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/TUAW Gift Guides: Gifts for tech-savvy womenhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/11/04/tuaw-gift-guides-gifts-for-tech-savvy-women/#commentsFiled under: ,

Holiday time is drawing near, with Black Friday just over the horizon. So have you started thinking about what to get your favorite gal? You might want to subscribe to a Monoprice e-mail alert to catch the latest restocks for your beloved's iPhone or iPod touch. Last night, they sold out of their 2200 mAh charge boosters within minutes. I snagged mine just in time.

Because, gentlemen, you need to face it: cables, remotes, and batteries are made of holiday win. Why not consider a miniDisplay cable to give your lady that second Mac mini monitor she's been dreaming about? Those redesigned Apple remotes make the perfect accompaniment to the treadmill, when watching "The View." Or, for that matter, when watching the morning financial news. Whatever floats your boat.

One of my female TUAW colleagues writes, "Last year I got earrings and returned them for a MacBook. My husband also knows that on Black Friday morning, in the dark, I will be at Radio Shack or MicroCenter -- elbows out to fend off other customers -- hissing at the sunlight and hoarding hard drives, enclosures, and spindles of DVDs."

Face it: Chicks love technology. Trust me. I'm a woman.

Results are not typical or representative of all real women's buying habits. Please check with a lawyer before deciding whether purchasing Mac peripherals are right for you. Side effects, including being kicked out of your home and/or marriage, may occur. Peripherals are not a substitute for fine jewelry. Do not attempt to offer technology when the spouse is pregnant or nursing. Consult a physician should a piece of technology make an accelerated impact with your head. In case of technology overdose, seek professional assistance, or contact a family counselor immediately.

TUAW Gift Guides: Gifts for tech-savvy women originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)TUAW Gift Guides: Gifts for tech-savvy women originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>giftshggholidayshoppingwomenErica SadunWed, 04 Nov 2009 19:00:00 ESTiPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readershttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/iphone-apps-and-tips-for-snowed-in-tuaw-readers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/iphone-apps-and-tips-for-snowed-in-tuaw-readers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/28/iphone-apps-and-tips-for-snowed-in-tuaw-readers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As I write this, snow is falling. That was the view out of my office this morning. Yes, I know it's only October 27th. Yes, I know that winter starts on December 21st. But sometimes in Colorado we get blizzards or major snowstorms in "non-standard" months. We're supposed to get two feet of the white stuff before this storm departs Thursday night.

An IM conversation with Mike R. got me thinking about what iPhone apps could be useful when you're snowed in. Here's my list, and be sure to use the comments section below to leave your ideas.

You're going to be getting a little cabin fever after being stuck in the house a few days, so why not go insane a bit faster? There are a number of snow globe apps for iPhone in the App Store [iTunes Link], so you can shake them up and watch those little virtual snowflakes falling, all while laughing nervously and sharpening that butcher knife.

On a much more positive, happy-thoughts note, how about thinking about where you can go skiing or snowboarding when the roads are cleared and you can actually get the car out of the garage? The first thing you'll want to know are the snow depths at all of your favorite resorts. The US$1.99 Snow Reports [iTunes Link] does exactly that for over 2,000 resorts worldwide. Ski Lodge - Snow Reports [US$4.99, iTunes Link] is similar, but also provides detailed trail maps, directions to the nearest resort, and more.

When you're on the mountain and riding your board, it's always fun to use iTrailMap 3D [US$4.99, iTunes Link] to trace your runs via GPS on a map, then send the map to those obnoxious virtual coworkers who keep sending you pictures of the palm trees swaying outside their San Diego offices.

Continue reading iPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readers

iPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iPhone apps and tips for snowed-in TUAW readers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>5 apps5Appsappstoreblizzardfreezing my butt offFreezingMyButtOffiphoneipod touchIpodTouchsnowSteven SandeWed, 28 Oct 2009 18:00:00 ESTFound Footage: iPhone costumes are either genius or deeply misguidedhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/25/found-footage-iphone-costumes-are-either-genius-or-deeply-misgu/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/25/found-footage-iphone-costumes-are-either-genius-or-deeply-misgu/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/25/found-footage-iphone-costumes-are-either-genius-or-deeply-misgu/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


You have to hand it to Reko and Bobby John for their stick-to-it-iveness; they were behind a similar set of iPhone costumes in 2007, but those didn't have the fully-functional power of these new outfits. Yes, those are LCD TVs on the front (not touchable, sadly) showing content from the (almost certainly) jailbroken iPhones mounted on top; yes, each getup weighs 85 pounds because it includes a car battery to power the display. I can see how the illusion would be broken by a 500-foot charging cable trailing behind them as they trick-or-treat their way around the subdivision.

There's a part of me that wants to tell these guys to apply their wild, inventive energy to more productive pursuits. And yet... there's another bit of reptile brain that simply sits and watches, in awe.

Thanks to John for the tip!

[via MacRumors Forums]

Found Footage: iPhone costumes are either genius or deeply misguided originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Found Footage: iPhone costumes are either genius or deeply misguided originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>costumefound footageFoundFootagehalloweeninsaneiphoneMichael RoseSun, 25 Oct 2009 12:30:00 ESTSteve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the backgroundhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/23/steve-ballmers-windows-7-pitch-features-macbook-pro-in-the-back/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Talk about embarrassing. Steve Ballmer guest hosted on NBC's Today Show yesterday to talk about the Windows 7 launch. Sadly for Steverino, Matt Lauer talked a lot about Apple and the iPhone. Even worse, sharp eyes noticed an NBC-produced graphic in the background with a Windows 7 logo appearing on the screen of what clearly is a Mac laptop.


You can watch the video here. That's probably not the kind of quality control Microsoft would have liked.

Thanks to Bill for sending this in (no, not Bill Gates)

[via TechCrunch]

Steve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the background originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Steve Ballmer's Windows 7 pitch features MacBook Pro in the background originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Macbook ProSteve BallmerSteveBallmerWindows 7Mel MartinFri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 ESTTop 5 reasons the Apple Store refresh is taking so longhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/top-reasons-the-apple-store-refresh-is-taking-so-long/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/top-reasons-the-apple-store-refresh-is-taking-so-long/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/top-reasons-the-apple-store-refresh-is-taking-so-long/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wow. This has been an especially long wait for the Apple Store to return. So here's TUAW's top reasons this is taking so long.

Reason #5 (via @serpicolugnut at Twitter, updated via TUAW reader Zaph):The App Store reviewers are "reviewing" the new store. The current average wait is 14 days.

Reason #4: They might be done with their Time Machine backup by now...

Reason #3: Man, WebObjects is outdated technology...

Reason #2 (Courtesy of @verso via Twitter): Still waiting for the iPhone backups to finish...

And our top reason?...

Continue reading Top 5 reasons the Apple Store refresh is taking so long

Top 5 reasons the Apple Store refresh is taking so long originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Top 5 reasons the Apple Store refresh is taking so long originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>storeWaitingErica SadunTue, 20 Oct 2009 12:00:00 ESTDear Aunt TUAW: Limiting distribution to faster iPods and iPhoneshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/dear-aunt-tuaw-limiting-distribution-to-faster-ipods-and-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/dear-aunt-tuaw-limiting-distribution-to-faster-ipods-and-iphone/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/14/dear-aunt-tuaw-limiting-distribution-to-faster-ipods-and-iphone/#commentsFiled under: ,

Dear Aunt TUAW,

I'm an iPhone developer. My applications really need some computing *oomph*. How can I ensure that the app is only distributed on the iPhone 3GS or the iPod 3G or later?

Speaking of which, what exactly is the adoption rate of those newer, faster units? How can I find that out?

Love & Kissies,

Mr. Gando


Read on for Auntie's response...

Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Limiting distribution to faster iPods and iPhones

Dear Aunt TUAW: Limiting distribution to faster iPods and iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Dear Aunt TUAW: Limiting distribution to faster iPods and iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Aunt TuawAuntie TUAWAuntieTuawAuntTuawDear Aunt TUAWDearAuntTuawErica SadunWed, 14 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST5 apps for the scoundrelhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/5-apps-for-the-scoundrel/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/5-apps-for-the-scoundrel/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/5-apps-for-the-scoundrel/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Earlier today we were inspired by Pepsi's AMP UP Before You Score app [iTunes link], which prompts the would-be ladies' man through several pickup routines, each suited to a different type of young lady (sorority girl, tree hugger, goth girl... that one probably requires a bit of sulking). It's a bit of fun if not a little classless (and Pepsi & AMP have since apologized). With that in mind, we've compiled 5 apps for the scoundrel.

Fake Call apps

This one is more of a trick than a particular app. Here, Manolith describes how to use one of the many fake call apps to your advantage. Before approaching the object of your affection, set up a fake "grandma" profile complete with picture and set to ring one minute into your conversation. Because starting off with deception is the way to go.

The fake call apps let you set up a fake phone call that looks and sounds like the real thing, even with a fake "voice" on the other side. Some are better than others, and could provide escape from a scrape.

Awesome Pickups

Awesome Pickups transports you to the Regal Beagle with the most horrendous pickup lines imaginable. That's probably part of the fun, in daring each other to actually tell a young single, "You must be Jamaican because you're Jamaican me crazy!" Simply tap to move from pickup line to pickup line until you're either slapped or asked to leave.

Amazing Rejections: Smackdown

If you're on the receiving end of a would-be suitor equipped with Awesome Pickups, Amazing Rejections: Smackdown is for you. Tap to view a laundry list of ill-advised pickup lines and their corresponding denials. Don't feel badly about using an especially vicious rejection, s/he probably deserves it.

Relationship Test

To end with something more savory than the rest, here's Relationship Test. This app presents a lighthearted quiz to share with your special someone. Have a few laughs while you learn about each others likes and dislikes. There's no heavyweight relationship advice here, just a bit of harmless fun. And it's better than targeting your tweets for a tree hugger.

Gallery: 5 Apps for the Scoundrel

AMP UP!Relationship TestPickup lines!Unknown callerSmack down

5 apps for the scoundrel originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)5 apps for the scoundrel originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>5Appsapp storeAppStoreiphoneipod touchIpodTouchpickupsDave CaoloTue, 13 Oct 2009 19:30:00 ESTDev raises price of $3 app to $40 just to spite customershttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/dev-raises-price-of-3-app-to-40-just-to-spite-customers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/dev-raises-price-of-3-app-to-40-just-to-spite-customers/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/13/dev-raises-price-of-3-app-to-40-just-to-spite-customers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

I like the way Schiau Studios thinks -- when customers complained about the price of their $2.99US App Store game Alchemize, they raised the price up to $39.99. Over on the TouchArcade forums, they make their case: most devs, they say, when faced with complaints about price, will just lower their price even though their software is already cheap. So they wanted to buck the trend, and instead raised it up to almost $40 (which, incidentally, is slightly more than what you might pay for a handheld console game).

Lest you simply complain that they were greedy, they say they were only out to make a point: everyone who purchased the game at the higher price point will have all of their money go to charity, and now that the game's back at the $2.99 price point, 33% of all the profits to be gained will go to the same charity. Regardless of whether the game's any good or not, we like their thinking.

Can we all agree to stop griping about price points? I've actually heard this come up lately on a comedy podcast of all places -- when Chicago broadcasting legend Steve Dahl (and one of my favorites) started up a podcast about a month ago, and introduced an app to go along with it. Steve was inundated with comments complaining about the $2.99 price, which he responded to with a great argument on the show: he's put a lot of money into the app and the show behind it, and if you're already a fan of his, paying less than the cost of a cup of Starbucks should not even be an issue.

Sure, when the App Store first started up, it was the Wild West -- both prices and quality were all over the place. But at this point, Apple's review system has more or less settled down, and blogs like ours are full of recommendations, with enough free apps to last any rabid app user most of their iPhone time. If you have any interest in an app at all, a couple of bucks shouldn't be enough to give you pause -- either pick it up and make sure the dev gets their due (small as that may be), or move on to find an app you'd rather buy.

Dev raises price of $3 app to $40 just to spite customers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Dev raises price of $3 app to $40 just to spite customers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>alchemizeappapp-storeapp-store-pricingcharitydiscussionforumspricesschiau-studiossteve-dahlwild-westMike SchrammTue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:00 ESTiLickit might not be sanitary, but brings new meaning to 'oleophobic'http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/03/ilickit-cant-be-sanitary/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/03/ilickit-cant-be-sanitary/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/03/ilickit-cant-be-sanitary/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


If you're the kind of person who complains in the comments whenever we post a useless app, then just move right on from this weekend post (or go check out Paradise Monkeys, it actually looks like a good one). But as weird and pointless as this app may be, we have to give the folks behind this iLickIt game credit -- they really took the multitouch screen to a place it probably shouldn't go. The idea is that you get a plate of food from Grandma, and then you have to lick it clean... by actually licking your iPhone or iPod touch. No thanks.

Actually, iLickIt isn't the first app that's asked you to lick something that's been in your pocket (and who knows where) all day long -- there's other ice cream-licking related apps on the store already. But its claim to the very first "iPhone game you play with your tongue" may actually be legit -- it actually times how long it takes you to lick up the food and turns it into a little game. Though we can't really recommend it, it is coming to an App Store near you, so just in case your tongue hasn't had enough to do lately (and yes, I'll just let that one go), there you have it.

iLickit might not be sanitary, but brings new meaning to 'oleophobic' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iLickit might not be sanitary, but brings new meaning to 'oleophobic' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app-storecoming-soonfoodgrandmailickitiphoneipod-touchmultitouchparadise-monkeyssillytongueweekendMike SchrammSat, 03 Oct 2009 10:30:00 ESTFound Footage: New & improved TankedCam, now with even more iPhonehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/found-footage-new-and-improved-tankedcam-now-with-even-more-ipho/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/found-footage-new-and-improved-tankedcam-now-with-even-more-ipho/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/found-footage-new-and-improved-tankedcam-now-with-even-more-ipho/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Remember Pete's FishCam? Just before Christmas of 2008, we did a short post about Pete Raumann's web app that he developed that allowed him to watch his fish tank, turn the light on and off, and even open and close a treasure chest in the tank.

Pete's now presenting the newly renamed TankedCam to the world, and you get to be in control! While he still won't let you feed his fish (he doesn't want them floating upside down in the tank), you can now get in on the fun of watching and annoying the tank population by heading to either http://www.tankedcam.com or the iPhone / iPod touch-friendly http://m.tankedcam.com.

In his latest hit video, Pete uses an iPod touch and the latter link to control the tank that's in the background. I was playing with this last night while watching TV and trust me, the fish tank was much more interesting than the show. Pete has added an air stone that you can turn on and off, a dinosaur tank ornament with a mouth you can open and close, and one cam that you can pan left and right. A tap on your iPhone screen brings you to a stationary upper camera with a scuba diver that you can control in real time, another air stone controller, and a water pump that you can use to add water to the tank.

If you think that the latter control is going to let you flood Pete's office from your iPhone, you're wrong -- the system is set up with a level controller so you won't be able to add water beyond a certain level in the tank. This is a fun demonstration of remote control via iPhone, so be sure to give it a try. I've included some screenshots from last night's eerily-lit iPhone fish-bothering session, as well as some shots in the light of day. Enjoy!

Gallery: TankedCam

The front pageEerie night scene!More controlNow shut your mouth!In the light of day

Found Footage: New & improved TankedCam, now with even more iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Found Footage: New & improved TankedCam, now with even more iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aquariumdinosaurfishiphoneipod touchIpodTouchremote controlRemoteControlSteven SandeThu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:00 ESTClever iPhone app prevents calculator pR0nhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/clever-iphone-app-prevents-calculator-pr0n/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/clever-iphone-app-prevents-calculator-pr0n/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/clever-iphone-app-prevents-calculator-pr0n/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


A tweet earlier today pointed me to an iPhone calculator app that really got me laughing, as well as taking me on a trip down memory lane.

When I was in high school, calculators were expensive (US$200 for a six-function calculator with memory, for example) and just starting to make it into the hands of students. In those more naive times, anything that could be construed as even mildly suggestive got a lot of chuckles. One of the more amusing pastimes was to perform certain calculations that would come up with a result like 5318008 or 3104558 which, when the calculator was turned upside down, would spell a "dirty word."

Well, TLA Systems wants to make sure that its PCalc RPN [iTunes Link, US$9.99] and free PCalc Lite [iTunes Link] calculator apps for iPhone are used only for good purposes, so they've built in a special smut filter that will block these words when the calculator is turned upside down by displaying the word "CENSORED." Their blog entry is very tongue-in-cheek, asserting that they developed the filter to avoid getting a 17+ rating in the App Store.

Personally, I think TLA Systems developer James Thomson is just brilliant at getting blogs to write about his products. Well done, James!

Tip of the Tweet to @timhaines

Clever iPhone app prevents calculator pR0n originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Clever iPhone app prevents calculator pR0n originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>app storeAppStorecalculatorhumoriphonepr0nrpnSteven SandeThu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:00 ESTThrowboy releases Halloween Finder pillowshttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/throwboy-releases-halloween-finder-pillows/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/throwboy-releases-halloween-finder-pillows/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/01/throwboy-releases-halloween-finder-pillows/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We've mentioned Throwboy here on the site before -- they make handmade pillows, usually in the shape of Mac-related icons. And they just recently sent word about a brand new line of pillows: just in time for Halloween, they've branded the Finder and related icons with a little October 31st flavor. Sure, they're silly and pretty useless (really -- who buys a pillow for a one day-a-year holiday?), but just look at them! The FrankenFinder especially is pretty darn charming.

As usual, they're $29 each, or $100 for the whole set of four, which includes the Finderstein, Count Macula, Mac-o-lantern, and the great-looking Spooker. Shipping takes around 3-6 weeks, though if you order ASAP, they can probably make sure and get it to you before Halloween this year (and they're only available until 10/31 anyway, so pick yours up soon). Each pillow is 9" by 11" and made of comfy fleece, plus seriously, they're scarily cute.

Gallery: Throwboy Halloween Finder pillows

Throwboy releases Halloween Finder pillows originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Throwboy releases Halloween Finder pillows originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>10-31count-maculacutefallfinderfindersteinhalloweenmac-o-lanternoctoberpillowsthrowboyMike SchrammThu, 01 Oct 2009 00:30:00 ESTFound Footage: "I fell in love at the Apple Store"http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/28/found-footage-i-fell-in-love-at-the-apple-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/28/found-footage-i-fell-in-love-at-the-apple-store/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/28/found-footage-i-fell-in-love-at-the-apple-store/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Here's an earworm for you; hip-hop group FattySpins recorded a love song to ladies and to all things Apple, and filmed the video (above) at the landmark Apple Store Fifth Avenue.

The song manages to not only encompass a lot of Apple products in its lyrics, but also manages to poke some good fun at Microsoft. I mean, you've gotta love lyrics like:
"I know how to treat you - this ain't a reboot
I'll never find the need to Control ALT Delete you
I see no reason to mess with these slobs
Cause they're like Bill Gates... and I'm Steve Jobs"
The Apple Store Love Song was written and produced by Ray William Johnson, the likable nebbish with the glasses in the video. There's no word on whether or not Apple is going to hire him to produce catchy viral raps for future ads.

[via CrunchGear]

Found Footage: "I fell in love at the Apple Store" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Found Footage: "I fell in love at the Apple Store" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>apple storeapple store fifth avenueAppleStoreAppleStoreFifthAvenuehip hopHipHoprapvideoyoutubeSteven SandeMon, 28 Sep 2009 11:30:00 ESTBioshock for Mac on October 7thhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/bioshock-for-mac-on-october-7th/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/bioshock-for-mac-on-october-7th/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/24/bioshock-for-mac-on-october-7th/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


I can personally attest to Bioshock being a terrific game, but the problem is that probably, many of you can as well. Let's be honest -- it actually came out for PC and consoles a full two years ago. At this point, a Mac port is probably useless, but it's coming out anyway. Feral Interactive has announced that they'll be releasing the port on October 7th of this year, so those of you Mac diehards who refuse to play games on any other platforms can finally get your fix. The game will be released for $49.95 in the US, and can be preordered on Feral's store right now. Or, you know, you can run out to Best Buy, pick up a copy for $20 and run it in Boot Camp, it's up to you.

If you are going for the Mac version, however, you should know that the game doesn't support the Intel GMA integrated video cards, so you'll need a dedicated video card in your Mac to play it. Bioshock is a great game, as I've said, and if you really stretch it out, it might give you a good six months of free time entertainment -- just in time for you to pick up the Mac port of Hellgate: London, a game released in December of 2007. Oh wait.

Bioshock for Mac on October 7th originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Bioshock for Mac on October 7th originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bioshockboot-campconsolesfalseferal-interactivegamesgaminghellgate-londonhumorintegrated-videointel-gmalatemacmac-diehardspcportingtwo-yearsvideogamesMike SchrammThu, 24 Sep 2009 20:35:00 ESTiSight Screensavers: Interact with your screensaverhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/17/isight-screensavers-interact-with-your-screensaver/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/17/isight-screensavers-interact-with-your-screensaver/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/17/isight-screensavers-interact-with-your-screensaver/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Some of you may have noticed that some of your screensavers don't work after upgrading to Snow Leopard. If you're running a 64-bit instance of the operating system, you won't be able to use most of your old third-party screensavers because they're probably not compatible. Many of our favorite screensavers weren't working... so instead of waiting for the developers to release them in 64-bit, we decided to see what else was out there.

iSight Screensavers from Majic Jungle (the creators of FluidTunes) isn't new, but it's something we've never covered here on TUAW. It was one that showed up first in our search and ended up killing our productivity for the rest of the day. And the next day. In fact, we've not really recovered productivity since we clicked the "test" button in System Preferences.

Majic Jungle has made a killer screensaver that allows you to interact with different effects and filters using the iSight camera, or any webcam attached to your mac. I won't get into the countless scenarios we created (we're pretty easily entertained), but here's a list of interactions from the creators' site to help explain what it does:
  • Fluid - Play with a beautiful fluid dynamics simulation
  • Particles - Create magical looking brightly colored particles wherever you move
  • Champagne - Immerse yourself in a champagne world and watch as bubbles appear all over you
  • Fire - Set yourself or your desktop on fire - in a painless kind of way!
  • Water - Ripples appear wherever you move
  • Flipping Grid - Can you get all of the squares to flip over together?
  • Core Image - Over 30 configurable effects using powerful Core Image filters
iSight Screensavers is Universal Binary and Shareware. If you'd like to remove the watermarks, you can purchase a license for $4.99 -- pretty cheap considering my wife and I are more entertained by this than by a $25 night at the movies.

iSight Screensavers: Interact with your screensaver originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)iSight Screensavers: Interact with your screensaver originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>majic junglemajic-jungleMajicJunglescreensaversJosh CarrThu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 ESTApple shows new Get a Mac ad tonight: "PC Innovation Lab"http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/11/apple-shows-new-get-a-mac-ad-tonight-pc-innovation-lab/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/11/apple-shows-new-get-a-mac-ad-tonight-pc-innovation-lab/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/11/apple-shows-new-get-a-mac-ad-tonight-pc-innovation-lab/#commentsFiled under: ,


One of our readers was watching TV tonight and spotted this ad during a commercial break. Lo' and behold, It was up on Apple's website about 2.5 hours later. It basically suggests ridiculous "innovations" that PC thinks will help bring people back to the world of Windows. Mac goes on to suggest that innovations are supposed to make things easier. I find this ad extremely satisfying... it's almost a jab at all of the companies who try to imitate Mac but really just brings good humor to a clever Get a Mac ad.

Thanks Ethan!

Apple shows new Get a Mac ad tonight: "PC Innovation Lab" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Apple shows new Get a Mac ad tonight: "PC Innovation Lab" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>get a macget a mac adsGetAMacGetAMacAdsJosh CarrFri, 11 Sep 2009 00:20:00 ESTRalph Lauren launches Make Your Own Rugby apphttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/ralph-lauren-launches-make-your-own-rugby-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/ralph-lauren-launches-make-your-own-rugby-app/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/ralph-lauren-launches-make-your-own-rugby-app/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

During the existence of the iPhone, shopping has always been the domain of Safari. Browsing web-based stores could be extremely awkward, thanks to bitty drop-down menus and inadvertent "quick views" of garments that you can't seem to click out of. No longer, my fellow clotheshorses. Today, Ralph Lauren launched a unique iPhone application integrating social media with fashion design and online shopping, called Make Your Own Rugby [iTunes link].

The app centers around Ralph Lauren's Rugby line, launched in 2004, that is inspired by the Ivy League atmosphere circa 1940 and that targets preppy college students. The company describes Rugby as "preppy meets urban," though you will only qualify for street cred through a few light touches such as embroidered skulls. The fact that the skull is embroidered on a varsity sweater probably won't do you much good in the back alleys, but you can hope.

The MYO Rugby app allows the user to select a blank rugby shirt, polo, sweater, or jacket from a set of stock designs and customize it with as many distinguished crests, football-themed patches and letters as they want. You can use it to design and purchase clothing for yourself, or you can be a little more creative (and financially devil-may-care) and make designs to be displayed for browsing in the application or to share with friends.

Continue reading Ralph Lauren launches Make Your Own Rugby app

Ralph Lauren launches Make Your Own Rugby app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Ralph Lauren launches Make Your Own Rugby app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>applicationdesigndesignerfashionfashion designFashionDesigniphoneralph laurenRalphLaurenrugbyCasey JohnstonThu, 10 Sep 2009 17:30:00 ESTWe've got a sub for that...http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/weve-got-a-sub-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/weve-got-a-sub-for-that/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/10/weve-got-a-sub-for-that/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In the UK, iPhone and iPod touch users who are used to hearing Apple's "there's an app for that" tagline in advertisements are now doing a double-take when they go to their nearby Subway sandwich shop.

Sharp-eyed TUAW reader Welby McRoberts was accompanying some buddies to Subway for lunch when he noticed that things seemed a little too familiar. As you can see in the photos from Welby's blog that are also in the gallery below, Subway UK is using the similar phrase "We've got a sub for that" in their in-store signage and on employee shirts.

McRoberts notes that "It appears that subway are imitating Apple's "there's an app for that". It turns out that this campaign has been done by McCann Erickson and is a 'light-hearted' campaign complete with UK TV adverts. The phrase Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery comes to mind."

There's no word on whether this campaign will migrate to any of the other 90 countries with Subway franchisees, or if Apple is going to refer to the fabled iTablet as a "Five-Hundred Dollar Foot Long." Chuck and the CIA should be very happy with this new campaign!

Gallery: We've got a sub for that

We've got a sub for thatThere's a t-shirt for thatYummmmmm.

We've got a sub for that... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)We've got a sub for that... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>advertisingapplechuckim hungryImHungrysubwayTVSteven SandeThu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:00 ESTOffensive line not the only thing broken at Oklahoma gamehttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/07/offensive-line-not-the-only-thing-broken-at-oklahoma-game/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/07/offensive-line-not-the-only-thing-broken-at-oklahoma-game/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/07/offensive-line-not-the-only-thing-broken-at-oklahoma-game/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's one thing to have your computer crash. It's another to have it crash in front of thousands of sports fans. This latest humiliation took place Saturday at the pre-game festivities for the Oklahoma/Brigham Young game
at the at the brand new $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Reader Jeff tells us that they had a breakdown on the scoreboard screens: first, the screens went blank, then displayed some odd ASCII gibberish, then announced to the assembled crowd that things weren't going so well in Microsoft land. Jeff was there with his trusty iPhone to capture the moment for us, and we present it to you on this day when you're not working, either.

It's not the first time this kind of embarrassing stuff has happened; Microsoft had another glitch at the Beijing Olympics last year. But hey, it could happen to anybody, right? If you've seen another example of an embarrassing public computer-based slipup (PC or Mac -- we don't discriminate on comedy), feel free to send us a tip!

Thanks, Jeff!

Offensive line not the only thing broken at Oklahoma game originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Offensive line not the only thing broken at Oklahoma game originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bluescreenBYUcrashMicrosoftMel MartinMon, 07 Sep 2009 17:00:00 ESTSmule turns you into T-Painhttp://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/smule-turns-you-into-t-pain/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/smule-turns-you-into-t-pain/http://www.tuaw.com/2009/09/04/smule-turns-you-into-t-pain/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


God bless Smule. I panned their Ocarina app way back, but since then they've pushed right along without me, releasing idea after idea on Apple's App Store. And I think that, though the Leaf Trombone didn't really capture my attention, this one might finally be the big winner in my book: they've released I am T-Pain, an app that will automatically Auto-tune you into the style of some of the rapper's top songs, with more purchaseable within the app. There's even a "freestyle" mode, complete with a few unreleased background tracks to jam with -- as you can see above, all you do is talk into the iPhone's mic, and you can autotune the news or whatever else you want. Shawwwwty!

Silly? Maybe, but they're going to sell a million of these, and given that Smule's apps tend to be easy to pick up and fun to play with, even people who aren't familiar with T-Pain's work will probably get the app just to sing a few bars to see what it sounds like (you can also send those messages off to Facebook or email as well). And Smule is moving right up into the iPhone 3.0 era: the app comes with four songs, and there are four more available to purchase in-app, along with even more (and more popular: Kanye's "Good Life" and the Lonely Island's "On a Boat" track are due out soon) songs coming, complete with lyrics and auto-tune settings and timings in the future.

Maybe you're laughing. Maybe you think this is dumb, and you've already had enough of auto-tune on pop radio, and don't really want it in your iPhone, too. But trust me on this one: Smule is a company that's made silly music experiences on the iPhone extremely popular, and having T-Pain's tunes and auto-tuning abilities (officially from the company behind the pro version, too) available in this app is going to make it big, no question. The app's available right now for $2.99, so pick it up if you're feeling the beat and want to sing, even if you can't. Yeahhh-eeeyeaahh-yeah.

Smule turns you into T-Pain originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)Smule turns you into T-Pain originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>autotunegood-lifehotcakesi-am-t-painin-app-purchasesiphonekanye-westlonely-islandrappersingingsmulesouljah-boyMike SchrammFri, 04 Sep 2009 01:45:00 EST