Apple rolled out updates to iPad and Mac OS X software this week. This started with a Tuesday release of a minor security update for OS X available from Software Update. The next day brought an update for Mac OS X users who have ordered the new 27-inch LED display, which started shipping. In addition, Apple released drivers for the Magic Trackpad for Windows users, which also allows it to work fully in Boot Camp.
On Wednesday, Apple released versions 1.2 of the three iWork apps for iPad. Pages has new features such as word counts, opening text files from Mail attachments, and object grouping. Keynote now supports exporting to PowerPoint format, object grouping, and new animations. Numbers now allows you to export in Excel format, object grouping, and opening CSV files from Mail attachments.
All iWork app updates also include a variety of compatibility and reliability improvements and all of them now support opening and saving documents to a user’s MobileMe iDisk or WebDAV service. You can get the updates through the App Store app on your iPad or through iTunes on your Mac.
Adobe entered the Mac consumer video editing market this week with Adobe Premiere Elements 9 for Mac. This simplified version of its professional video editing application has never been available on the Mac before. Priced at $99 it should compete directly with Final Cut Express.
You know that volume control in your menu bar at the upper right? Try Option+clicking on it. This gives you access to sound controls including switching between input devices and output devices. On newer MacBooks you can also choose how to use your single audio port. If you don’t have the volume control in your menu bar, you can add it by going to System Preferences, Sound and checking off “Show volume in menu bar.”
Looking for a good match-three alternative the one with the jewels? Arrrgh! Gather pirate treasure instead with Pieces of Eight! This full-featured puzzle game has all the same bells and whistles, plus bonus games.
If you are looking for a way to synchronize folders between your Macs, PCs or servers, you might want to check out GoodSync. I tested out a copy they sent, and was impressed with the number of options available. Any syncing utility is going to need to be very complex to handle the variety of situations, and GoodSync does a decent job of giving you lots of options.
When viewing Safari 5’s Top Sites page, you can click on any page shown to go to the page. But if you Command+click on a page, it will open the page in a new tab or window. Go to Safari, Preferences, Tabs to change whether Command+click will open from Top Site (or any link) in a new Tab or Window. You can also set Safari to automatically switch to the new tab, while leaving the Top Sites tab still available.
In a surprise move Apple has once again changed iOS app development rules, this time to relax restrictions on functionality and development. Apple also published a detailed list of review guidelines used by their staff to determine whether apps are allowed to appear in Apple’s online store.
This move once again allows development of iOS apps with tools such as Adobe Flash, which disallowed by a previous change earlier this year. Adobe has responded by saying they will pick up development of the Flash Packager for iPhone tool that they stopped earlier this year.
In addition, it is possible that the new rules will allow previously-banned apps such as ones that access Google Voice and other telecommunications services.
There are several solitaire games out there, but we’ve got to take the time to point to our very own (made by MacMost producer Gary Rosenzweig). Not only is Just Solitaire Klondike full-featured with lots of game options, but it is also free!
| Air | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
|---|---|---|
| Desiring Joy | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Fantastic Color | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Inventions Four | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Inventions One | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Italian Concerto | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Mild Mannered Clavier | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Sweet Cello | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Tocatta | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
| Violin Concerto | Preview as MP3 | Download as M4R iPhone Ringtone |
Main Ringtones Page
Ringtones Copyright 2008 CleverMedia. These ringtones were created by MacMost (CleverMedia) and may be used for free by anyone. However, they may not be redistributed in any way, free or otherwise. Please direct others to this site where they can download the ringtones for free.
While the release of SimCity on the iPhone was nice, the graphics and gameplay are a little out-dated. Enter Virtual City, a more modern city-building game. The graphics are great and the task-oriented tutorial brings you right into the gameplay.
Apple released version 4.1 of the iOS for the iPhone and iPod Touch yesterday. This new version of the operating system includes Game Center, HDR photography, HD video uploading and a variety of bug fixes.
Game Center appears as a new app on the home screen, and also as functionality inside any game that uses Game Center. It allows you to compare scores, keep track of achievements and challenge friends to games.
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range and gives you better quality photos under mixed light conditions. It takes three photos, instead of one, and then combines them to get the best image from different parts of the photo.
iOS 4.1 is available as a free download through iTunes for the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G, and the iPod Touch 2nd generation or later. iOS 4.2 for the iPad, which would be the first version of iOS 4 for the iPad, will be released in November.
The new iPod Nano and iPod Touch have appeared in Apple Stores and the first orders have arrived at homes. The new Nano features a small touch-screen for both controls and a display. The new iPod Touch brings it in line with the iPhone 4 in terms of processor power, screen resolution and other factors. It is also the first Touch to have video cameras: one in front and one in back.
Apple also released updates this week to Safari, iWeb, iMovie 1.1 for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch.
And in late-breaking news, Apple has updated its iOS developer agreement to allow third-party tools for iPhone development. This could possibly allow developers to once again use Adobe Flash and other tools to create iOS aps.
If you want to email someone a link to the Web page you are looking at, just press Command+Shift+I in Safari. This opens a new Mail message with the title of the page in the subject and a link in the body. All you need to do is fill in the “To” and send.
