof because Apple bundles tons of drivers with the OS. While that may not include everything, it does include a great deal of devices that most people would want to use (printers, scanners, etc.). Scott rarely has ever had to install drivers. Derrick can't remember the last time he did. Of course, Derrick does have the universal issue of having the USB cable pointing in the wrong direction when he tries to put it in, but that's an affliction we all suffer from!
John points out that legacy scanners might be a problem. Newer ones pretty much work out of the box, but older ones don't have current drivers. A tool like VueScan should make that much easier on you. As of right now, it supports 700 different models of scanners!
Chris' last word: If you still want to run Windows, run Parallels. Avoid Vista because it runs much slower than XP in Parallels. That should cover you.
Derrick's last word: When you close the last window in an Application, the App still stays open (pay attention to the little triangles under the application icon on the dock!)
John's last word: Empty the trash. You can click the trash to see what's in it, and if you see that there's paper in the trash icon, there's stuff that should be deleted in there.
Scott's last word: Give yourself a great big pat on the back for being smart enough to switch to the Mac!
We'll pick this up again next week, folks. More for the switchers is coming!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
The next show lands on April 1, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 28 | Play in Popup.
| |  |
| iLifeZone 27 | iLifeZone Episode 27 - Tip Monster Part II - Run Time: 36:10
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com Colleen Wheeler digitalmedia.oreilly.com
John Foster pixelcorps.tv and Beer School
Kenji Kato Kenjikato.com
Craig Syverson Grunt Media
We're back with part 2 of our Tip Monster show!
Here we go...
Scott: One of the easiest ways to do a screencast is with iMovie. When picking a format, you're also selecting the size of the final movie, and in order to get the best output, you should start with originals that are the same resolution as the format you choose. Scott's tip is to make sure your imported original material is 720 x 480 (for DV) so that iMovie won't resize it.
Kenji: If you want to use Keynote's "Export to Quicktime" within iMovie, change the Custom Output from Keynote to 720 x 534 and when you bring it into iMovie, it'll rescale it appropriately. Scott points out that you can also pick out pixel shape in Photoshop now.
John: In iTunes, sometimes things go missing and you get exclamation points in your library. To get rid of that, John recommends one of the scripts from Doug's Applescripts for iTunes instead of doing it manually. John also wanted to add on to an iChat tip from last time, and recommends using BonJour on your network if the person your chatting with is inside your network. Derrick also points out that you can use the same techniques mentioned before. BonJour is an open standard that's supported by a lot of different equipment (printers, routers, etc.)
Derrick: Liked the YouTube Zoom tip from last episode. In iPhoto, when editing a photo, you can double-click to enter edit mode. You can zoom into 100% by pressing the 1 key. That brings you up to 100%. Fit in Window is 0, 2 gives you 200%. In Aperture, the keys are different. It's the Z key to go to 100% and back out. You can point the cursor at an area and hit Z to zoom in on that spot. (Works for Lightroom also)
Kenji: TextEdit for the Mac will read Microsoft .DOC files and even preserve some of the formatting. You can see the Word property settings of a document by going into Show Properties Settings in TextEdit. Craig points out that Pages also does open Word documents with more formatting than TextEdit. Colleen pointed out to Derrick that you can e-mail an Excel spreadsheet to your Gmail address and open it with Google Docs (Vinny's tip: You can also upload it directly to Google Docs without e-mailing it.)
Craig: Loved the old days of ScrapBook on the Mac. He now loves iClip which lets you collect clippings, text, etc. You can find it at inventive.us . Scott points out that you can still get a free version from Inventive but the new version is worth it.
Scott: In Preview, if you want to work with a document (ie: anything Preview will open) you can select the information and copy it and paste it somewhere else. You don't have to take the whole document, though. If you press option, then drag over the part of the document you want to copy and let go of the mouse, you can copy that selection to the clipboard and paste it somewhere else.
John: John likes to play classic games. If you plug a USB game controller into a Mac, it does nothing. You need to get USB Overdrive . You can then map the keyboard to the various buttons on the control pad. Craig points out that you can also reprogram a multi-button Logitech Mouse in the same way.
Derrick: If you've purchased QuickTime Pro and you think you wasted your money, have no fear. In Pro, you get the Present Movie mode. Click View, Present Movie. It will take the rest of your Mac black and you can enjoy your movie distraction free.
Kenji: If you use Mail.app, and you don't want to figure out a bunch of rules, you can create a new Smart Mailbox. If you're on the person whose mail you want to filter, click New Smart Mailbox in the Mailbox menu, and you will have a new Smart Mailbox in your sidebar with that person's messages in it.
Craig: Recommends an app called Audio Leak (available here ) for podcasters and music afficianados who want to keep track of overall loudness when recording. Scott also recommends The Levelator to do mass compression on audio.
That's it for our Tip Monster episode!
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and ShieldZone .
The next show lands on March 20, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks to Pixelcorps for production assistance with the iLifeZone and Libsyn for hosting services.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 27 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 26 | It's here - Tip Monster Again - Part One iLifeZone Episode 26 - The Tip Monster Again Run Time: 34:47 Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com Colleen Wheeler digitalmedia.oreilly.com John Foster pixelcorps.tv Kenji Kato Pixelcorps.com Craig Syverson Grunt Media Well folks, it's that time again! Our third Tip Monster show! Be prepared... We pack a lot of tips into a 34 minute show, but luckily we also take notes for you... Here we go... Scott: If you're finally getting around to getting an Intel-based Mac, you might be using the migration assistant. The one thing it won't do is copy your Safari or Firefox plugins because they may not necessarily be compatible. The advice? Remove them before you do the migration and then reinstall Intel versions of the plugins. This will stop your browser from running in Rosetta and you'll see a big performance bump. Firefox plugins can be removed by going to the Add Ins menu and uninstalling each one one at a time. In Safari, you can remove plugins by deleting them from the ../Library/Internet Plugins folder off your root HD folder. John: If you hold down the Command Key and click on a file's name in the title bar, it will show you exactly where that file is stored on your hard drive. If you select the final layer of the hierarchy, a Finder window will pop up with the file in it. This won't work with all apps, but it should work with most newer apps. Derrick: You can customize your toolbar in Finder to include a button that will show you the path for something. Go to View, Customize Toolbar, and drag the Path button onto your Finder toolbar. You can then see exactly where you are at any point inside Finder. John's prior tip also works in Finder. If you want to send the path to someone, use Shift-Command-4 to do a custom screenshot and send it along. Kenji: For people doing presentations using Keynote: If you want to be careful about the amount of time you're using on your presentation, you can enable the Presenter's Display in Keynote, and in it you can include a countdown timer that only you'll see. Craig: When you create a new page in iWeb, you no longer have to use a default template and clear it out to start with a blank. (Vincent: I'm using version 1.1.2 and it has this blank template) Scott: If you do create iWeb custom templates, or Aperture templates, etc., be sure you make backups of your templates. In some cases, an update will wipe out your templates. KEEP A BACKUP COPY! Kenji: If you want to modify the default iWeb templates, you can do it inside the package for iWeb. Select iWeb in your Applications folder, click the Control Key, and click Show Package Contents. Click the Contents folder, then the Resources folder. In it, there's a folder called English.Iproj. Inside that folder is all the templates! John: If you want to make your YouTube videos bigger, you can go into the System Preferences menu and select Keyboard and Mouse, then Mouse then enable Zoom Scroll Wheel While Holding and pick a key (on portable Macs, it's under the Trackpad menu) and you can use your mouse wheel to increase the zoom in on anything on your screen. Derrick: In Preview, you can make a slideshow very quickly. Go to your Pictures folder and grab some JPEGS. Circle all of them and drop them on the Preview icon on your dock (you do have it on your dock, don't you?). Preview will open them all up and put thumbnails in the side drawer. Go to View, Slideshow, and BAM. If you move the mouse below the pictures, you get a nice control bar that you can use to advance, rewind, pause, or see thumbnails of the included images. Colleen points out that this is probably the same code that runs Slideshows from Mail.app (it is). John: If you name your files 01filename 02filename 03filename 04filename and you open them in Preview, they'll open in that order. This is a good hack when tied in with Derrick's tip as a replacement for Keynote (henceforth known as Cheapnote). Scott (Unofficial tip): Use Preview instead of Acrobat. It's infinitely faster. Kenji: Tip for switchers: If you want to navigate Mac OS using only the keyboard, you can hold down the Control Key and F2. You'll see the Apple menu icon turn reverse (white Apple logo on a blue background). You can now navigate the menu using only your keyboard. It simulates the ALT key functionality in Windows! Craig: SpyME is an app that allows you to remotely control other Macs on your network or remotely. It also includes drag and drop file transfer from machine to machine, but it's only $15 for 3 licenses! Derrick: In iChat, you can fileshare. All you have to do is take the file you want to share and drop it on the person's name in the buddy window, and they click on the link to the filename, it works 99% of the time (except for the occasions where you're on a controlled corporate network). And that's going to be it for this week, but have no fear... Part two of the Tip Monster show will be available in our next episode, so don't miss it if you want even more outstanding and amazing Mac tip goodness! This episode was sponsored by The Invisible Shield and Rogue Amoeba. The next show lands on March 10, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com. Thanks to Pixelcorps for production assistance with the iLifeZone and Libsyn for hosting services. Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes! Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 26 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 25 | iLifeZone Episode 25
Run Time: 34:39
Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com and www.podcastgearguy.com
Derrick Story www.thedigitalstory.com
Colleen Wheeler digitalmedia.oreilly.com
Alex Lindsay pixelcorps.com
This is going to be a follow-up episode to our first Digital Photography Super Spectacular!
First, let's go back to episode 24. We spoke about what we'd like to see in the next version of iLife. A lot of listeners contacted us to weigh in also.
Murray Cooper: He wants to see iWeb render better in Internet Explorer and have the ability to add voice annotations to iPhoto. Derrick thinks that would be cool and would be even cooler if it were integrated with the voice notes most cameras can do now. Murray would also like it to be easier to add title pages in iPhoto without having to do all kinds of hacks and tricks.
Rice28M: Thinks iMovie needs to offer an import function for MP4 directly rather than re-encoding them to .DV format on import. Alex thinks it would be nice, but it's a problem because of the way iMovie is set up.
Scott Horn: Thinks iLife is missing a graphics animation type application like Deluxe Paint. Alex points out that you can do something like that with Quartz Composer which comes with all Macs. It's not as easy, but it's still workable.
And we even got some fan mail:
James: Doesn't own a Mac but will because of our show. He's even listened to every show and saved every tip! WOW! Thanks, James! Derrick thinks we could call him a "virtual Mac user." We really appreciate that, James!
Now on with the show!
LightRoom 1.0 from Adobe is now available. You can get a demo of the final version from Adobe. You can buy it for $199 now, but come the end of April it'll cost you $299 (in other words, if you know you want it, don't wait!). Derrick has been tinkering with it since day one of the beta, and notes how Adobe put everything together as a group with beta testers taking suggestions and so on. While that works well, it does take away some of the excitement when it finally does come out.
Scott notes that Apple never did any such thing with Aperture. Alex is curious as to what distinguishes Aperture and Lightroom. Derrick thinks they overlap, and that if you're an Adobe user, LightRoom might make more sense to you. He also thinks it's geared toward enthusiasts and pros, while Aperture is geared toward higher end shooters.
Scott thinks that if you're a big fan of Adobe Camera Raw, LightRoom is a common-sense migration.
Colleen notes that the LightRoom interface is broken down in a way that almost walks you through the process step by step and may not necessarily be attractive for someone more knowledgeable. Some people have told her that it's a bit too structured in how it directs you through the process. She does think it's beautiful, though, and loves the way photos look in LightRoom while you're working with it.
Scott thinks Aperture's interface is very nice also (typical of Apple). Scott then asks Derrick what he thinks the top 3 features of LightRoom and Aperture are:
Aperture:
1. Handling a big number of photos from a shoot are great in Aperture with sorting, and stacking.
2. You can do adjustments whenever and however you want because it?s not nodal because it doesn't restrict the way you work.
3. The interface is great.
LightRoom:
1. The workflow presentation is very good for people who aren't used to dealing with a workflow.
2. The "Develop" module is fantastic and user friendly.
3. Printing out of LightRoom is very fun and Adobe did a great job with it.
Derrick thinks it's a coin-toss depending on your photography needs.
Alex points out that a year and a half ago, neither of these apps really existed and now we have two great competing apps. Scott mentions that at the first ever class for Aperture that he and Derrick taught, LightRoom wasn't available for Windows but it along with Aperture was available for the Mac. Derrick also notes that there?s now a Universal Binary version of Nikon's Capture NX for Intel-based Macs. Derrick also notes that iPhoto '07 is coming soon, and he expects big things for photographers.
Scott asks Colleen which application she likes to use.
Colleen likes Adobe Bridge because of the various files it can work with. Bridge 2.0 is a big step up from 1.0. It's more customizable and can be tailored to how you need it. She's not sure it?s a great solution for photographers per se, but it's a great workflow when combined with Camera RAW and Photoshop. If your budget includes the latest version of Photoshop, it might be tough to grab a copy of LightRoom or Aperture on top of it and for a lot of people, it's all about getting work done and not necessarily doing it with yet another app.
Alex agrees and points out that he knows Photoshop 7 users in support of Colleen's point.
Scott points out that the Post Intelligencer is doing its layout in Photoshop 5.5.
Colleen can't use the latest version of Bridge on her Intel Mac because she doesn't have one yet (oops!) and Derrick is using it on his MacBook Pro and likes it a lot.
Scott's big problem with prior versions of Bridge is that it was unacceptably slow before Bridge 2.0. Colleen agrees and says she has a habit of turning it on and walking away while it works. The new version of Bridge is much faster. Important to note is that it won't render high-resolution previews unless you ask it to.
Scott asks Derrick about the one thing he wants iPhoto to be able to do in the future that it doesn't do now. Derrick really wants them to move to non- destructive editing for RAW files. As it is now, it makes a copy of RAW files so you can work on them. Other professional apps make something called a " sidecar file" that instructs the program on how to handle the changes that were made.
Colleen asks what happens to users who try the trial version of LightRoom or Aperture and decide they don't want it. Does their work get lost also, or do they just have to be careful and export it all before the trial is up? Derrick suggests that those people who want to try LightRoom not used the Managed Library mode so they don't run a risk like that and you'd only lose ratings, keywords, etc. HAVE A PLAN. Scott suggests that the same applies to the Aperture trial also. For the second time, HAVE A PLAN.
Derrick would like to see iPhoto improve through enhanced features borrowed from Aperture. Scott likes to think of Aperture, iPhoto, Photoshop, LightRoom, and all the others as competitors that force each other to make better products. Competition is a good thing and it'll drive all these companies to produce better products or risk losing customers. "It's good enough" just won't do anymore.
Scott's Photo Tip: Encourages people to make prints (how old school!). Scott points out that prints are the oldest form of archive and backup in existence. We don't make as many prints as we used to, but it's easier than ever. Make prints and pass 'em out. People love it and appreciate it. Tangibility beats digital!
Derrick's Photo Tip: Play with the fill-flash setting on your camera (take it away from Auto and put it on ON). Stand 8 feet away, compose the shot, and check out the results. It adds a crispness that you don't get without. It's not perfect, but it can improve a photo, particularly if you plan on printing them. Scott points out that in a situation with a strong backlight (light behind the subject), fill flash is essential for a portrait.
This episode was sponsored by Rogue Amoeba and Podango.
The next show lands on March 1, 2007. For more information email us at info@ilifezone.com.
Thanks to Pixelcorps for production assistance with the iLifeZone.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 25 | Play in Popup.
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| iLifeZone 24 | Scott Bourne www.podcastingtricks.com
Chris Breen www.macworld.com/mac911 and www.playlistmag.com
Run Time: 31:35
Today we have a special edition of the iLifeZone, and the topic is the iLife Suite (appropriate, isn't it?). Today Scott and Chris fantasize about what they'd like to see in the next edition of the most sacred of software bundles (and our namesake) iLife!
Before we go on, though, we have to mentionthat this is the last episode of the iLifeZone that you'll find on Twit.tv . The iLifeZone is moving to Podango.com and we'll be right on the front page, as well as on the iTunes Store and on the iLifeZone blog .
Also, we're shooting to have another tip monster show ready for our March 1, 2007 episode, so be on the lookout for that! If you've never heard one of our famous tip monster shows, tune in. With all of the hosts shooting around tip after tip, you're bound to learn something!
Now on with the show!
Scott points out that we unexpectedly didn't get a suite upgrade at Macworld, and Chris agrees with Scott that it's coming soon partially because it's always nice to have a new iLife with a new OS. He also predicts that we'll either see it before Leopard or alongside the release of Leopard .
Scott wants to see better support for video podcasting and links from Garageband to the iTunes store submission page. Chris likes that idea, also.
Chris would like to see more exporting options in Garageband instead of just the default AAC format. As it is now, you have to "step on" each iteration you save, meaning each time you save, you lose some quality. You notice this most as you edit a compressed file and then save it as a compressed file again.
Chris would also like to have multiple export options. This would be good for podcasters who create two versions of a podcast (for example an AAC version and an MP3 version).
Scott would like to be able to e-mail a link / rss address / iTunes store link to other people much in the same way you can gift music to others in the iTunes store. As it stands now, you have to find the iTunes Store URL for whatever you want to send, copy it to your clipboard, and send it (just so you know how to do it, you can right click on any item in the iTunes store and click Copy iTunes Store URL and it will place the item's direct link on your clipboard for later use). Scott also mentions that a way to social-bookmark a song or podcast would be good to (ie: add it to Digg , del.icio.us , etc.)
In Garageband, Chris would like a good noise reduction effect. In a program like Soundsoap , it's a matter of sampling what you want to get rid of and it's gone. Garageband doesn't have similar functionality. One other effect he would like is something similar to Levelator (which is fantastic and if you haven't use it, you should try it) incorporated right into Garageband (Just a small correction... Chris pointed out that it's a Java applet. It used to be, but in its current version, it's a full standalone application).
On iPhoto , Chris would like a quick "accept / reject" functionality when thumbing through photos. He would also like a little more control over the "Enhance" functionality which is utterly awful in iPhoto.
Scott would like to see "stacks" added to iPhoto similar to what's in Aperture . In Aperture, if you shot a few shots in rapid succession, Aperture will know to group them together to make them easier to find.
Chris would also like disk spanning in iPhoto so you can split your library across multiple hard drives (perfect for larger libraries).
As for iWeb , Chris would like it to be easier to use iWeb with servers other than .Mac . Scott thinks it should be easier to manage multiple sites with iWeb (Amen, Scott!) Chris also points out that they need to make it easier to update a site from multiple Macs (something you cannot do right now without some manual preparation first). Scott would also like to see a boost to the overall performance of iWeb and Chris would also like to see more variety in the templates and types of pages. He'd also like more elements (ie: calendars on blogs, video objects).
For iMovie , Chris wants more stability first and foremost. He would also like to see smarter resizing (mainly for iMovie to stop "guessing" proper formats and aspect ratios which it does a really poor job of). Scott would like to see a beefier image import inspector to help you through the section. Chris agrees and points out the way iPhoto has warnings in the book builder when something won't print right would be great in iMovie.
Chris would also like to see more expansive iPod video export options (namely the ability to control compression to quality ratio, default output [television or iPod screen] and so on). More presets are the order of the day.
In iDVD , Chris would like to see a "make it fit" option to make bigger movies fit on whatever disc you want to use. Scott would like to see the ability to do disc spanning so that if you have something big, you can make it continue on a second disc (kind of like movies do now!). This is useful because camera quality is on a marked upswing. Chris would also like to add support for VOB files ( see here for an explanation of what VOB files are ). iDVD doesn't natively support VOB files as it is now.
Final word:
Overall, Scott and Chris both love iLife and think it's a great value but they always seem to miss something despite the polish on the package.
The one thing Chris would ask for is that Apple takes their time and makes sure that the programs are done right and not release then update to fix glitches that should've been fixed from day one.
Scott wants to add a simple security suite to the iLife suite (something that manages firewalls, popups, spyware, parental controls, net monitoring for kids) to improve the overall package. Chris agrees that it's a good idea, but he points out that Apple would most likely incorporate these things into an OS update and not the iLife suite.
Scott and Chris both think that the next version of the iLife suite will likely drop with Leopard, but the latest would be the WWDC in June.
Oh, and one more thing...
Coming soon, The Apple Phone Show with Scott and Chris! Be on the lookout for it!
Our next episode drops on February 20th!
Be sure to sign up for our e-mail newsletter.
Our Sponsors for this episode are Rogue Amoeba and Podango
Thanks to Libsyn for hosting services.
Thanks also to Vincent Ferrari for the shownotes!
Subscribe free of charge to the iLifeZone podcast at the iTunes Store | Get at Short URL | Download iLifeZone 24 | Play in Popup.
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