End User

Bites from the Apple: Fumbling Past the Tryptophan

The weekend of gratitude, eating and shopping is just about over, and I need to head to the gym to shed some of the pounds of stuffing, turkey and cheesy carrots from my midsection. A colleague of mine mentioned recently that he'd recently lost 5 pounds just using the free Lose It iPhone app (link opens in iTunes), which combines a good calorie database with intuitive tracking capabilities to help you keep yourself under a daily caloric goal. And TUAW notes that the recently updated 2.0 version of Lose It has added synchronization with its new web site as well as the ability to connect with friends using Lose It for tracking and motivation. I've downloaded it and will start using it this week so as to avoid the annual 10-pound bump I tend to gain during the festive season. Now onto a heaping helping of Apple-y goodness from the last week or so.

• It looks like Apple may be testing out the next version of the iPhone out in the wilds of the San Francisco area, as the model number "iPhone3,1" started cropping up in usage records for the iBart iPhone app (via MacRumors). In other rumors from MacRumors, it seems that Apple has been advertising an iPhone software engineering position on the Maps team to help take it "to the next level." MacRumors further writes: "Although Apple and Google are said to be working on bringing the same technology to the iPhone, there's been evidence that Apple is working on their own mapping technology."

• 9to5Mac notes that Apple takes three of the top four slots in most wished for Computers and Accessories at Amazon.

• The Mac mini tops the charts for in-use power efficiency in testing done by the Sust-It site, which helps folks find the most energy efficient products and appliances in Britain (via MacNN)

• If you run the business-oriented accounting program QuickBooks on your Mac, Jason D. O'Grady over at ZDNet's Apple Core notes that the new QuickBooks 2010 has been released with such new features as direct processing credit card purchases, tracking billable hours, and backing up to MobileMe. Intuit also notes in its Mac features section that you'll be able to share data with Windows-based users, but sadly it doesn't look like the company has improved the roundtripping function that requires to create a special Windows-friendly file and then import and translate that back into your Mac program (something that has given me and my accountant headaches for years).

• Handbrake, the free DVD- and video encoding wonder-software, has just been updated to version 0.94 after a year of 0.93ness--but it's chock full of new features including 64-bit compatibility and the ability to add subtitles. As noted by Ars Technica and TUAW, the 64-bit support provides about 10 percent faster encodings--and you don't have to be running Snow Leopard to get the speed gain. I tried it out this morning and found it definitely faster. However, Handbrake also requires that the VLC video playback software also be installed if you want to encode DVDs, and I kept getting roadblocks from Handbrake saying that a 64-bit version of VLC wasn't to be found. With the most current stable release of VLC (1.03) only available in 32-bit, John Gruber at Daring Fireball has included a link to a previous 1.02 version of VLC that has a 64-bit version.

• TUAW offers a basic introduction to the Pomodoro Technique way of time management and provides a number of iPhone- and Mac-related software titles to help you achieve productivity bliss.

• To celebrate the release of 1Password 3.0, Agile Web Solutions is offering the 1Password Pro iPhone app for free through December 1st. The pro version includes "folders for better organization, the ability to copy multiple fields to paste elsewhere, and a unique switching mode to quickly copy and paste info into Mobile Safari" (via TUAW).

• You might have seen an update to iPhoto available in your Mac's Software Update, and TidBITS notes that the iPhoto 8.1.1 update provides some fixes for the face recognition feature, including slow performance and improved accuracy.

• And finally... the Observer Music Monthly (from the London Guardian) published its look back on the Noughties decade this weekend, and it named Apple's Jonathan Ive as inventor of the decade:

  With the first iPod, there was nothing to distract you from your music except a pause button, a headphone jack, and a single port to recharge and/or input data. It was a stunning feat of engineering, with Ive's trademark attention to detail: the serial number is individually etched onto each unit to avoid an ugly paper sticker, and the wire twists that usually secure cables when you first get them out of the box have been replaced by neat clips. This doesn't necessarily cost more, he points out. You just have to care. And he does, obsessively.

  Also be sure to check out the PBS web site for the design documentary film Objectified by Gary Hustwit (who also directed Helvetica), which includes a section interviewing Mr. Ive (you can also rent the film from Amazon Video on Demand).

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Week in Windows: PCs vs. Macs for the holidays

If you successfully avoided those questionable Black Friday PC deals, but you're still in the market for a new computer this holiday season, it's worth checking out Rob Pegoraro's no-nonsense "How to Choose a PC" column from the Washington Post -- which starts by breaking down the pros and cons of Macs and Windows PCs. His conclusion: Macs are technically superior, but the price means they're not for everyone.

"It's fair to call a Mac a luxury," he writes. "It's more affordable than many other luxuries, but see what your bank account has to say first."

 If your bank account says it's a Mac, check out Macworld's latest Mac buying guide, explaining the features and differences among Apple notebooks and desktops. If you decide to go for a Windows 7 PC instead, see Microsoft's "PC Scout" online utility for some help narrowing down your many choices.

Speaking of Windows vs. Macs, the latest web traffic stats from online research firm Net Applications suggest that Microsoft's new operating system exceeded Macs in overall usage last weekend, at least temporarily, according to a ComputerWorld report. That's largely a function of Windows' larger market share, but the rapid rise is another sign that Windows 7 is doing well.

 However, the traffic patterns also suggest that Windows 7 is being adopted more quickly by home users than by businesses, blogger John Lister notes. As industry analyst Roger Kay has noted, that's not as good for Microsoft, because business upgrades are mostly voluntary, driven by a desire for the new operating system, whereas consumer usage is largely a function of PCs preloaded with the new OS at retail.

Here's the type of headache Windows users were hoping to avoid this time around: Reports began to surface this week that Windows Vista machines with a specific type of Intel storage driver were unable to move to Windows 7 because of a problem in the upgrade process. See this Microsoft support document for a detailed description of the symptoms, and a temporary workaround for the problem. Glitches like this were widespread in early days of Windows Vista, but they've proven less common with Windows 7 -- so far.

Despite the best efforts of MacDailyNews and others, it appears that Microsoft successfully thwarted an attempt by Mac fans to take over the Windows 7-powered window displays at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. Microsoft had invited people to submit messages to display on screens in the window by using a #holidaywindows hash tag on Twitter. Hundreds of pro-Mac messages appeared in the raw Twitter feed, causing the Mac faithful to think they had hijacked the public displays. But Microsoft says it was filtering the messages all along and none of the Mac-oriented tweets showed up in the windows.

Wired calls Windows 7 and Google's Chrome browser an "excellent" combination on netbooks. "The two together make pretty good use of a netbook’s most limited resources: screen size and processor power," writes Dylan Tweney for Wired.com's GadgetLab. "The result is a surprisingly pleasant combination for browsing, working in GMail and Google Docs, and other lightweight tasks." He notes that it's also a good sign for Google's plan to launch its own Chrome operating system next year, initially targeting netbooks.

Bites from the Apple: When Black Friday Comes...

It's Black Friday, the one day of the year that Apple actually has a sale on its products, and Amazon is keeping up with (and even beating) Apple's discounted prices on the white polycarbonate MacBook (the best deal of the bunch), MacBook Pros, 21.5-inch iMac, Mac mini, iPod touch, and iPod nano. As you can probably guess, these discounts will evaporate by the end of the day (or sooner, as these deals get snapped up), so get your Black Friday shopping mojo on and don't forget to check out more deals on computer peripherals and accessories at the Black Friday storefront. And check back later this weekend as we'll do our full Apple news wrap-up after we're done shopping (and recovering from too much turkey, stuffing, and Grandma Proctor's cheesy carrots).

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Amazon.com's High-Def Heaven Sweepstakes: Win a 55" LG HDTV, Blu-ray Movies, and More

Amazon is celebrating it’s tenth anniversary of Wish Lists with ten amazing sweepstakes.  

This week (from November 23-29, 2009) is the High-Def Heaven Wish List Sweepstakes with a chance to win an LG 55-inch LCD HDTV and an LG 1000-Watt Blu-ray Disc Home Theater in a Box, plus tons of great Blu-ray DVDs from Warner Brothers. 

Customers can enter weekly at www.amazon.com/wishlist10th by creating, adding an item to, or sharing an Amazon.com Wish List. As the holidays get closer, Amazon Wish Lists are a great way for customers to let friends and family know what they are wishing for this season.   See official rules.

--Aric A.

Are There Really Alternatives to the iPod Touch?

Donald Bell of CNET recently profiled some solid iPod Touch competitors in the MP3 player market, especially for buyers interested in moving beyond Apple territory. And he's on the money for the most part: if you're looking for an MP3 player with excellent performance and a fantastic media experience, then you have many choices, including the Zune HD, Sony X-Series, and Samsung P3. This is especially the case if you're a music aficionado, and are looking for the absolute best sound quality available in an MP3 player; as many sites have pointed out, the iPod has never ranked particularly high. But, as with many of Apple's products, it's not just about one thing.

It's proven quite difficult to construct a true iPod Touch killer, just as phone companies have been running themselves ragged to do the same with its iPhone cousin. Apple's technology, in both cases, has moved far beyond media and music—just as the iPhone's phone nature often takes second seat to its applications and malleability. In its way, Apple has created a niche for both of its products, a niche which few companies have been able to wiggle their way into, if at all. And now with its $199 price tag (for the 8GB model), the iPod Touch is priced rather moderately in comparison to its competitors—in many cases, it's even cheaper, considering everything you get for the price.

Yes, the touch screen component is important when looking at its competitors, but the iPod Touch goes far beyond usability and playback. In fact, having been using the iPod Touch for the better part of the last two months, I've found that I think of it far less like an MP3 player and more like a netbook. Up until I started carrying around the slender little gadget, I was mooning over notebooks in spite of the fact that I already had a MacBook. The primary reasoning for wanting a netbook simply had to do connectivity. Whenever I went out in the wide, wide world, I was cut off from email, Twitter, and browsing capabilities. I wanted something lightweight and low profile that I could just slip into my bag. And for that, the iPod Touch has become absolutely indispensable.

While a netbook would be great for writing on the go, the truth of the matter is that there are very few instances where the MacBook won't suffice. So with the iPod touch, so long as there's a wifi connection, I can maintain that sense of connectivity and keep myself entertained with zillions of apps. That it happens to play music and has become central to my gym routine is an added bonus at this point.

Certainly Apple has always been at the forefront of the MP3 market, but the iPod Touch really goes far beyond its other iPods. Sure, it's basically an iPhone without the phone (though with Skype capabilities, that line is blurring increasingly; and without a contract, no less). Add to that, the third generation has video capabilities, too, we're really talking about a pocket computer. With full access to the App Store, and continually improving keyboard usability, I wouldn't be surprised if the iPod Touch could indeed work well as a writing platform. As it is, it's great for writing down notes or ideas for later. Not to mention the games and child distraction value, which it has in spades.

But back to the competitors. As Bell suggests, if you're looking for an app-rich internet browser, there is the Archos5, an Android-based tablet starting in the neighborhood of $379.99. And while it's certainly larger than the iPod Touch, there are certainly a number of drawbacks. As the CNET reviewer sums up: "The Archos 5 is a great video player, but it disappoints as a premium Android Internet tablet and GPS unit." At that price, you'd probably be better off just getting a netbook.

When it comes down to it yes, there are better MP3 players out there, if you're talking about sound and sound only. But for a gadget that keeps you connected and entertained, there really is no other substitution.

Assessing Windows 7, one month later

In October, hoping to reduce expectations in advance of Windows 7's launch, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer noted that Windows Vista also received favorable reviews from testers prior to its launch. "I am optimistic," he told Bloomberg News in an interview about Windows 7, "but the proof will be in the pudding."

It's now more than one month since Windows 7's Oct. 22 debut, and that pudding is worth a closer look. That's because, at this point in Windows Vista's life cycle, there were clear signs of widespread problems. "Vista glitches frustrate first-wave users," was the headline on a Feb. 20, 2007, article in Newsday -- detailing what would turn out to be a rash of hardware and software compatibility problems.

So far, at least, Windows 7 seems to have avoided that type of debacle.

Of course, success is more than the avoidance of failure. And the upgrade to Windows 7 hasn't been without complication, particularly for people moving from Windows XP, or for students participating in Microsoft's discounted upgrade program. Windows 7 also hasn't gone unscathed from a security standpoint.

But sales of the new OS appear to be strong so far, my own experience running the operating system has been smooth, and favorable comments still outweigh complaints in the "Windows 7" Twitter search that I've been checking regularly during the month since the launch. I also haven't been hearing the types of complaints that I frequently did in Windows Vista's early days.

In fact, the biggest Windows 7 controversy so far has involved not the new operating system's performance, but the revelation that the National Security Agency worked with Microsoft and the Department of Defense to leverage its "unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide," as an NSA official told a U.S. Senate subcommittee.

Understandably, that comment raised speculation and concerns that the NSA would be able to eavesdrop on Windows 7 users through a technological "backdoor" -- which Microsoft subsequently denied.

So what's next? Microsoft has started to hint about the next version of Windows Server coming in 2012, raising speculation about the timing of Windows 8 for PCs. But so far, at least, Microsoft's Windows president Steven Sinofsky isn't tipping his hand at all -- which means that the recipe for the next Windows will remain secret while people decide if they really like the one Microsoft just put on their plate.

Read more of Todd Bishop's posts at TechFlash.com, and follow him on Twitter @toddbishop

Comparing the Top Shoot and Share Camcorders

Back in 2004, with a wedding and subsequent honeymoon to Paris in the cards, I invested in what, at the time, was one of the sleeker camcorder models at the time--the MiniDV tape-based Canon Optura 30. It was great for the ceremony, but the "smaller" profile Optura was still a bit of a lunk to haul around Paris (measuring 5.3 x 3 x 3.2 inches and weighing 1.3 pounds), and it got left behind in our apartment the longer the trip went on. And to this day, we still have properly polished or shown to family and friends--the whole point of having a camcorder--due to the hours required to download MiniDV tape to our Mac's hard drive and subsequently edit it in iMovie.

A little over 5 years have passed, another trip to Paris is on the horizon in the spring (with toddler in tow), and the Optura's in mothballs (though taken out briefly for the photo shoot at the right). But I'm confident our family will be getting near daily video updates of our adventures thanks to one of the new breed of pocketable high-def camcorders and a little thing I like to call YouTube.

I bought the first generation of the Flip MinoHD last holiday season and have been quite happy with its resolution and audio pick-up. At the time of my purchase, Flip was pretty much sole owner of the pocket camcorder market, but nowadays there's a bevy of options available attempting to fulfill the market that Flip first mined as well as a second generation of the ultra-slim MinoHD (a slightly fatter Flip UltraHD is also available).

Below we've listed three of the top pocket high definition camcorders with their main specs for your comparison shopping pleasure (you can also see the full lineup of shoot and share camcorders here). Also be sure to check out Gizmodo's recent ultimate pocket camcorder comparison, though I'll let you click through to see takes the top spot. Other review roundups include PC World and TechEBlog.

Creative Labs Vado HD (2nd Generation) Max resolution: 720p at 30 fps Image stabilization: No Digital zoom: 2x Storage: internal 8 GB in black, 4 GB in white PC connection: integrated USB Video output: HDMI and AV Mic input: No Video file format: H.264 AVI Still photos: No Screen size: 2 inches Battery life: approx. 120 minutes Weight: 3.52 ounces Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.2 x 0.6 inches

Flip MinoHD (2nd Generation) Max resolution: 720p at 30 fps Image stabilization: No Digital zoom: 2x Storage: internal 8 GB PC connection: integrated USB Video output: HDMI Mic input: No Video file format: H.264 Still photos: Yes Screen size: 2 inches Battery life: approx. 120 minutes Weight: 4.1 ounces Dimensions: 3.94 x 1.97 x 0.66 inches

Kodak Zi8 HD Max resolution: 1080p at 30 fps; 720p at 60 fps Image stabilization: Yes (electronic) Digital zoom: 4x Storage: SD/SDHC memory cards up to 32 GB PC connection: integrated USB Video output: HDMI and AV Mic input: Yes Video file format: H.264 Still photos: Yes Screen size: 2.5 inches Battery life: approx. 90 minutes Weight: 3.9 ounces Dimensions: 2.4 × 4.5 × 0.9 inches

For more on shopping for the right pocket camera, check out this learning guide put together by the Camera & Photo team.

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Interview with Pejman Hafezi, Engineer of the Philips Wireless HDTV Link

I recently had the chance to interview Pejman Hafezi, one of the engineers at Philips, about their new Wireless HDTV Link--a device that allows you to wirelessly transmit full 1080p HD video to your HDTV.  Although there's been a lot of talk about wireless HDMI, Philips has been one of the first to hit the market with a fully functional device that allows you to move your home theater equipment out of the living room in order to get a clean, less cluttered home theater.  Today Hafezi talks to End User about some of the challenges and benefits of transmitting a true HD signal without wires.

End User:  A lot of companies have been trying to crack the nut of wireless HDMI, and a lot of companies have failed.  What makes wireless hi-def so difficult?

Pejman Hafezi: In one word: quality. To deliver quality wireless hi-def video three main challenges have to be met: picture quality, link robustness and cable like control behaviour. Many technologies that have tried to achieve wireless high-definition video streaming have approached it from one angle only. The technology deployed in Philips’ wireless HDTV Link takes the approach from a dedicated wireless video modem perspective. It combines picture quality and wireless robustness at the core of its design.

EU:   What is “Ultra Wideband”?  How does it compare to the capabilities of a conventional 802.11x signal?

PH:  Philips’s SWW1800 wireless HDTV Link is not based on either of these technologies. It is based on a proprietary radio technology operating at 5GHz. The only common factor with the 802.11a/n systems is that it uses the same frequency band and radio channelization. The difference is that it uses a dedicated video modem. This has the advantage that quality of service can be achieved for the supported distance. In this respect the quality of service is what sets this approach apart from the existing video streaming solutions offered over the 802.11a/b/g/n radios (which are data modems by design) and the range and robustness is significantly superior to that which can be achieved using available ultra wideband based solutions.

EU:   What are the benefits of wireless HDMI to the consumer?  Will the products need to be in the same room, or can you hide all your gear in the basement? 

PH:  In short, freedom of placement and ease of use.

We know that the trend in TVs is moving towards thinner and lighter with larger screen sizes. This makes the option of hanging the TV on the wall both attractive and a real possibility for many users. However cable clutter will still be a major obstacle in doing so without having to go through significant cost and effort to hide those cables connecting the TV to all sorts of source devices. Philips’ wireless HDTV Link allows the user to do just that: to offer the user freedom of placement of the TV and the source devices anywhere in the living room. At present there are no guarantees that the signal coverage can be extended to a different room or floor. However within the same room there are no requirements for the transmitter and the receiver to be within the line of sight of each other. The receiver can be completely hidden behind the TV and the transmitter unit can be placed in a non-metallic cupboard.

Another significant advantage of the SWW1800 wireless HDTV Link is that it’s really simple to experience. It is ready to use out of the box without any complex installation procedures to be followed. More notably, it is fully compliant with the HDMI-CEC specification. This is where simplicity is truly experienced by the user: CEC (consumer electronic control) is a feature that allows HDMI devices connected to the TV to be controlled by a TV's remote and using its user interface (one touch play, one touch standby of the whole system, switching between HDMI devices are examples of this simplified control behaviour without the need for multiple remotes). Of course, the HDMI source devices and the TV need to support the HDMI-CEC feature for this to work (just like the wired equivalent). HDMI-CEC is supported by all major CE brands under various marketing names such as Bravia link, Easy Link, Anynet, etc.

Philips’ SWW1800 wireless HDTV Link is one of the first products of its kind that supports HDMI-CEC features.

EU:   I’ve tried a number of wireless solutions for music, and some were better than others but most all of them had problems—the signal would intermittently drop, it would randomly unmount remote drives, etc.  What keeps that from happening in this product, especially since there’s so much more information in the signal?

PH:  Most commercially available wireless solutions for the applications you mentioned currently operate around the 2.4GHz frequency band and as there are not many non-overlapping frequency channels available at 2.4GHz for these devices to operate. This frequency band has become very congested. Philips’ wireless HDMI switch operates at 5GHz band which is much less polluted and also has many more non-overlapping frequency channels available for various devices to operate in without interfering with each other. The system also employs an intelligent frequency selection mechanism that ensures selection of the best frequency channel at any time.

Also,  practically all wireless systems experience fluctuations in the bandwidth available to them depending on the environment in which they operate and the quality of the radios communicating (like the quality of AP and the client solution used in case of WiFi operation). The SWW1800 wireless link has a stand-alone transmitter and receiver architecture and also is designed with such variations in the wireless medium already taken into account. This enables the wireless video modem to be responsive to these changes and avoid interruptions to the video streaming within the supported distance.

EU:  What’s the potential for signal interference?  What can disrupt the signal?  Is there a best way to position your equipment to optimize the wireless connection?

PH:  Any wireless device is potentially subject to interference. There are no exceptions to this. However, the SWW1800 has a number of advantages in this respect. By operating at the 5GHz frequency and using the same channel bandwidth as those used in WiFi devices it is ensured that a large number of radio channels are available for the operation of the wireless switch. Furthermore, by deploying an automatic frequency selection technique, the device is capable of monitoring other devices activities in each of the available channels and selecting the cleanest channel to establish the link. Even during active operation, the device is capable of regularly monitoring the channel and if there are interfering devices detected, it will switch seamlessly to a “quieter channel”. All this is done in real time and without any visible effects to the user. 

The Philips Wireless HDTV Link has an MSRP of $799.99 and is available now.

--Aric A.

Bites from the Apple: The Phantom iTablet

If you were hoping to see the Apple tablet computer--aka, the iTablet or iPad--finally get revealed to the masses in early 2010, your wait just got rumored to be longer. While the gadgetosphere had been pinning its hopes on this timeframe for this phantom piece of magical technology that will change the technology world that we live in, the newest rumor out of has Apple delaying the iTablet until the second half of 2010 in order to include a model with an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) screen in addition to a more standard and less expensive 10.6-inch TFT LCD panel. A 9.7-inch OLED panel is estimated to cost about $500, which would make this top-of-the-line version of the iTablet retail for between $1500 and $2000. The LCD version is estimated to sell for about half the OLED's price.

However, monster Apple stock analyst Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray discounts the high pricing of the OLED panel model and believes that the tablet device will ultimately retail for between $500 and $700 in order to place it in pricing context between the iPod touch at $199 and MacBook at $999 (via AppleInsider). He also added that timing is irrelevant from an investor standpoint, as expectation for sales in 2010 are low--with the focus being on "whether the tablet is real."

In other phantom iTablet news, Conde Nast says it is preparing a digital version of Wired Magazine that tailored to the tablet device for a mid-2010 launch, and it plans to create similar digital versions of its complete lineup of magazines (which includes The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Lucky).

• Speaking of wished-for tech phantoms, Mac Life asked five prominent members of the gadgetosphere to come up with the next Apple game changer, and Tekzilla video podcast host Veronica Belmont came up with her take on an Apple e-reader/iTablet (seen at right). Others include a bunny-eared iPhone (for improved reception) from Gizmodo's Brian Lam and a 3D rapid prototyping machine from Make editor-in-chief Mark Frauenfelder.

• The latest competing updates to the two biggest Windows virtual machine titles are out--Parallels Desktop 5 and VMware Fusion 3. Ars Technica provides a very detailed review of VMware, while Chris Pirillo posts an excellent screencast overview/review by Bwana, a moderator of one of his chat rooms.

• Last spring, a goodly chunk of my iTunes library got corrupted and I lost about 100 CDs that I'd digitized into my library during the period when this corruption happened. Luckily, I was able to recover some of those digital files by grabbing them from my iPod using The Little App Factory’s iPod Rip software (as you can't just drag files from an iPod to your iTunes client). Kirk McElhearn at Macworld also offers some happy iPod file hunting advice for those comfortable using the Terminal.

• While we're on the subject of iPod Rip, The Little App Factory has been in a legal dispute with Apple over the name (Apple doesn't like the use of one of its products). The CEO of the software company pleaded directly to Steve Jobs to help them with their problem, and Jobs replied with a very zen answer (via Gizmodo):

  Change your apps name. Not that big of a deal.

  Steve

  Sent from my iPhone

  And thusly, it's been renamed to iRip.

• If you're having trouble deciding which of the new crop of iPods to give this holiday season, check out Macworld's iPod Buying Guide for some tips.

• Liam Cassidy of The Apple Blog notes a recent class action lawsuit against Apple over its delay of the MMS picture/video messaging functionality--which is now in full effect on the iPhone--and wonders who really uses it since images sent via email seem to suffice for him. I wondered the same thing until recently, when I was at Ikea and faced with procuring a few new lamps without my wife at my side. But wait, I had MMS now! And through the magic of picture messaging I was able to secure the go-ahead on my proposed purchases (and thus avoid a trip back to Ikea for a return).

• The 1Password utility (which, as the name suggests, keeps track of your web passwords as well as credit card information for online shopping and secure notes) has been officially updated to version 3.0. This has become one of the most important and oft-used pieces of software in my arsenal, and is well worth the purchase (via Macworld).

• I use Yojimbo from Bare Bones Software as my main repository of hoovered links, digital scraps and such, but Web Worker Daily makes a good case for Shovebox (included in the recent MacHeist nanoBundle) as a suitable competitor to Yojimbo--especially as you can extend your saved data to your iPhone with an app (something that Yojimbo doesn't provide).

  

• Add Magellen to the list of iPhone navigation apps with its RoadMate 2010 North America app--currently available at a special introductory price of $79.99. Magellan is also releasing a car kit that will work with the original iPhone and iPod touch (due to a built-in GPS receiver (via Electronista). With the competition hotting up, TUAW notes that Navigon has dropped the price of its MobileNavigator North America app by $20 to $69.99 through November 30.

• And if you're not sure which iPhone GPS navigation app might be right for you, check out this handy overview at Art of iPhone (via Textually).

• Steven Sande at TUAW shares his experience setting up a Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server and warns that while basic services such as basic file and print services and Time Machine backups are pretty easy for neophytes to configure, the Server part of this product really does require some advanced experience.

• Here's another good tip from Steve at TUAW--using the the Dropbox file synchronization service to host an iWeb-created web site for those who don't have a MobileMe account (though, it should be noted, that this isn't a solution for large-scale hosting--mainly for testing or creating pages for family).

• Out here in Seattle--a city long associated with Microsoft (though its campus is in the eastern suburb of Redmond)--we've got a new mayor who was elected to shake things up as far as policy and priorities. But he's also shaking things up in the realm of office PC politics by announcing that he's looking into the possibility of the mayor's office using Macs instead of the ubiquitous Windows-based PC (via The Slog). The new mayor, Mike McGinn, is also already an iPhone user and has requested iPhones for his staff instead of the usual CrackBerries.

• And finally... the evolution of the mobile phone--from the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to the iPhone--in Russian matryoshka doll style by artist Kyle Bean (via PopGadget).

  
  

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Cell, Cell, Cell: Garmin nüvifone G60

As we march forward to the holidays, the Big 4 cellular carriers are throwing loads of new mobile phones into the marketplace in hopes of enticing you to bring one home. Now, you could be forgiven if you thought your choices boiled down to just four models--iPhone, DROID, Palm Pre or Motorola CLIQ--since marketing dollars have focused our attention on those. Thusly, over the next few weeks we'll be highlighting some of the newer releases that offer interesting features or great prices in an effort to ensure that they don't completely slip through the cracks.

Garmin nüvifone G60

The first phone from GPS giant Garmin was announced last February, the nüvifone G60 was just picked up by AT&T in October and landed in the midst of a very competitive GPS market landscape. Much like the organizer functionality of the standalone PDA of old, GPS navigation capabilities are moving quickly to the mobile phone arena with services provided by cell carriers as well as dedicated software for smartphone platforms such as the iPhone, which has been attracting big names like TomTom to Navigon and Magellan.

But Garmin's holding fast to offering its own GPS-centric device, and the nüvifone G60 offers most of the trappings of a late Oughts smartphone, including touchscreen interface (based on Linux), Wi-Fi networking and HSDPA 3G cellular connectivity (for both U.S. and foreign networks). But at its heart it's really a Garmin nüvi GPS device, and that's not such a bad thing. While some reviewers have dinged the device for its underpowered web browser, lack of third-party apps and shorter-than-expected battery life, others have also noted that the nüvifone G60 offers the "best navigation experience you'll find on a phone" (so says Engadget). And MobileBurn notes:

Just as the original Apple iPhone was considered by many to have been a great iPod with a phone tossed in it, the Garmin nuvifone G60 is something along those lines. It is a great GPS navigation device, and an OK phone. It does most of the things a modern phone needs to be able to do, and well enough to matter.

Michael Oryl from MobileBurn also offers a video hands-on look at the device (with the second part available on YouTube):

The nüvifone G60 is currently available at the AmazonWireless store for just $99 for new customers (current AT&T customers can also upgrade to the G60 at a pretty good price as well).

--Agen G.N. Schmitz