iSights.orgtag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-14608502008-10-06T13:39:13-06:00Keeping an eye on Apple and technology...TypePadWhen Is New Not New? On The App Store, Of Course!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-566271472008-10-06T13:39:13-06:002008-10-06T16:21:24-06:00Apple recently pulled the "Show All New Applications" menu item from the iTunes based version of the App Store, apparently deciding that the "New" applications block at the top of the page served the same purpose. It doesn't. Especially when the "New" applications are cherry-picked from all of the new submissions and--worse--the entire list is only updated once a week. If that. As the above screenshot shows, as of today, October 6th, the most recent...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/10/when-is-new-not.htmlIs Apple stealing ideas from iPhone developers? No.tag:typepad.com,2003:post-558822442008-09-20T00:58:15-06:002008-09-30T16:37:11-06:00iPhone Atlas is running an article asking if Apple stealing ideas from iPhone developers. The Atlas article, in turn, is based primarily on accusations being made by Jonathan Zdziarski, best known for the iPhone 2.0 "emergency call" passcode hack. Fundamentally, Jonathan accuses Apple of attempting to patent a home screen idea previously used by an application called Intelliscreen. He writes, "At the worst, this is an attempt to steal a concept. At the very best,...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/09/is-apple-steali.htmlWorthless App Store "Reviews"tag:typepad.com,2003:post-556205642008-09-15T07:00:00-06:002008-09-15T11:29:55-06:00Is it just me, or are you also getting tired of all of the application "reviews" on the App Store that say nothing more than "first post", ask "who would want this", complain about the price, or offer some other in-depth opinion of an application... that they don't even own. I'm especially fond of the "reviews" that complain about features and point you to some other application, often free, that supposedly does the same thing......Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/09/worthless-app-s.htmlPlug In Your iPhones: Software Update 2.1 Is Readytag:typepad.com,2003:post-555224142008-09-12T07:23:39-06:002008-09-12T07:25:42-06:00If you have a 3G iPhone, or an original iPhone that you've upgraded to 2.0.2, then it's time to plug it into iTunes 8 and click that "Check for updates" button. Why? Because the new iPhone 2.1 update is now available from Apple's servers. Weighing in at 237.8 MB , it promises: Decrease in call set-up failures and dropped calls Significantly better battery life for most users Dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes Improved...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/09/plug-in-your-ip.htmlWhat's Apple's Mystery Product?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-530592222008-07-22T04:43:14-06:002008-08-28T00:43:32-06:00According to AppleInsider, Apple's chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer revealed that the company will make a key "product transition" that cuts back on its profit margins to help shut out rivals. As such, the forums and chat rooms are busily dissecting each and every word and attempting to apply them to Apple's product line. Are we talking new MacBooks? New desktops? New iPods? What? Personally, if Apple's serious, and if they REALLY wanted to take...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/whats-apples-my.htmliPhone 3G Sales "In Perspective"tag:typepad.com,2003:post-527364462008-07-15T13:04:36-06:002008-08-27T14:04:18-06:00TechDirt is running an article placing iPhone sales "in perspective". Recent mobile handset numbers show that 282 million phones were sold in the first quarter of this year, and that Nokia alone appears to sell approximately 1.28 million handsets per day. Mike concludes, "So, yes, selling 1 million handsets over the weekend is a nice round milestone -- and certainly other handset makers are probably jealous of the attention it's getting. But, it's not having...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/iphone-3g-sales.htmlUpdated iPhone Applications Already Availabletag:typepad.com,2003:post-527002782008-07-14T18:19:15-06:002008-08-26T21:34:57-06:00If you're one of those who purchased and downloaded iPhone applications over the weekend, you might want to check to see if your brand spanking new application has already been updated. I did, and found that Cro-Mag Rally, BoxOffice, NetNewsWire, NYTimes, and World News NetWork (AP) were just a few of the applications that have already received bug fixes and updates since the App Store opened for business last Friday. You can check for updates...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/updated-iphone.htmliPhone App Store Up To 800 Applicationstag:typepad.com,2003:post-526862842008-07-14T12:18:50-06:002008-08-27T06:22:27-06:00If you browsed through Apple's new App Store on Friday and didn't see anything of interest you might want to look again. The number of applications listed has increased increased daily, going from Friday's original 535 to just over 800. In related news, Apple has stated in a press release that they've sold 10 MILLION applications since Friday (or Thursday, for those of us who jumped the gun). Undoubtedly, many of the applications "sold" were...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/app-store-up-to.htmliPhone Hackers Root Cause Of 3G Linestag:typepad.com,2003:post-526477602008-07-13T14:48:37-06:002008-08-28T00:42:25-06:00The three and four hour long iLines of iCustomers waiting to get iPhones across the US arose from a perfect storm of three contributing factors. First to shoulder their share of the blame are the consumers themselves, who got exactly what they demanded, and as such were effectively hoist on their own petard. More on that later. Second was Apple's misguided decision to simultaneously release the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 2G 2.0 software update...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/hackers-root-ca.htmliPhone Lines - We're Waiting, We're Waitingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-525704982008-07-11T17:31:30-06:002008-08-27T14:02:20-06:00From a marketing standpoint, Appe's decision to require in-store activations guaranteed long lines and the appearance of high consumer demand as loyal customers patiently awaited entry into their local store. But when you're the one forced to stand in one of those lines while each and every phone sold goes through a fifteen minute activation process, it takes on an entirely different perspective. And one completely different from the original "pay for it and you're...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/iphone-lines.htmlFirst iTunes App Store phototag:typepad.com,2003:post-524904362008-07-10T04:41:37-06:002008-08-27T14:00:53-06:00The new App Store home page, available from iTunes 7.7.Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/first-itunes-ap.htmlUpgrade To iTunes 7.7 Before Buying iPhone 3Gtag:typepad.com,2003:post-524900542008-07-10T04:18:35-06:002008-08-27T14:03:31-06:00The "App Store" upgrade from iTunes 7.6 to iTunes 7.7 is now available via Software Update. In retrospect, it's obvious that iTunes 7.7 would be released before Apple shipped the iPhone 3G, as Apple's own instructions on upgrading from 2G to 3G require you to sync and backup your existing phone's settings, and then use that backup to "restore" your new 3G phone's settings. And for that to work, you're going to need new software....Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/07/upgrade-to-itun.htmlConvert Your External SuperDrive? Not.tag:typepad.com,2003:post-517997502008-06-24T12:13:23-06:002008-08-27T14:03:15-06:00TUAW has an interesting article on how to mod your MacBook Air's SuperDrive so that it can be used with other computers. Unfortunately, this is NOT a good idea, as the Apple drive has significantly higher power requirements than that provided by a standard powered USB port. Especially when used in the DVD-burning mode. If you look at similar third party drives, you'll notice that nearly every one REQUIRES an external power supply, or REQUIRES...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/06/convert-your-ex.htmliTunes, HBO, and Variable Pricingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-498588022008-05-14T10:14:33-06:002008-08-27T22:49:57-06:00Once upon a time, content pricing on iTunes was strict and unwavering. Every song was $0.99, no less, no more, and the music labels went along. They screamed and complained and cried... but they went along. After all, it was Jobs way or the highway. But in full deal-making mode, Apple just announced that HBO has joined the iTunes universe, with programs from some series priced at the "standard" $1.99 TV rate, and others a...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/05/itunes-hbo-and.htmlApple, Intel, and PA Semiconductor: Part 2tag:typepad.com,2003:post-495998922008-05-09T10:00:00-06:002008-08-27T14:04:13-06:00In part one of this series we looked at a few reasons why Apple may have purchased PA Semiconductor, and debunked a few possible reasons as to why they didn't. And in doing so, we were left with two valuable concepts that need further exploration: how to differentiate Apple's platform from all of the other generic beige boxes out there, and how to protect OS X from thieves and pirates. But if the answer isn't...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/05/apple-intel-a-1.htmlApple, Intel, and PA Semiconductortag:typepad.com,2003:post-495989742008-05-08T13:27:55-06:002008-08-26T21:35:06-06:00There's been a lot of speculation regarding Apple's recent $278 million dollar acquisition of PA Semiconductor. Some believe that Apple did it simply to regain technical expertise in chip design for its its consumer electronics divisions (iPods, iPhones) and others simply for the companies' patent portfolio. A few misguided souls even believe that Apple did it in preparation for an eventual move to its own custom processor designs. Personally, I think the primary reason lies...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/05/apple-intel-and.htmlApple Updates Apple TV Updatetag:typepad.com,2003:post-484547982008-04-15T01:59:05-06:002008-08-27T14:04:58-06:00No, that's not redundant. Apple yesterday released Apple TV update 2.0.2, which according to my research fixes the 5GHz network connectivity issues introduced by the previous 2.0.1 update. To recapitulate events, on Friday, March 28th Apple released Apple TV update 2.0.1. This update to Apple TV "Take 2" supposedly "improved stability" and added a few minor features, like a Genres option under My Movies. In addition, this update also pretty much bricked the Apple TV...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/04/apple-updates-a.htmlThe iPhone's Biggest Missing Featuretag:typepad.com,2003:post-482989462008-04-11T07:15:00-06:002008-08-27T19:25:22-06:00With both the WWDC and the iPhone's launch anniversary approaching, speculation is once again running rampant regarding the 3G iPhone. When will it be announced? When will it ship? What features will it have? What chipset will it use? Will it have real GPS or fake? Will the back be metal, paper or plastic? On, and on, and on. Readers are asked again and again, "What features do you want?" What makes it a "must...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/04/the-iphones-big.htmlA Reality Check On iPhone Restrictions tag:typepad.com,2003:post-481623122008-04-08T12:45:52-06:002008-08-27T14:05:10-06:00Many bloggers, developers, and people who should otherwise know better have been complaining about the "restrictive" native of the iPhone SDK and Apple's seemingly "arbitrary" limitations on iPhone applications. Therefore it was with great interest that I read an article by Craig Hockenberry of Twitterific fame, which dramatically illustrates just what happens when Apple's guidelines are bypassed. One such restriction related to the ability of third party applications to run in the background. According to...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/04/a-reality-check.htmlApple TV Update Brings New Problems - UPDATEDtag:typepad.com,2003:post-477525162008-03-31T01:00:43-06:002008-08-28T18:37:58-06:00In the motion picture industry, a "take" refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot. Let someone flub a line or miss a cue, and on you go to the next take. This process continues until everyone gets it right That being the case, it would seem that Apple TV's "Take Two" monicker is appropriate. Especially when we consider Friday's latest 2.0.1 update. After installing 2.0.1, my Apple TV constantly loses its 802.11n network...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/apple-tv-upda-1.htmlApple TV Update Brings New Featurestag:typepad.com,2003:post-477098942008-03-29T18:53:46-06:002008-08-27T14:03:07-06:00Apple released software update 2.01 for the Apple TV Friday, which was reported as fixing bugs and adding new features to the interface. Although, to be precise, it appears to add one new feature, the addition of a "Genres" option when browsing your own movie titles. Those of you with large movie libraries (you know who you are) will no doubt welcome this, as it lets you break down your monolithic list of movies into...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/apple-tv-update.htmlTime Machine And The AirPort Extreme: What You Need To Knowtag:typepad.com,2003:post-474073422008-03-22T19:09:56-06:002008-08-27T06:21:38-06:00This week Apple released a software update named "Time Machine and AirPort Updates v1.0", which "is recommended for all users and includes compatibility improvements for using Time Machine with Time Capsule, as well as AirPort driver fixes." While we don't know everything that it does, one thing we do know is that it finally fixes the problem of not being able to do backups to USB drives attached to an AirPort Extreme. So here's what...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/time-machine--1.htmlAirPort Express Goes N: One Down, Three To Gotag:typepad.com,2003:post-471669042008-03-17T17:02:50-06:002008-08-27T06:16:36-06:00Apple just updated the AirPort Express to use next-generation 802.11n wireless technology, promising to to deliver up to five times the performance and twice the range of the previous model. It's about time. But since Apple still has three products restricted to 802.11g networks, your ability to actually see those performance enhancements remains problematic. It's well known that achieving the fastest data rates requires that all of the computers or devices on a network to...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/airport-express.htmlThe iPhone SDK: Promises Broken, Promises Kepttag:typepad.com,2003:post-470461702008-03-17T07:05:00-06:002008-08-27T14:01:11-06:00Back when the iPhone was originally announced at MacWorld San Francisco, much was made of the fact that the iPhone wasn't just a phone, but a software platform in its own right. Build on OS X we were told, Apple would be able to quickly and easily add applications and extend existing functionality. But in reality, this never occurred. Sure, a few enhancements and bugs fixes were made, but from a functional standpoint the iPhone...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/the-iphone-sdk.htmlApple's Application Store: Not Just For iPhones?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-467658942008-03-10T07:00:00-06:002008-10-06T15:31:50-06:00In an earlier article I discussed how Apple new iPhone application store will promote an avalanche of applications as developers flock to both a super cool hardware platform and a marketplace designed to promote their creations to every iPhone owner. In fact, the store is the only place where the average user can acquire third-party applications. A system described by many as being a "walled garden" around the iPhone and the iPod touch. A point...Michael Longhttp://www.iSights.org/2008/03/apples-applicat.html