As I am in SF this week, I am starting to record the podcast on Saturday without a clue how it will end and it is all dependent on wifi internet links as well. Last week was an article on rumours and it was pointless putting that in this week as it is all over now, except for the fallout. This week I am looking at some apps: gifts to myself that keep giving.
Some Useful Paid Apps for the iPhone and iPod touch
What I have not been getting across as well as the sheer talent of developers and variety of their apps, is the way that so many apps integrate with online services. We already have Evernote that syncs with the computer and the iPod, but there are a number of business-based ones that integrate with the online services that people use on their work computers and there are likely to be more of these and more effective too) after the WWDC.
As part of a promotion last week, Lonely Planet gave away its app on San Francisco when they are usually $15.99 It is aimed at those attending the WWDC this week which I thought was a nice gesture. There are a load of such apps by the company covering scores of locations, including Bangkok.
Before I get into the conference news, a couple of other items. Most news over the last few days on the approach to WWDC were speculation with some of it becoming wilder and wilder. The reality is much more exciting.
A couple of items on malware this week which we should always be careful of, but there are a couple of nasty ones currently trying to take advantage of some tragic situations: the Air France crash and the death of David Carradine in Bangkok. The Register highlights some of the possible methods being used and I am sure there are more: vigilance dears. Don't trust anyone unless you know them. As an example, I had a legitimate email asking me for passport details. Apple's local office needed this for insurance, which was a nice thought. Rather than hitting the reply button, I created a new mail which I knew would go to the safe address.
I finally managed to get that Big Ben app to chime. I had not turned the setting on mainly because I hadn't seen it. I was wondering why others said this made the sound, but mine didn't so had another look. The specific setting was off the "i" page right down at the bottom. At the top would have been more logical methinks, below ticking, the second hand and a digital display. But, boy, is it loud.
Although iPhoto now has Places to geotag images, there is not an Apple solution (as yet) for Aperture. However, there is Maperture, a free plug-in, which works fairly well although there were problems with the Safari 4 beta: enough for me to go back to Safari 3 so that I could use Maperture. The plug-in has now been updated and there is also a Pro version. In the list of improvements I see that there is a fix for that Safari beta problem as well as a host of other changes. In an initial check of a test image, it was considerably smoother and easier. I shall be trying this in SF.
With Nokia going down and Apple going up, there are two new players this week with the release of the Palm Pr$eacute; and with the acquisition of Wind River by Intel, who are looking to be in the smartphone business. John Dvorak who sometimes makes sense these days, does have a burst of clarity with his comments on this; but Apple has a head start and other irons in the fire.
I am told by MacNN that the BBC has a new app for the iPhone to enable users to watch World News live. And guess what: it is not available in the Thai store. It was even more annoying to be told this and also that it is available in the French store, so would I like to switch to that? The MacNN article lists the few countries, only in Europe, where it is available. Not even in the US. So much for a World service. Oh, and it costs a hefty 8 Euros.
Now to the conference and my reason for being in a cool San Francisco this week. I am not going to rewrite the same stuff, nor use it in the podcast this week, but if you want a look at my view of the keynote speech, have a look at the eXtensions Diary item on this.
There are others of course -- several -- but you may want to try GeekSugar for one view. From the looks of the pictures, they were sitting right behind me. Also try the analysis by Mac Observer.
First there are updated MacBook Pros, and then there are updated macBook Pros. The current line has been improved with faster processors and the price has come down in the US; but the 13" MacBook has been renamed MacBook Pro so the whole;e range is "Pro" . Some of the specs of the former MacBook were creeping pretty close to the higher level computers.
Snow Leopard is coming in September and for a price that is pretty good for those upgrading from Leopard; while the upgrade to the iPhone software is coming next week: 17 June. It will cost iPod touch users $9.95.
The iPhone 3.0 software looks pretty good and some of the improvements are well received. I was able to see a version of this running on an iPhone on Tuesday evening and things like messaging are much improved.
There is a new iPhone called the iPhone 3Gs which has some improved specifications and an improved price, although in the US, the 3G is to be on sale alongside at a reduced $99. As it is due in Thailand on 9 August, we shall see what True manages to pull out of its corporate hat.
Looking and listening here, I find out a lot of information, some of which I store away for later. One interesting item concerns the way the iPhone was brought in to Thailand: and other markets come to that. The local involvement was zero from Apple and it was all run directly from Cupertino. Apparently, negotiations were fairly one-sided and that may be why AIS retired from the hunt licking its wounds; and also why True went for it totally. DTAC is in the middle and I would not be surprised to see that company handling the iPhone maybe in a year or so. This is my feeling only and I have no inside information on this.
At some of the gatherings it is nice to renew acquaintances. Over dinner on Monday night I had a lengthy chat with a director of Apple who is based in Beijing. He is English and about the same age so we have a fair amount in common at some levels. He recruits people to the company as part of his responsibilities so I was able to have a chat about what corporate level people look for when interviewing. I am teaching this soon and wanted some modern insights. Do not lie on the ré'sumé. To me this is common sense, but I was told some people do try and make themselves look better than they are. Once found out -- and they DO find out -- the company drops them immediately.
I was also able to get some insights into interviews and how these may work, but that is for my students.
One of the parts of the new package from Apple is Safari 4, which is also for Windows. We looked at the beta some weeks ago and although I went back to Safari 3.0, the latest version 4.0 is ready for prime time as is explained by Seth Rosenblatt on CNET News. It is supposed to stop the application crashing by isolating problem pages -- particularly if the problem is caused by a plug-in, but Hi5 still managed to beat the Apple engineers.
It was the MacDaily News headline that caught my eye: Apple is scared. From what I saw Monday of the keynote presentation, Phil Schiller and cohorts are certainly not scared and they are loving every minute of what they were doing: they even milked the humour out of a couple of presentations that did not work as planned.
The MS head that was quoted in Computerworld suggests that their advertising campaign -- the one in which Bill Gates hands out cash to certain people who had pre-selected HP computers -- had Apple worried. The conference opened with a special video featuring the PC guy from the "I'm a Mac and I'm a PC campaign" making an absolute hash of a recording and Mac stepping in at the end to rescue things. I cannot see it on the Apple site, but there is a link to the video of the [WWDC] conference.
Be warned, it is about 2 hours long, so don't download unless you really want to. I will also leave the link to the MDN page as the comments there are worthwhile reading.
I have been blowing hot and cold over Twitter for a while. I deleted the software once, then went back again, but I am still not sure about it. I find that some of the so-called famous people using it are rarely making important comments: I don't really want to know the minute details of their lives. Now the BBC reports, on a survey done recently that suggests for most people it IS a waste of time.
Heavens, I have a plane to catch.
