Bites from the Apple: Wrapping It Up

It's come to that time on the calendar to summarize favorites of the year as well as offer some thoughts for gift giving, and I don't want to disappoint. While this might seem a tad on the obvious side, my favorite new Apple-related item from the last year has been, hands down, the iPhone 3GS. I upgraded after owning the original iPhone (which has now been shuffled to my mother, who's enjoying it to the point where I had to tell her to stop texting me after 11pm), and I've come to love the iPhone 3GS even more. The increased processing speed is now something I take for granted, but it was rather astonishing to see how much faster it really was compared to the OG iPhone.

The iPhone 3GS has also afforded me the ability to slim down my pockets, as I rarely take along a digital camera or my Flip Mino HD thanks to the improved camera coupled with its 3G upload speeds to either Flickr or Facebook. I also didn't expect that I'd use the GPS function that much as I'm pretty navigationally secure in my driving around Seattle, but I find that I hit Google Maps as soon as I'm in the car to check on traffic. I also got an iPhone 3GS for my wife, and watching her discover it, play with it, and uncover new possibilities has definitely made it my favorite purchase of the year.

Some other favorites from the final year of the Oughts:

• I've also been very satisfied with the new 15-inch MacBook Pro, which has provided excellent processing power and very decent on-the-road battery life from the new non-swappable battery. I don't get near the 7 hours that Apple claims you can get (perhaps if only using iChat?), but it's a significant improvement over the previous iteration's battery.

• My wife received my old MacBook Pro as her very first Mac, and my pal/colleague Jeff Carlson's Snow Leopard Pocket Guide has been great at getting her acclimated to her new computing environment. Unlike myself, she doesn't really enjoy cracking open a computer how-to book, so this one is perfect for her (and anyone else in that same boat).

• While my wife has barely looked back at her old Gateway Windows laptop, she did need to have access to Windows to run her AutoCAD architecture software. And the interface improvements to Parallels 5 (including the Crystal mode, where Windows applications run even more seamlessly within the Mac environment) makes her forget she's even running Windows. For more on Parallels 5, check out his extensive review over at Ars Technica.

• As far as iPhone apps, I'd have to say that my favorites of the year are really for my toddler, who takes over my iPhone from time to time (yes, Apple products are a family affair around our home). I was already a fan of the developers at Duck Duck Moose with its Wheels on the Bus iPhone app (link opens in iTunes), but they proved they weren't one-trick ponies with the release of the Old MacDonald and Itsy Bitsy Spider iPhone apps--they're richly illustrated, smartly immersive, and slyly humorous.

Now, onto the news of the week that was in Apple-y goodness:

• If you're looking for more gift ideas or new hardware/software for yourself, check out Macworld's Editors' Choice Awards and Dan Frakes' Mac Gems of the Year (including my favorite utility discovery of the year--ScreenSharingMenulet).

• The big news of the week was confirmation of last week's rumored acquisition of online music streaming service Lala by Apple. Gizmodo reports that The Wall Street Journal (subscription only) wrote that Apple will evolve the iTunes store into a web model, where you'd be able to access and manage your iTunes library through a Web browser. But Ars Technica points out that a cloud-based iTunes could run into interference from the usual suspects--record labels. Some other tidbits floating around this story--Gizmodo reminds us that iTunes was once an acquisition (based on the old SoundJam software) and that Apple looks to have stolen Lala from the clutches of its growing rival, Google.

• Speaking about toddler use of the iPhone, Ars Technica reports that the iPod touch is becoming the gateway drug to the iPhone for the younger generation, based on numbers showing that the users of the iPod touch are gaining on iPhone users according to numbers from the Flurry analytics firm.

  "It's basic 'Life Stage' marketing—if you can appeal to a user, get them used to your platform early, it's a major competitive advantage," Peter Farago (Flurry's vice president of marketing) said. "Parents that don't want their kids having phones, but maybe have bought them an iPod or Gameboy in the past, are much more likely to get them an iPod touch."

• The Google Chrome Web browser beta is now available for download for Mac users (as well as Linux users), though it's hobbled by the fact that extensions that Windows users have been enjoying with Chrome won't be available for Mac beta users until early 2010 (they'll be made available to developers this weekend, according to The Apple Core). For a hands-on look at Chrome for Mac, check out Ars Technica.

• What to do when an iPhone app gets updated and becomes horked? Philip Michaels at Macworld's iPhone Central suggests deleting it and restoring an older version via your Time Machine backup.

• If you're looking for an online backup service to supplement your Time Machine and bootable external hard drive backups (which you're all doing, right?), Scott Rose (a contributing editor to MacLife) compared the top 5 online backup services and found Backblaze (which I use as well) to be his favorite.

• The Apple Blog looks into its crystal ball to see what Apple will bring us in 2010, including the Mac lineup (including the iTablet), the i- suite of Apple software, and cloud computing (with MobileMe and Lala). Oh, here's one certainty for the new year--a new version of the iPhone.

• If you haven't seen it, be sure to check out the article from last Sunday's NYTimes business section on the game-changing importance of Apple App Store for the iPhone and iPod touch--a good review of both successes and frustrations.

• If you run into trouble with AT&T coverage on your iPhone (dropped calls, bad data connection), now there's an app for that. Download the Mark the Spot iPhone app to let AT&T know the precise location of the problem (via Lifehacker).

• Here's another use for the already hotly multitasking Mac mini--diaper warmer.

• And finally... a gorgeous representation of what an Apple Tablet device and UI could look like via Gizmodo:

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Comments

[John Thacker on December 13, 2009 at 07:08 AM]

"Unlike myself,"

Ugh. This usage rings so harshly in my ears. I really dislike people using the reflexive/intensive pronouns in English without a nearby antecedent.

[Gren on December 13, 2009 at 11:24 AM]

I really hate people who go around correcting grammar and trying to sound so cool. You sound like a stuck up prick. All your "friends" hate you and your co-workers wish you would die already. I think that your mother does not love you though she may actually secretly hate you for being a grammar obsessive compulsive.

Now go wash your hands ten times and check the door.

[Jeremy Wa on December 13, 2009 at 12:39 PM]

@Gren

Is that short for Grendel?

[OCBill on December 13, 2009 at 09:50 PM]

The Onion already scooped the Apple MacTablet/TabletMac. It's called the MacBook Wheel.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary

[r4 dsi on January 01, 2010 at 11:31 PM]

Its great news and i have found so many good games playing options on apple with some special application installed in it...

[discount moncler down jacket onlines sales on February 27, 2010 at 12:28 AM]

I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have ed hardy clothing you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post. http://www.edfashionclothes.com/

[R4 on December 21, 2010 at 01:17 AM]

I think this site is the most affordable I've seen of the game card sites
http://www.ndscardsale.com/r4

[australia wholesalers and dropshippers on February 02, 2011 at 12:00 AM]

That's really big bunch of information about technology this week, iPhone opens the door of new era of mobile communication and chrome by google is one another big milestone in web browser technology.