The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/feedlogo.gifThe Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)http://www.tuaw.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/The iPhone app I saw at WWDC but still can't show you: Bon Apphttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/19/the-iphone-app-i-saw-at-wwdc-but-still-cant-show-you-bon-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/19/the-iphone-app-i-saw-at-wwdc-but-still-cant-show-you-bon-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/19/the-iphone-app-i-saw-at-wwdc-but-still-cant-show-you-bon-app/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I guess you could say I'm an armchair foodie. Strangely enough, once I started working at home I rarely got the chance to cook a proper meal. It doesn't help that my kids have typical kid palates, and attempts to "get fancy" with the ingredients are met with wrinkled noses and frowning faces. So when I see an app that looks like it'll make my cooking life simpler and better I'm very, very excited.

Bon App looks to do just that -- it simplifies the entire cooking process, from planning to shopping to cooking. All on the iPhone (or iPod touch). What really has me excited is the way it does this. Any blunt object can bash a nail. I mean, there's a reason Mac users have higher standards, right? I like to think we appreciate ease-of-use and quality design. Bon App has an extensive feature list, yes, but it looks darn good doing what it does, and the developer spent serious time thinking about how you interact with the app.

While I can't show you any screens (the developer was adamant that I not record video), I tell you about a few things I saw. One nice touch: when selecting a particular dish to cook, an icon of the recipe bounces down into a menu bar, indicating where to go next (shopping list, if I recall correctly). I don't remember the shopping list feature well, but the cooking features are exceptional. The app shows you a visual indication of how long each dish will take along a bar graph. This helps you plan what to cook and when. As anyone who has played Hell's Kitchen will tell you, timing is critical. You don't want hot side dishes and a cold entree. It was the first time I'd seen that on an app, and was indicative of the thought put into the app's flow.

The final pieces hadn't been put together when I had a look at the demo. The developer was still thinking through the last phase (cooking, which can be tricky, as trying to prep a meal isn't as straightforward as you might think) and tweaking the interaction. I'm also not sure how recipes get into the app. If you're looking for a desktop cooking app that syncs with the iPhone, about the best I've found so far is Avenio's MacGourmet. But I will certainly be keeping an eye out for Bon App. Even though I'm very happy with Sous Chef, the detail and design of Bon App has me wishing I could pre-order now.

The iPhone app I saw at WWDC but still can't show you: Bon App originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)The iPhone app I saw at WWDC but still can't show you: Bon App originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bon appBonAppcookingfoodiphoneipod touchIpodTouchmacgourmetpreviewsous chefSousChefwwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Sun, 19 Jul 2009 09:00:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Server Admin Remote, a remote server admin tool for iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/15/wwdc-demo-server-admin-remote-a-remote-server-admin-tool-for-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/15/wwdc-demo-server-admin-remote-a-remote-server-admin-tool-for-i/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/15/wwdc-demo-server-admin-remote-a-remote-server-admin-tool-for-i/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Seems a little redundant, doesn't it? What else would an app named Server Admin Remote do? Well anyway, if you're in the market for something to remotely administer your servers (to a point), particularly Mac OS X servers, this is one handy and powerful tool. View logs, enable services, even reboot the server all from your iPhone (or iPod touch). Plus, there's support for multiple server instances, which you switch between just like in Tweetdeck -- a quick swipe left or right does the trick.

Server Admin Remote (iTunes link) is currently $7.99. We're planning to have a more in-depth look later, so stay tuned.

This concludes our WWDC video series. Thanks to all the developers kind enough to stop by and show what they are doing. Your efforts make Apple's desktop and mobile platforms truly amazing.

WWDC Demo: Server Admin Remote, a remote server admin tool for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Server Admin Remote, a remote server admin tool for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>administratorappiphoneipod touchIpodTouchITos x serverOsXServerserver admin toolsServerAdminToolsvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo (and sneak peek): SciFly 2, a dogfight app for your iPhone or iPod touchhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/14/wwdc-demo-and-sneak-peek-scifly-2-a-dogfight-app-for-your-ip/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/14/wwdc-demo-and-sneak-peek-scifly-2-a-dogfight-app-for-your-ip/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/14/wwdc-demo-and-sneak-peek-scifly-2-a-dogfight-app-for-your-ip/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


I was shocked to discover the young author of SciFly (iTunes link) hadn't even graduated high school when he first started coding, and wrote the original game while in high school. Based on his success with the first version, he dropped out of high school and has dedicated himself to iPhone development. From what I saw of SciFly 2, it may pay off. The sequel is a massive expansion on the original, with every bit of it written by a young man who seemed to have a versatile skill set and a passion for mobile development. We'll post on Twitter and Facebook when the sequel is available on the store. You can also try a a Lite version of the original here (iTunes link).

WWDC Demo (and sneak peek): SciFly 2, a dogfight app for your iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo (and sneak peek): SciFly 2, a dogfight app for your iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appdogfightflyflyinggameiphoneipod touchIpodTouchsimulationsneak peekSneakPeekvideowwdcVictor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Slick Shopperhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-slick-shopper/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-slick-shopper/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-slick-shopper/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Slick Shopper is a slick little list app. It does one very specific thing: make shopping lists. In fact, the developer thought through little details such as a location-specific context for your lists. If you're needing things only in your bedroom (perhaps a trip to Bed, Bath and Beyond is in your future?), Slick Shopper will winnow the list down to just those items with a couple of clicks.

While list apps are plentiful on the store, yet again we see a plethora of choices covering niche angles. Now the only problem is not littering your iPhone with list apps -- not to be confused with "to do" apps. Slick Shopper (iTunes link) is currently $.99 on the App Store.

WWDC Demo: Slick Shopper originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Slick Shopper originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appgrocery listGroceryListiphoneipod touchIpodTouchlistvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Mon, 13 Jul 2009 22:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Flogger, a flight logger for iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-flogger-a-flight-logger-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-flogger-a-flight-logger-for-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/13/wwdc-demo-flogger-a-flight-logger-for-iphone/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We're winding down the last of our WWDC video demos this week, and today we're looking at Flogger, a simple but powerful flight logger for iPhones and iPod touch handhelds (despite a name that might make you look twice). I'm not a pilot, but some of the features sounded pretty nifty, including a method for exporting your logs to Google Docs, right in the app. Other nice options include a huge database of airport codes, the ability to flag entries as simulator flights, and a fast method for adding crew members from your Address Book.

Flogger (iTunes link) is currently $9.99 in the App Store.

WWDC Demo: Flogger, a flight logger for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Flogger, a flight logger for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appfloggerflyinggoogle docsGoogleDocsiphoneipod touchIpodTouchlogbookpilotreviewtravelvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: two tip calculatorshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/10/wwdc-demo-two-tip-calculators/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/10/wwdc-demo-two-tip-calculators/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/10/wwdc-demo-two-tip-calculators/#commentsFiled under: , ,


What do Calcutipr and Gratuitous have in common? They are both tip calculators. Yet what seems like a simple thing shows amazing diversity on the App Store, with well over 3 dozen tip calculators available. What makes these two different from the rest? I have no idea, not having tested the dozens of other options available.

But I can tell you choosing a tip calculator has now become largely one of personal preference. Calcutipr (iTunes link), for example, has a sleek and functional interface with lots of options. You can hit a button to round up, for example. Gratuitous (iTunes link), on the other hand, is more "designed" and streamlines functions like splitting a bill. Both do the same thing, but in different ways and with different options. Tip calcs are like shoes: they all do essentially the same thing, so your decision boils down to what you like and what you'll pay. Calcutipr is free and Gratuitous is $1.99, which may make the decision a simple one for some. Both work on iPhone and iPod touch.

I don't know if you'll like either one of these, but they do the job. If you don't like them, you have plenty of other options (iTunes link).

WWDC Demo: two tip calculators originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: two tip calculators originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app reviewAppReviewcalcutiprgratuitousiphoneipod touchIpodTouchtip calculatorTipCalculatorvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:00:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Mashduo compares iTunes librarieshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/07/wwdc-demo-mashduo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/07/wwdc-demo-mashduo/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/07/wwdc-demo-mashduo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



When traveling, I am always amused to see other iTunes libraries appear in my iTunes as we all glom on to the same wireless network. "Oh, hello there, Sandy's MacBook, I didn't realize you were such a Hootie and the Blowfish fan." If you're constantly asking your friends about their iTunes libraries (excessively, perhaps?) you might want to check out Mashduo -- an OS X application that allows you to drag and drop library files for comparison. Finally you'll know who has the larger ABBA collection, or who never quite understood The Dead Milkmen (hint: they only song they own is "Bitchin' Camaro" or "Punk Rock GIrl").

As you can see in the video, Mashduo is pretty fast for what it does: collating and analyzing all that iTunes data. I cut about 22 seconds out as Mashduo did its thing to over 14,000 songs in those libraries. So yeah, it's fast. It is also a limited use piece of software, yes, but it is open source, so you can monkey around with it to your heart's content. First feature request: it would be lovely to have it work with those mystery iTunes shares over the network.

WWDC Demo: Mashduo compares iTunes libraries originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Mashduo compares iTunes libraries originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ituneslibrarymashduomusicos xOsXvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Ow My Balls!http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-ow-my-balls/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-ow-my-balls/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-ow-my-balls/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yeah, so did you see Idiocracy? While I'm convinced it's merely a documentary sent to us from a future Mike Judge, warning us of the dangers of Brawndo and poor math education, one of the takeaway phrases from the movie has made its way into an iPhone app. Yes, Martha, you can say "balls" on the App Store. While tasteful slideshow apps like Minipops are rejected without so much as a "get bent," somehow Ow My Balls! became the first app on the store to use "balls" in this sense. Apple: always on the cutting edge.

Anyway, I wound up trying Ow My Balls! (iTunes link) on the plane back from San Francisco, and guess what? It really is strangely addictive. Not like Fieldrunners-grade addiction, mind you, but it's a low level thing that makes you play for a much longer time than you'd ever think you'd be playing. Is it worth $.99? Yeah, if you're into this sort of thing.

The game mechanic is simple: kick the guy off a ledge (in the aforementioned nether regions), tap him to "fart" and make him stay in the air longer. You have small goals like hitting every target and getting maximum rackage by hitting more stuff on the way down. That's really about it, but as I said, it's more fun than you'd imagine. My only problem: I can't find the very last object to run into. Ow, my finger!

The video of the app in action is next...

Continue reading WWDC Demo: Ow My Balls!

WWDC Demo: Ow My Balls! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Ow My Balls! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app reviewapp storeAppReviewAppStoregamehumoriphoneipod touchIpodTouchow my ballsOwMyBallsVictor Agreda, Jr.Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Dive Log, Trimix and Nitrox for iPhone, iPod touchhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-dive-log-trimix-and-nitrox-for-iphone-ipod-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-dive-log-trimix-and-nitrox-for-iphone-ipod-touch/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/06/wwdc-demo-dive-log-trimix-and-nitrox-for-iphone-ipod-touch/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Living in a landlocked state I was never much of a diver. But if you are an active SCUBA diver, you may find Dive Log (and companions Trimix and Nitrox) useful. Dive Log (iTunes link) does what you'd think: it logs your dives. If you've never been diving this may seem trivial. Dive logs, however, are far from trivial, as they contain crucial data related to dives -- like how much weight you added to your belt in a given location. Dive Log will import/export your data in UDCF format, and offers full sync with Diving Log 4.0 (unfortunately only on Windows). Plus, the developers have a free app for backing up your logs, and you can import logs from MacDive.

Nitrox Tools and Trimix Tools (both iTunes links) are more specialized diving apps for the serious SCUBA guy or gal, who may mix their own tanks. I'm certainly not one of them, but the tools look sufficiently hardy for those folks, plus there's an online version of Nitrox here (for Safari) that will give you a taste of the app's capabilities.

WWDC Demo: Dive Log, Trimix and Nitrox for iPhone, iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Dive Log, Trimix and Nitrox for iPhone, iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appdemodive logDiveLogdivingiphonemacdivenitroxscubatraveltrimixvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Zombies, a modern update of Daleks (preview)http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/02/wwdc-demo-zombies-a-modern-update-of-daleks-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/02/wwdc-demo-zombies-a-modern-update-of-daleks-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/02/wwdc-demo-zombies-a-modern-update-of-daleks-preview/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I can't count the number of hours I spent at the UT Music Library on a Performa or Quadra or Centris (I had a Centris 610 at the time) playing Daleks. Strangely addicting but incredibly simple, the game mechanic has been repeated often in the casual game universe, and Daleks was essentially a rip of Robots on UNIX. You try to get away from something, one step at a time, as those somethings inch ever closer, one step at a time. It's turn-based "tag." There's a terribly unsatisfying and buggy version called SuperDaleks for OS X here.

Zombies is a bit of an update for the venerable classic, although there's also a classic game called Zombies using the very same mechanic -- nothing new under the sun, eh? But intead of dusting off that old IIsi, you can play Zombies on your iPhone or iPod touch. The developer added spells, allowing you to do something out of the norm each round. So, for example, you could teleport (sometimes seen in variations of this game). You can also destroy zombies with a spell, handy when you're in a no-win position.

The preview you see here is the unfinished version, but it's shaping up to be a pleasant reimagining of a classic. We'll post on Twitter when it's available.

WWDC Demo: Zombies, a modern update of Daleks (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Zombies, a modern update of Daleks (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStoredaleksgameiphoneipod touchIpodTouchpreviewrobotsvideowwdcwwdc09zombiesVictor Agreda, Jr.Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Pix Remix for iPhone, iPod touch (preview)http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/01/wwdc-demo-pix-remix-for-iphone-ipod-touch-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/01/wwdc-demo-pix-remix-for-iphone-ipod-touch-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/01/wwdc-demo-pix-remix-for-iphone-ipod-touch-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Pix Remix isn't yet on the App Store, but I'm hoping it lands soon. If you've ever tried the Ken Burns effect in iPhoto to move photos around during a slideshow, you know how frustrating it is when the effect chops off the faces or other important parts of your photo while moving. Pix Remix does this better, plus more, all on your iPhone with your photos.

With Pix Remix you choose the photos you want (on your iPhone or iPod touch), put them in order, then create a slideshow using a path for the camera. You control the zoom as well, so instead of cutting off faces you can zoom into them instead. As you can see in the video, it's quite simple. This is the "pan and zoom" type of slideshow.

Pix Remix features a collage mode that reminds me of Microsoft's Surface technology -- a set of photos sit on a virtual table, and you can zoom, move and rotate them with your fingers. It looks like someone placing photos on a flat surface, except you can animate them.

Those are a couple of the slideshow options, and there's the option to add captions as well, or you can create a simple slideshow with nothing but transitions and captions. The final piece of the puzzle: export. You can send your slideshows to Twitter or Facebook or via email. I noticed the other day there were inactive links for a "reader" app, presumably to watch Remix slideshows on another iPhone without the full app, but that has been removed.

We'll keep an eye out for when Pix Remix hits the store, so check our Twitter feed for the latest updates.

WWDC Demo: Pix Remix for iPhone, iPod touch (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Pix Remix for iPhone, iPod touch (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStoreiphoneipod touchIpodTouchphotophotographypicturespix remixPixRemixslideshowvideoVictor Agreda, Jr.Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Master Jumperton and Battle of Pirate Bay (preview)http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/30/wwdc-demo-master-jumperton-and-battle-of-pirate-bay-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/30/wwdc-demo-master-jumperton-and-battle-of-pirate-bay-preview/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/30/wwdc-demo-master-jumperton-and-battle-of-pirate-bay-preview/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Master Jumperton is a simple game where you swipe to create platforms for Master Jumperton to continually jump higher and higher. There are some similar games on the store, but Jumperton is well-crafted and features a high scores board and basic options. Master Jumperton isn't yet available on the store.

The Battle of Pirate Bay will be available July 1, we are told, and it's a more involved game. That isn't to say it is complicated, as anyone familiar with Flight Control or Harbor Master's game mechanic will understand what to do. Battle goes one step beyond time and path management to add the element of battle with waves of enemies. You have to balance ammo and the health of your base in the bay plus the routing of faster or slower ships with different capabilities all while moving your finger around to direct traffic, as it were. Very fast-paced, and it looks like a lot of fun. We'll tweet when it lands in the store this week.

Both games are from veteran mobile developers Muteki, who developed Maze Finger and Topple 2 for ngmoco. Topple 2 won an Apple design award at this year's WWDC.

Gallery: Battle of Pirate Bay screenshots



Update: The Battle of Pirate Bay (iTunes link) is now available in the store.

WWDC Demo: Master Jumperton and Battle of Pirate Bay (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Master Jumperton and Battle of Pirate Bay (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>battle of pirate bayBattleOfPirateBayiphoneiphone gameIphoneGameipod touchIpodTouchmaster jumpertonMasterJumpertonvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Videro, a digital signage tool for Macshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/29/wwdc-demo-videro-a-digital-signage-tool-for-macs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/29/wwdc-demo-videro-a-digital-signage-tool-for-macs/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/29/wwdc-demo-videro-a-digital-signage-tool-for-macs/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Videro is one of those silent-but-cool application suites you've probably never heard of, but you may see it being used every day. I met some of the Videro team at WWDC, and they were happy to demo a little of what the tools do: electronic signage and interactive kiosks. If you happen to need an animated in-store (or museum) display, fed from a server, easy to set up and deploy, complete with iPhone access to check on the servers (so they say), then Videro is an impressive tool.

To start, Videro has a composition tool that allows you to drag and drop your animations, complete with images, video and audio. In fact, Videro has extensive in-app tools for cropping, rotating and otherwise "fixing" your assets for display. But wait, there's more! This isn't just Keynote all gussied up. Videro is designed for business, and a server application makes sure mission-critical displays are functioning properly. There's solid asset management support both in the client and the server applications, making sure your displays never fire off with a dreaded "black box of nothing" where a product shot should be.

Videro mentioned an iPhone app in the video but I have been unable to locate it in the store and a search on their website revealed nothing. Still, it wouldn't be terribly difficult to provide some baseline stats via password-protected web app. We weren't able to get Wi-Fi at our location, so some features weren't visible and this might have been one of them.

Unfortunately Videro's site mentions nothing about price. In my experience that means we're talking about an expensive solution, and likely a custom one for the high-end customers. If you're looking for something simpler, don't miss Dave's excellent post about using Keynote and Dropbox to create an updating and easy presentation solution that would work in a pinch.

WWDC Demo: Videro, a digital signage tool for Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Videro, a digital signage tool for Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingcommercialdisplaykioskmacmarketingpresentationpromotionsignagevideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: Balloons!http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-balloons/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-balloons/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-balloons/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Balloons! for the iPhone (and iPod touch) made me smile. It's like Distant Shore, but more personal and fun. Don't get me wrong, I love Distant Shore, but Balloons! reminds me of being a kid and tying a message and photo to a balloon to send up into the stratosphere. Plus, you get a real sense of community. It's just plain fun to pick up a virtual balloon supposedly drifting past you. To see what I mean, check out the video. But if you ever tied a note to a balloon and let it go, that's what this does. Except now you get to catch other balloons, have conversations and attach photos all from your iPhone.

Unfortunately Balloons! isn't in the store yet, but from the build I saw looks pretty close to being ready. The Balloons devs are looking for beta testers, which you can apply for here.

WWDC Demo: Balloons! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: Balloons! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appballoonsentertainmentfuniphoneipod touchIpodTouchvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: MercuryMover and Highbrowhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-mercurymover-and-highbrow/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-mercurymover-and-highbrow/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/25/wwdc-demo-mercurymover-and-highbrow/#commentsFiled under: , ,


If you prefer to keep your fingers on the keyboard and away from mice or trackpads, MercuryMover will allow you to do something simple: move and resize windows with the keyboard. There are a number of hotkeys for wiggling the windows into place, in 2 different increments, and a method of resizing windows via the keyboard.

Highbrow gives you fine control over which browser opens a certain link. For example, if someone sends you a link in IM and you want to open in it Firefox, but your default browser is Safari, you'd have to copy/paste that link into Firefox, or Safari will open it instead. But with Highbrow, you can quickly choose which browser opens what. Instead of mucking around in Safari prefs, Highbrow sets the default browser via handy menu bar item. Plus, you can opt for a floating window each time you click a link, and choose on the fly.

MercuryMover is $20 and a free trial is available. Highbrow is $12 and a free trial is also available.

WWDC Demo: MercuryMover and Highbrow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: MercuryMover and Highbrow originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>browserhighbrowkeyboardmercurymovertoolutilityvideowebwwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:30:00 ESTWWDC Live: Joe Michels of Software Opshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/24/wwdc-live-joe-michels-of-software-ops/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/24/wwdc-live-joe-michels-of-software-ops/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/24/wwdc-live-joe-michels-of-software-ops/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This is video from a fast-paced chat with Joe Michels of Software Ops, creator of several iPhone apps. His lineup includes several applications for secure storage of information, such as My Eyes Only (iTunes link) and ID Lock (a "lite" version of My Eyes Only). There's also Aerochive on the Mac desktop, which allows wireless archiving and visualization of the information stored in the iPhone apps, which can include credit cards, passwords and notes, among other things. With your data fully encrypted and password protected, Joe's stated mission is to keep your info safe and away from prying eyes.

Joe also mentions an upcoming application, called My Eyes Only Photo, which brings My Eyes Only security to photo storage and browsing. There are screenshots of the soon-to-be-released application up on the Software Ops site. Check out the video to hear the developer's take on these apps.

Continue reading WWDC Live: Joe Michels of Software Ops

WWDC Live: Joe Michels of Software Ops originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Live: Joe Michels of Software Ops originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appencryfeatureiphonejoe michelsJoeMichelsmy eyes onlyMyEyesOnlysecuritysoftware opsSoftwareOpsvideowwdcwwdc09Brett TerpstraWed, 24 Jun 2009 18:30:00 ESTWWDC Demo: iTreadmill http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-demo-itreadmill/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-demo-itreadmill/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-demo-itreadmill/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



iTreadmill (App Store link) is a pedometer app for your iPhone or iPod touch. I spoke with the developer, who demoed the app for us at WWDC. It looks nice, appears to perform well, and features a respectable number of ways to customize and tune the readings. Pedometer apps may not save the world, but if you're looking for something much less expensive than the Nike+iPod device, this will do in a pinch. There's also a Lite version (App Store link) if you want to try it yourself.

WWDC Demo: iTreadmill originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Demo: iTreadmill originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>appapp storeAppStoredemofitnesshealthinterviewiphoneitreadmillpedometervideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:00 ESTWWDC Video: AOL's Christina Wick on developing for Macs, iPhoneshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-video-aols-christina-wick-on-developing-for-macs-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-video-aols-christina-wick-on-developing-for-macs-iphones/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/23/wwdc-video-aols-christina-wick-on-developing-for-macs-iphones/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


I had a moment to talk to Technical Director Christina Wick at WWDC. She told us about the Mapquest app, plus a cool lifestreaming feature coming soon to AIM. Christina was featured in a video by Apple about developing on the iPhone, and it's clear AOL has embraced the platform, with several apps performing exceptionally well on the store. We've covered AIM, DailyFinance and MapQuest in the past, but there are others as well (and we think a certain blog will get one someday...). Christina's team has been working hard not just on the iPhone, but polishing up the old AOL client for Mac too in a push called "Back to the Mac" -- it has been completely re-written and is much more Mac friendly than... well, it just wasn't Mac friendly at all 3 years ago. We can't wait to see what apps and desktop software her team releases in the future.

Note: AOL is also the corporate parent of TUAW & Weblogs Inc.

WWDC Video: AOL's Christina Wick on developing for Macs, iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Video: AOL's Christina Wick on developing for Macs, iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aimaolappdailyfinanceiphonemacmapquestvideowwdcwwdc09Victor Agreda, Jr.Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:30:00 ESTIt's all about the music: tunes from Apple's keynote presentationshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/its-all-about-the-music-tunes-from-apples-keynote-presentatio/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/its-all-about-the-music-tunes-from-apples-keynote-presentatio/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/its-all-about-the-music-tunes-from-apples-keynote-presentatio/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I hope this post gets filed in the "I knew I wasn't the only one!" mental filing cabinets of many. Because if it doesn't, then it makes me the only one who really looks forward to the music Apple uses in its keynotes. Whether it's a song that leads up to Steve Jobs' entrance on stage, or one used in software or hardware demos, there's no denying that music is very much a part of Apple's DNA. Heck, the company's namesake reflects Steve's love for the Beatles.

Apple occasionally invites some of music's biggest names to perform at its events because, as Steve says, "it's all about the music."

And this post is all about the music. It's all about the music that Apple has used in one way, shape, or form at its keynote events. Although by no means a definitive list, it's certainly a fair sample.

Continue reading It's all about the music: tunes from Apple's keynote presentations

It's all about the music: tunes from Apple's keynote presentations originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)It's all about the music: tunes from Apple's keynote presentations originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>eventeventsfeaturehistorykeynotekeynotesmusicsingersingingsongsongssteve jobsSteveJobswwdcSang TangThu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 ESTWWDC Live: Ross Carter and Pagehand, typography-aware word processorhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/wwdc-live-ross-carter-and-pagehand-typography-aware-word-proce/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/wwdc-live-ross-carter-and-pagehand-typography-aware-word-proce/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/06/18/wwdc-live-ross-carter-and-pagehand-typography-aware-word-proce/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ross Carter of Cocomot has a pretty cool new word processor, Pagehand, in the works. It reads and writes in PDF format, so you don't have to think twice about sending a document to anyone; they may not be able to edit it -- depending on the software they're running -- but you're pretty much guaranteed they'll be able to see it exactly the way you did on your screen. That's important because Pagehand's features are heavily geared towards making correct and beautiful typography easy for everyone, and providing many of the advanced features you'd only find in applications such as InDesign or Quark. Ross demoed the word processor for me at WWDC. Check out the video for a brief overview of the application and some of the philosophy behind it. While it hasn't been "officially" released yet, it's available for download and trial in its 1.0 incarnation.

Continue reading WWDC Live: Ross Carter and Pagehand, typography-aware word processor

WWDC Live: Ross Carter and Pagehand, typography-aware word processor originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)WWDC Live: Ross Carter and Pagehand, typography-aware word processor originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>cocomotpagehandtexttypographyword processingWordProcessingwwdcwwdc09Brett TerpstraThu, 18 Jun 2009 07:00:00 EST