Leander Kahney's Blog, page 1457

December 11, 2011

Cult of Mac's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for the Imagination

Everyone knows that Apple creates products that are great for creating. But part of what makes that statement true is the deep selection of third-party gadgets that make the most of artistic impulse. We've painted this next section, Gifts for the Imagination, with examples that'll help nourish the next Pissarro, Satriani or Cartier-Bresson.

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Snapseed iOS Photo App ($5)

Every iPad and iPhone should come with this breakthrough photo-editing app that Apple just named iPad app of the year (it received a noteworthy mention on the iPhone side too). Digital editing software powerhouse Nik Software, long the software filter go-to outfit for professional photogs, took all their image-editing know-how and crammed it into this stunning app — and at the same time, created a revolutionary interface that's extremely simple and gratifying to use.

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Adonit Jot Stylus ($20)

Adonit's Jot stylus took top honors in our roundup a few months back. Unlike most other styli, the Jot's clear tip is perfect for precise drawing. It's also beautifully crafted, machined from a solid block of metal and comes in three pretty anodized colors. Or if you're feeling generous, pop for the Jot Pro with its more comfortable grip and magnet.

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Pix & Stix iPad Drumsticks and Picks ($25)

The iPad version of Garage Band is fantastic; it's so good, in fact, that an Aussie Kickstarter project has created rubberized conductive drumsticks and picks for the app's ultra-realistic drum and guitar renditions (of course, it'll work with other virtual drum and guitar apps too).

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iPhone 8x Telephoto Lens ($35)

With its macro, wide and fisheye lenses, the Olloclip lens set for the iPhone we reviewed a few days ago is a great kit — but there's no telephoto. Add the big boy above and you've fixed that — it's powerful 8x zoom should be great for ball games or wildlife. There's probably a good deal of hand shake to deal with though, so the kit thoughtfully comes with a mini tripod.

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Wacom Bamboo Capture Wireless Tablet ($99)

Until our Macs get touchscreens, the best way to create and edit design-oriented projects is still with a pad and stylus. The Bamboo Capture, middle rung of Wacom's just-refreshed Bamboo series, comes with 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity and the option to go wireless with the addition of a $40 add-on. Bonus: also comes with Adobe Photoshop Elements and Autodesk Sketchbook Express.

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Apogee Jam ($99)

While the Pix & Stix kit is a great way to play music on your iPad, Apogee's Jam lets musicians plug a guitar directly into the iPad (or iPhone) and use Garage Band's awesome recording tools to create music with. And it's completely plug-and-play — no roadie required.

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Published on December 11, 2011 12:00

December 10, 2011

Here's Your Chance to Win a Free Winter 2011 Mac Phenom Bundle [Giveaway]

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Have you checked out the sweet bundle of apps that we've scored over on Deals.CultofMac.com? The package includes 11 awesome Mac OS X apps for a crazy price of $50 (retail value of $486). The bundle is filled with goodies that will make the Holidays on your Mac a ton of fun – I'm personally a fan of PhotoStyler and TidyUp. With the Winter 2011 Phenom Bundle you can either gift individual apps from your own bundle or better yet, get the entire lineup for your friends and family!

This weekend we're giving away three bundles of the Winter 2011 Mac Phenom Bundle for free so that three of our lucky readers can have some extra Christmas cheer. Entering the giveaway only takes a few seconds, so don't miss out on your chance to win.

Here's How To Enter:

1) Follow Cult of Mac on Twitter

2) Tweet the following line: "I love @cultofmac [insert reason why]"

As always, we encourage you to get creative with your tweets. The more you make the Cult of Mac staff laugh the more likely you are to win. We'll be accepting entries for the contest till Monday, December 12th, at 10am PST, so best of luck to everyone

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Published on December 10, 2011 16:30

Fun Game: You're An Orphan In Search of Your Biological Parents

Every week Mac Games and More features a fun, casual game you can play over the weekend. This week's selection has you on a mission to investigate your past and search for the parents you never knew. Note: This game is for mature audiences. Download it now

The Keepers: Lost Progeny (hidden objects) – Your goal in this shocking and absorbing hidden objects game is to locate your real parents. In The Keepers: Lost Progeny you've grown up as an orphan but when you find a mysterious photo of you with a town's name written on the back side of it you start an adventure in search of your roots and your biological parents. Try to find them and explore the mysterious town, which will reveal a shocking story. Was it worth it? Do you think your parents are still alive? Why did they give you up? The answers in The Keepers: Lost Progeny will surprise you. Warning: Keepers: Lost Progeny includes some graphic content and is intended for mature audiences.

Download it now Similar Posts:5 Fun Games: Legendary Lost Worlds, Plants Versus Rodents, Game Show Survivors and More 5 Fun Games: Peak Performances, Jelly Donut Crimes, Magical Encyclopedias and More 5 Fun Games: A Lovable Vampire, An Expedition to the Amazon, A Square-Pants-Wearing Sponge and More 5 Fun Games: Getting Drawn, Solving the Crop Circles Mystery, Slinging Your Gun and More 5 Fun Games: Psychedelic Platformers, An Auspicious Black Cat, Fries With Your Game and More

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Published on December 10, 2011 15:46

Will iOS Macs Dominate Like iPad Does?

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Never in the history of consumer electronics has there been a computer more universally desirable than the Apple iPad.

Market share numbers — 83% of the market — hint at the popularity and market dominance of the iPad.

But here's the most interesting fact about the iPad's incredible success that most people overlook: The qualities that make iPad desirable are replicable on bigger platforms — and may even be magnified by them. Which is why it's perfectly reasonable to predict dominant market share for the iOS-like Mac desktops of the future.

First, let's understand the unprecedented popularity of the iPad.

Android Users Want iPads

Maritz Research surveyed 2,500 smart phone users about which tablet they would prefer. The results were surprising.

Some 41% of Android phone users said they would prefer an iPad, the highest score of any tablet by far. While 19% said they wanted a Samsung Galaxy Tab, 15% would choose an Amazon Kindle Fire.

What's missing from this list of products is the dozens of viable Android tablets which, if included, could add up to exceed the percentage desiring an iPad. And the Kindle Fire is an Android tablet, too. I suspect that if asked according to platform, rather than product, the Android fans would prefer Android tablets over iPad.

In fact my own spectacularly unscientific poll on Google+ found that an overwhelming majority of my circle friends on that service would prefer to receive an Android tablet over an iPad as a gift. That result says more about who's on Google+ than what the general public prefers.

I think it's clear that although the Android platform for tablets is favored by Android phone users, the iPad is the most desired individual tablet product among Android phone users.

If Android phone users want iPads, BlackBerry users REALLY want them. About 53% said they want an iPad, compared with 8.5% who want a BlackBerry PlayBook. (That's even less than the 12% who want a Kindle Fire and 11% who want a Samsung Galaxy Tab.)

Consumers Want iPads

The overwhelming preference for iPad among users of non-iOS smart phones shouldn't surprise. After all, they're people, too, and people overwhelmingly prefer iPad.

A ChangeWave survey found that among the public in general, 65% want an iPad, 22% want a Kindle Fire. The Samsung Galaxy Tab came in at 4%, and all other tablet makers fall into the fatal under 1% category.

Kids are people, too. A recent Nielsen survey found that 44% of children ages six through 12 wanted an iPad — by far the most desirable consumer electronics product. (The iPod Touch and iPhone came in second and third place, respectively.)

Another category of people who want iPads: People who already own one. Strategy Analytics found in a survey that half of all iPad owners plan to buy another one within the next 12 months.

Professionals Want iPads

While the Indian government has been trying to get dirt-cheap $35 tablets into the hands of millions of school kids (it'll never happen — a far smaller number will end up with tablets costing much more than $35, and the students will hate them), Indian Parliament members have all voted to get iPads for themselves at Indian taxpayer's expense.

Do iPads make good financial sense? Could be. Financial Planning conducts an annual tech survey. The most recent one found that 40% of all financial advisers already own tablets, and one-third more intent to buy one next year. An overwhelming majority — 85% — own or intend to own an iPad.

And while iPads are considered consumer electronics devices, some 90% of IT professionals surveyed by the Enterprise Device Alliance already are using tablets — usually in pilot programs — and three-quarters of those deployed are iPads.

One reason IT pros are testing iPads is that executives at their companies are already using and loving them. Another reason is apps.

The iPad has the most apps because developers love iPads, too. A new survey from Appcelerator and IDC found that 88% of developers are "very interested" in developing for the iPad. (The iPhone numbers were even higher.)

Doctors want them. Pilots want them. Teachers want them. Small retail businesses want to use them as cash registers.

So What Happens When Macs Are Giant iPads?

OK, so the iPad is hugely popular. Two facts make this especially interesting and almost unprecedented.

First, runaway hit products are nothing new. They happen all the time. But the normal cycle is that a super awesome product hits, it dominates the market for a few months, then a rush of competitors come along that provide choice, bringing that hot product down to earth as just one of many desired by consumers.

The iPad has been on the market since April of 2010 — a year and eight months ago. And in that time, many rivals have shipped, and some are on their second versions. Yet the iPad continues to reign supreme; it's still off the charts in the Gotta-Get-It department. The only other product I can think of to achieve this is the iPod.

The second fact is that nobody "needs" an iPad.

Nowadays, you "need" (in a first world sort of way) a mobile phone and an Internet-connected PC of some kind.

Because most iPad owners and prospective owners already have both mobile phones and computers, they don't "need" an iPad.

There's almost nothing an iPad can do that can't also be done by a device already owned by the user.

It's a pure luxury item. Yet Apple is selling millions of them every month, while some rivals are trying to figure out how to cut their losses and get out of the market.

Part of the reason for this is that the iPad is by far the best expression ever of the old Apple vision of a "computer for the rest of us." Here's a computing device that infants can use — even cats can use it.

It's an intensely personal personal computer that thrills the mind with its physics and instantly responsive gestures.

So here we have an unnecessary device that everyone clamors for because of the easy-to-use UI. Most people have no idea what they want an iPad for, what they'll use it for, and what it's good for. They just want that UI.

The iPod was as dominant in its day (before the stand-alone media player was obsoleted by the iPhone) as the iPad is today. But the qualities that made the iPod hot weren't transferrable to desktop computing. The iPad's are.

So what happens when the iPad user interface is applied to a full-powered computer?

What happens when the iOS user interface goes up in size on bigger mobile tablets, big desktops and TVs? Will the same frenzy of desire take place?

I don't think there's any chance in the near future that Apple desktop systems will get 83% market share — the PC industry is too slow-moving and shackled by lock-in. But I can easily imagine, say, 50% market share within ten years in markets like the United States, Canada, the EU, Australia and Japan, once the "magical" qualities of the iPad are fully applied to Macs.

If a tablet nobody "needs" is as popular as the iPad is because of the user interface, just wait until that user interface appears on a device type everybody does need.

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Published on December 10, 2011 11:24

December 9, 2011

Catch Tomorrow Morning's Lunar Eclipse With SkySafari 3 iOS App [Daily Freebie]

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For those of us setting out to catch the lunar eclipse early tomorrow morning — here's a great piece in the Christian Science Monitor on why it'll be so spectacular out here west of the Rockies — there's nothing like an iPad armed with a great astronomy app. But according to Tim DeBenedictis, developer of SkySafari 3, his app is the only one that can predict this — and any other — eclipse. That's fine with us, since he's offering his app for free all this weekend.

SkySafari 3 has all the standard goodies, like augmented reality, superimposed constellations, a database of stellar objects and little touches like night-time viewing mode to keep the pupils open. There's also a $12 Plus version that adds telescope control and a deeper database, or for those who spend a lot of time at places like Lowell Observatory, there's the $30 (wow) Pro version.

For most of us though, the basic version should suffice. Don't miss it though, because even the basic version has a constellation's worth of app awards to its name.

And if you're catching the eclipse — it'll hit totality at 6:32 a.m. PST

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Published on December 09, 2011 20:09

Pad & Quill Contega Case for iPad 2: The Rolls Royce of iPad Cases [Review]

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It could easily be imagined that the bookbinding industry is struggling to survive these days. As books cross over in ever-increasing numbers into the digital world, the demand for physical books have disappeared — and with it, the niche crafts that help create them. Ironic, then, that what's breathing life into the industry now is that which began to kill it: e-books, e-readers and tablets (and in this case, the iPad 2 specifically).

Like the FieldFolio case Killian reviewed last week, Pad & Quill's Contega Case for iPad 2 ($90) is a devilishly handsome iPad case that harnesses the mystic craft of bookbinding to create a stylish book-like home for the iPad 2. Unlike the FieldFolio though, Pad & Quill has given the Contega a large dose of practicality.

The Good:

There's so much to like about this case. Case? No — it's more of a finely crafted iPad display cabinet, or perhaps a hand-built iPad home. I couldn't, for some reason, shake the sense that the Contega would be the case Gandalf might give Bilbo Baggins to keep his iPad safe; that's probably due to the richness the Contega's wood and leather construction evokes (but it also might be the fact that I've recently been having dreams I'm an elf on the back of a Great Eagle).

And it really does look amazingly like a book when closed. The Baltic birch Pad & Quill chose for the interior of the case gives the magical illusion of pages sandwiched between the leather covers.

It was also nice knowing that my iPad was safe inside something as sturdy as wood and thick leather. I dropped my iPad recently (I know, cringe away) while it was in a much slimmer, but much less protective case; the case mitigated the damage, but my iPad still came out of the ordeal with small spider cracks around one corner. But had it been in the Contega, I'm certain my iPad would have come away unscathed.

Part of that feeling of security comes from the fact that the case simply wouldn't let go of my iPad. Besides the precision-cut enclosure, four rubber strips (one at each corner) make sure that, once in, the iPad won't budge. The case comes with extra custom tips extra rubber strips of different thickness to customize the fit. In order to help lift the iPad out of the case, there's a red ribbon (in the guise of a bookmark). The ribbon helped, but I did just fine prying it out through the headphone and power button cutouts.

So it looks great, and it's the Secret Service of cases where protection is concerned. But here's where I was really surprised: It's also highly practical.

The case has two grooves on the inside of it's front cover — which, by the way, is magnetic, to wake/sleep on open/close — for the case to rest in. The grooves are fairly close together, yet still manage to provide a good choice of angles: a sharp angle for watching movies when the iPad is more or less at eye level and one at about 45 degrees that works when the iPad is lower and is better for typing (though it's not ideal — see below). because it has such a large base when set like this, it's also very stable — even on a lap.

There's also shallow hidden pocket for documents that's so hidden I didn't discover it until very late in the review. Lastly, the cutout for the speaker also does a great job of amplifying sound from the iPad's speaker.

The Bad:

While it's not a pig of a case, the Contega isn't going to win any friends in the ultralight set. Then again, it isn't meant to be, and Pad & Quill have done a great job of keeping mass and volume to a minimum for what it is.

It could sometimes be a little tricky to access things like the volume controls and power button through the cutouts.

My biggest gripe is that, even at the shallowest resting angle, it's still wasn't shallow enough to be ideal for long typing sessions; ironically, this is not the most ideal case for writers.

Verdict:

A tough, protective case wrapped in a sophisticated demeanor matched with near-flawless manners; how Pad & Quill can offer a product this superb for such comparatively paltry price is beyond us.

Rating: ★★★★½

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Published on December 09, 2011 19:30

Cult of Mac's 2011 Holidy Gift Guide: Gifts for Kicking It!

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We've got just the thing to follow our Gifts for the Working Stiff section of our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: This time around, we're hooking you up with Gifts for Kicking It. So grab your fun hat (and maybe your shopping mouse) and check out this list of awesome gadgets that make it a party.

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Discovery Bay Games Atari Arcade ($60)

I used to have a friend with the original, full-on Asteroids arcade cabinet. He ain't got nuthin' on this though; and I'll bet he paid a boatload. Just pop your iPad into the Arcade, download the free Atari's Greatest Classics iOS App and bango — instant tabletop arcade. The app itself is pretty amazing, and is your gateway to over 100 amazingly authentic classic Atari arcade and 2600 console games. Comes with Missile Command for free, after that the games come in sets of four for a buck.

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Soulo Digital Wireless Karaoke Mic Appcessory ($79)

What's the one thing the iPad is missing? That's right, Karaoke. Well, not anymore — the Soulo Digital Wireless Karaoke Mic comes with a free app that lets you download songs (at a buck each) to your iDevice and sing along; and you can even shoot a video of your whole Glee session from the app. It works with both the iPad and iPhone, though we think the iPad would be a much better for reading words off of. There's also a less-expensive wired version (pictured above).

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InCase Reflex Headphones ($80)

Incase have been tearing it up with their series of four new, gorgeously designed headphones. The Reflex is second down from the flagship Sonic, and like the rest of the series, the supra aural, control-talk equipped Reflex is designed with all the Jony Ive mojo the case maker could muster — but at about half the price of the great-sounding Sonics (full review of the latter up soon). If they sound even half as good as their bigger sibling (which by all accounts they do), the Reflex should be the sleeper hit of the season.

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Roots i-Envelope Sleeve in Scarlet Sparkle Leather iPad Sleeve ($88)

This has got to be the most festively stylish, party-all-night iPad sleeve we've ever seen. Though you'll find the i-Envelope available online from Roots, you won't find it in this daring Scarlet Sparkle version — but you might be able to find at your local Roots dealer. Push comes to shove, it can always be special ordered from Roots through a dealer for an extra $25.

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Philips Fideo SoundRing AirPlay Speaker ($300)

Philips have been on fire with their line of Fidelio docks (we couldn't get enough of their Blueooth-equipped DS8550). The latest is their take on AirPlay — the wireless, beautiful, sculpture-like SoundRing. besides the stunning looks and ability to stream music, it's got a battery, so the party can move anywhere. Don't forget to download the free Fidelio app for added functionality.

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Monster Clarity HD Model One Speakers ($749)

These bad boys are the top-of-the-line from Monster's Clarity series. Besides being covered in a thick coat of high-gloss automotive finish, they're tuned for electronic media and equipped with a whole host of easy-input audio jacks, so the happy recipient won't have to spend all Christmas morning setting them up. There's even an iPhone dock on the top.

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Published on December 09, 2011 18:00

What Are The Most Innovative Mac Apps Of 2011? [Poll]

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2011 has been a big year for the Mac app community. The Mac App Store was released to the public on January 6, 2011 and millions of free and paid apps have been downloaded since then.

After looking back at all of the great apps from this year, we decided to put together a list of the very best. But we need your help, so tells us what apps you think deserve to be included in our top 10 roundup.

While all of these apps weren't necessarily released in 2011, they did receive significant updates or become available on the Mac App Store. We think that the 20 apps listed above are all worthy of recognition, but we want to include the very best in our final top 10 list.

Let us know what you think in the comments as well, but make sure to vote! The poll closes next Thursday.

What were the most innovative Mac apps of 2011?

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Published on December 09, 2011 14:27

Hate The New Twitter? Get Tweetbot On Sale For Just $0.99!

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Do you hate the new Twitter? You're not alone. The backlash against the changes in the new iPhone app are so loud and raucous that Tapbot is going to extreme measures to help make sure everyone gets through the Twitter 4.0 "upgrade" in one piece: they are putting their industry fave Twitter client Tweetbot on sale for the first time ever!

Yup, for a limited time only, Tweetbot's price has dropped from $2.99 to $0.99.

Frankly, that's a steal: a quick look at out archives shows that we love Tweetbot, and gave it an extremely exultory review. Hell, the only reason I still use the official Twitter app is because Tweetbot just isn't available for the iPad.

If you use Twitter on your iPhone at all, go grab Tweetbot now for less than a buck. You'll be glad you did.

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Published on December 09, 2011 14:10

How AT&T Completely $#!@ed Up The T-Mobile Acquisition

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AT&T's plan to gobble up the fourth largest carrier in America is, for all intents and purposes, dead. After the Department of Justice moved to block the deal, AT&T began to back out of the deal.

So here's a question. How does one of the biggest companies on Earth, with more lobbyists and politicians in its pocket than you can count, find itself incapable of closing a merger deal with a fourth-rate carrier, even after spending millions on campaign contributions, kickbacks and lobbying?

The simple answer? AT&T done $%!@ed up.

A fantastic piece today by The Washington Post explains just how AT&T screwed up the deal, but here's the gist.

When AT&T first announced it wanted to buy T-Mobile, they did what they usually do: they put their lobbyists to work, while reminding politicians and interest groups that they'd contributed to that they really wanted this deal to happen. In fact, because the T-Mobile deal was so huge, AT&T literally threw every resource they had at their disposal to convince people that an AT&T-Mobile wasn't just an okay deal, but good for consumers.

Hysterically, it was AT&T's full frontal PR assault that ended up kicking the deal's teeth in:

The letters from third-party groups raised eyebrows at government agencies and on the Hill, where people began wondering why groups with no obvious ties to broadband were writing in. News reports emerged showing that many of the groups had financial ties to AT&T.

Then there were the ads that staff members at the FCC said they couldn't avoid when they opened a newspaper, fired up their iPads or watched TV – all touting the merger's ability to put thousands of Americans to work. But who had ever heard of a big company merger creating rather than destroying jobs?

And then, just for good measure, AT&T ended up accidentally providing evidence that it was lying and that the T-Mobile merger wasn't necessary to expand their beleaguered broadband network.

Incredulous staff members at the FCC also sent a harshly worded letter in the fall saying the company had "produced almost nothing" to prove its job claims. Their skepticism grew when an AT&T lawyer accidentally uploaded internal documents to the agency's Web site that showed the company was planning to expand its broadband network even if the merger didn't go through.

In other words, AT&T will now likely have to pay a $4 billion breakup fee now that the deal has gone south because they were not only lying about the merits of the deal, but they protested so much after they lied that everyone knew they had to be hiding something. Nice one, guys.

[via Gizmodo]