Apple quickly released a dot-version of iTunes, version 9.0.1 to fix many of the bugs that people reported in the first few days after iTunes 9’s release. The bug fixes affected the iTunes store, iPod and iPhone syncing, Genius mixes and more.
Adobe announced a new version of Photoshop Elements for Mac. Version 8 is advertised as working well with iPhoto. You can use an external editor in iPhoto 09 to touch up or alter your pictures. Photoshop Elements is a low-priced version of Photoshop that leaves out some pro features that most users don’t need unless they work as a professional graphic artist or photographer.
While Apple’s tablet remains just a rumor, Microsoft has announced a tablet product. However, it is only a prototype with no release date and few details. It might give us a clue as to what Apple has in mind. The “Courier” is a two-screen tablet that opens like a notebook.
It seems like tower defense games have found their perfect device in the iPhone. The touch screen is perfect for this sort of game. Probably the most talked-about tower defense game right now is GeoDefense. The graphics alone make it worth the price. Plus, it is a game that takes its levels seriously.
iTunes 9 shows a full circle next to a podcast you haven’t listened to or watched. It shows no circle only if you have listed to the whole thing, including closing credits that you may skip. Otherwise it shows a half circle. But if you want to force the circle to go away, Ctrl+Click or Right Click on a podcast episode in iTunes and choose “Mark as Watched.” This is also useful if you have set only unwatched podcasts to sync with your iPod or iPhone and you want to make sure old episodes don’t sync.
I’ve mentioned before the Griffin iMic as a way to use a standard mic with your Mac. If you are ready for the next step up, try the M-Audio Fast Track USB Audio Interface which provides a little better quality, input control, and other features. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it requires an XLR microphone connector, which is fine for musicians, but podcasters will probably need this XLR Adapter.
Since the launch of the App Store, Tap Tap Revenge has been one of the best free distractions. You play in a style similar to Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution, tapping on dots as they fly down your screen. It’s lots of fun, especially if you like these kinds of music games. And there are special versions in the App Store too, with music from Nine Inch Nails, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, etc.
If you want to know more about the WiFi connection you are currently attached to, you can hold the option key while selecting the WiFi icon in the menu bar. You get information like the mode, (802.11g, 802.11n, etc), channel, security, transmit rate and your ID on the network.
Apple wasted no time releasing the first dot-update to Snow Leopard. Version 10.6.1 was pushed over Software Update about two weeks ago and is mainly about bug fixes, not new features.
The fixes concern Sierra wireless modems, DVD playback, printer compatibility, the Dock, account setup in Mail and other Mail bugs. There are also some security patches, most likely the same ones rolled out in security updates for both Tiger and Leopard.
MobileMe has also been upgraded with minor features. One is the ability to set the passcode on your iphone remotely. The “Play a Sound” option in MobileMe has been changed to play the sound at maximum volume. There are also a variety of improvements as to how calendars sync, and how you are alerts of conflicts and changes when syncing calendars and contacts.
There is also some movement in the Apple TV department. Apple has discontinued the original 40GB version and has dropped the price on the remaining 160GB version to $229.
In the rumors arena, there is speculation that the mythical Apple Tablet won’t be making an appearance until February.
