Zune HD September 14, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Hardware, Zune.add a comment
Microsoft is about to release the latest incarnation of their portable music player, the Zune HD. It features a large touch screen that covers almost the entire front face of the device — much like the iPod Touch.
The Zune HD comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio OLED screen which should be ideal for watching HD movies on the go. It also features an HD radio, a web browser and can output video to HDTV.
The 16GB Zune HD is $220 and the 32GB model is $290. They will be available only in the United States starting September 15. Microsoft also offers Zune Pass, which allows unlimited music downloads for a monthly fee.
The Zune HD is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iPod Touch. The iPod Touch is over a year old and received just a minor revision last week. So well how do these two stack up against each other? Good question — I’ll add a new post comparing the two models after the Zune is officially announced tomorrow. In the mean time, here is one of Microsoft’s promotional videos of the Zune HD:
iPhone App Organizer September 9, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software, iPhone, iPod.add a comment
Apple held their fall iPod press event today (the video is available here). Steve Jobs took the stage to a thunderous applause. The Apple CEO is back after recovering from a liver transplant earlier this year.
All four flavors of iPods have been updated. The big news is the iPod Nano now comes with a video camera, microphone, speaker, FM radio and pedometer (starting at $149 US). The iPod Touch (still the “funnest iPod ever”) gets a 50% improvement in speed, but not the widely rumored camera — it starts at $199 US for the 8GB model. The iPod Classic price stays the same ($249 US), but now holds 160GB of music. The iPod Shuffle now comes in various colors starting at $59 US.
That’s all well and good, but as an avid iPhone user, the big news for me was the announcement of iTunes 9 and the release of iPhone OS 3.1. The most welcome feature is the ability to organize the applications using iTunes.
It has been possible to move the application icons from page to page on the phone itself, but it is a long, painful process. Now iTunes 9 makes it easy to place icons on any page. Just connect your iPhone or iPod Touch, select the device in iTunes. The new Applications tab provides three columns:
- a list of all the applications on the left
- a simulation of the iPhone screen to the right
- and a column of thumbnails for each page on the far right
The apps can be moved around on the screen or dropped onto one of the page thumbnails. Multiple app icons can be selected by pressing the command key and clicking. If you are not sure which page holds the app, double-click the app in the list on the left and it jumps directly to that page. To save space on the iPhone, you can uncheck the app in the list.
Finally apps can be organized on the iPhone without spending half a day moving wiggling icons one by one.
The iTunes store also gets a new layout. Ringtones are available for $1.29. A new category of albums, iTunes LP, come with liner notes and extra features. Home Sharing lets you transfer music and media between different computers on your personal network.
Apple has put a lot of work into iTunes and it has paid off. They are the #1 music retailer and the new features and ease of use of their new store should place them yet another step ahead of the competition.
Snow Leopard Arrives September 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in MacBook, Software.add a comment
I bought my 13″ MacBook Pro a couple of months ago and immediately signed up for the $9.95 Snow Leopard Up-to-Date program. The package arrived earlier today and I’ve got it installed. I will replace this post with a short review as I try it out. My first impression is: it’s just a nicer Leopard.
For more information, MacRumors provides a nice list of Snow Leopard reviews:
Andy Ihnatko, Chicago Sun-Times
Walt Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal
Jason Parker, CNET
David Pogue, The New York Times
Jason Snell, Macworld
Tweet Analysis with Twitalytic August 24, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Twitter, Web Development.1 comment so far
In the latest episode of the This Week in Google podcast, Lifehacker Gina Trapani discusses Twitalytic, her web server program that archives Twitter posts. It retrieves all the tweets from you, your followers and the followers of your followers storing them in a database on your server.
Besides archiving the tweets, it performs some analysis and shows different views of the data. It performs statistics on replies to your tweets and tracks conversations. It also tells you which followers are the most responsive and which followers share friends with you.
Like Gina, I want to be able to go back and review what I post and when I said it. I didn’t see any obvious way to archive my tweets, so earlier this year I wrote a simple Python program to save my Twitter stream. Gina’s Twitalytic service archives more and incorporates the information into a website. This gives it the potential to become a powerful web communication tool and aid for crowd-sourcing. – Twitalyic
September 9th Apple Event August 17, 2009
Posted by cuyler in iPod.add a comment
Hold on to your iPods! Apple is holding a “rock and roll” press event on Wednesday, September 9th. Apple is expected to announce updates to the iPod line and iTunes 9 (perhaps why the event is scheduled for the 9th). The new version of iTunes is expected to have Blu-ray support and social network integration.
Speculation is that new versions of the iPod Touch and iPod Nano will include a camera.
Apparently there will be no announcement of a new tablet computer that has been widely rumored. Speculation is that a tablet device will come out sometime in early 2010.
It would be wonderful if Steve Jobs handles the presentation next month, but I might think Apple wants him to keep a low profile. Steve Jobs is unquestionably important, but Apple shouldn’t want investors to equate the health of Steve Jobs with the health of the company.
Update»
September 9, 2009 is a big day the Beatles. They are releasing their digitally remastered catalogue that day (9/9/9). In addition, it is the release date for The Beatles: Rock Band video game. Could this also be the day that the entire Beatles collection is finally available on iTunes?
It may be that Apple also announces an update to the iPhone OS that enables MMS for AT&T customers. (Update — on September 3rd, AT&T announced MMS will be available for the iPhone on the 25th).
Open Street Map August 10, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software.add a comment
FLOSS Weekly #81 interviews Steve Coast of the Open Street Maps project. Open Street Maps is like the Wikipedia of street maps. The map data is updated and maintained by Internet users and is available for anyone’s use (provided that OpenStreetMap gets proper credit).
I am a big user of the Google and Bing maps, but their map data cannot be used for third party applications without paying some exorbitant licensing fee. I love the idea of people with hand-held GPS devices collaborating to create a comprehensive set of maps anyone can use. Every now and then the big internet map sites steer me wrong and now users can go ahead correct them and add other useful information.
SMS vs. the iPhone August 1, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Software, iPhone.add a comment
Apple released software update 3.0.1 for the iPhone OS which protects against attacks via malicious SMS messages. Mac Hacker Charlie Miller discovered this security vulnerability and presented it at the Black Hat security conference on Thursday.
I am amazed that an SMS message can completely take over a phone. It doesn’t seem like a simple text message could execute code. But the iPhone bug allowed the attacker to completely take over the phone and have it send private information back to the attacker including it present location via the GPS. And it is not just the iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile phones have similar vulnerabilities.
And if that is not enough, Miller’s fellow security researcher, Dino Dai Zovi, presented a new way for a rootkit to be installed on the OS X operating system (which is used for both the iPhone and Macs). Rootkits are a common way for malicious software such as botnets to hide on a computer.
Apple ads like to point out how vulnerable PCs are are to viruses and malware, but the truth is no computer software is immune to attack — there are more PCs than Macs and that makes Windows a more attractive platform for malware developers.
The good news is that even though Miller says Apple was slow to provide a fix (he told them about the problem some time ago), Apple did provide an update for the iPhone the day after Miller’s presentation at Black Hat. It would be a good idea for everyone to update to the latest version of the iPhone software.
Personally, I wish there was a way to block SMS messages altogether. I’ve always preferred to send e-mail over text messages and it seems silly that a short text costs extra. But I suppose blocking SMS will never be an option since the carriers must make a bundle from those texting plans.
Snow Leopard is Coming July 27, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Apple, Software.add a comment
Apple’s next version of their OS X operating system, nick-named Snow Leopard, is due sometime in September. This weekend Apple released some of the new background art.
Snow Leopard does not include a great many new features, instead Apple bills it as a set of “enhancements and refinements“. Much of the code has been rewritten to be smaller and more efficient. New applications can take advantage of improved multitasking (Grand Central Station and OpenCL) and 64-bit memory access. It is a tune-up of Leopard, much like Windows 7 is a tune-up of Vista. (For a little fun, see The Onion’s comparison of Snow Leopard and Windows 7)
If you purchased a Mac after June 8th, you probably qualify to upgrade to Snow Leopard for $9.95 (US) plus sales tax. This is a limited time offer and you must apply within 90 days of purchase. Go to Apple’s website for details on their Snow Leopard up-to-date program.
Other Mac users can upgrade from Leopard to Snow Leopard for $29 (US). The family pack version, which lets you install on up to 5 computers, is $49 (US).
Snow Leopard only runs on computers with an Intel processor — so users with older PowerPC machines will need to stick with Leopard. Otherwise, I think most people will want to upgrade.
Update»
It’s official — Snow Leopard ships this Friday, August 28th.
We Choose the Moon July 20, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Space Exploration.add a comment
Buzz Aldrin leaves his mark
Today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. I have been follow the progress “live” on WeChooseTheMoon.com.
The site looks great in Firefox 3.5 — I am also using the NASA Night Launch theme for Firefox. It is a favorite of mine because I think the white on black design is easier on the eyes.
What a thrill it was to watch the lunar landings. Imagine being stuffed into that little tin can and shot into the sky on top of a 25-story rocket. It’s been 40 years, but I am still in awe of the accomplishment.
Apollo 11 Liftoff July 16, 2009
Posted by cuyler in Space Exploration.add a comment
Apollo Command Module atop the Saturn V Rocket
Forty years ago today, Apollo 11 began its historic manned mission to the moon. I remember being glued to the TV waiting for the final countdown. That countdown would often be in “holding” mode while NASA fixed some sort of problem. During those long delays, Walter Cronkite’s comforting voice would present facts and stories about the mission. All the while, the TV would cycle through the same shots of mission control and Saturn V rocket spewing clouds of vapor.
When the countdown resumes, there is a flurry of “go”s and the excitement is almost unbearable. This has to be considered the most historic voyage of all time — when humanity breaks its bond with its home planet and ventures to another world. As the countdown approaches 8 seconds, they announce “ignition sequence started” — at that point nothing can halt the launch. My heart was running at maximum. A few seconds later, Neil Armstrong’s voice gives a casual status report as if going to the moon is something he does every day. I continue to be impressed with how professionally the crew performed their mission.
I got to relive a little of that day with a visit to Cape Canaveral. For me, the highlight of the tour was walking beneath an unused Saturn V rocket. Standing in its giant shadow gives a greater appreciation for the enormity of the project. If you’re ever in that area, I recommend spending a day a away from the normal tourist traps and taking a little side trip to history.
