Sadly, there's still no release date in sight for the global BBC iPlayer in the U.S., but those lucky countries that do have it will have it be expanded to the iPhone and iPod touch on Thursday.

The iPad app launched in 11 countries initially, and the number has expanded to 16 with our Canadian neighbors being the most-recent country to get the player. It's the BBC's foray into a video-on-demand service, geared toward bringing its TV library to international viewers. A subscription nets access to programs ranging from the classic Fawlty Towers to the venerable (and still supremely awesome) Doctor Who.

With the constant additions to the BBC's pilot program, I'm hoping that the U.S. will be on tap to get the app soon.
Global BBC iPlayer app will launch for iPhone, iPod touch on Thursday originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It's been a long road for _The Cabin in the Woods_ the horror film with a twist co-written by Joss Whedon. The film was filmed in 2009, but through various production company problems, the film has been constantly pushed back. Finally, the first trailer has been released.

If we had a supercomputer that could predict the future, we would tell what's next for technology. Then again, if the past is any guide, the predictions would certainly be wrong. A special report of articles and essays takes a many-faceted look at a set of technologies that are changing the world in more ways than could ever have been foreseen.

Darren Aronofsky, director of _The Wrestler_ and _Black Swan_, has released his video for the Lou Reed and Metallica song “The View.”

We look at our favorite comics of the year, from high-minded graphic novels to the serialized floppies that got us into the store every Wednesday.

Each and every day in November Grateful Dead vaultmeister David Lemieux picked one gem from the band’s archives to share as a free MP3 download with Deadheads as part of 30 Days of Dead. All in all the 30 tracks he wound up sharing ranged from 1967 to 1992 and was a well-rounded collection of tunes from the group’s repertoire.

If you missed any or all of the tracks Dead.net has compiled all 30 in one zip file for your downloading and listening pleasure or you could still download the individual tracks from this page. The 2011 30 Days of Dead collection is a must-have for fans of the Dead, so be sure to grab it while you can. Much love to Lemieux and the band for this aural treat.

Here’s the full list of 30 Days of Dead 2011 tracks and download links…

1.New Potato Caboose San Francisco, CA, Winterland Arena – 10/22/1967 download the track
2. Slipknot > Franklin’s Tower Williamsburg, VA, William & Mary Hall – College Of William & Mary – 09/24/1976 download the track
3. Shakedown Street Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Copps Coliseum – 03/20/1992 download the track
4. Sugar Magnolia Denver, CO, McNichols Arena – 08/13/79 download the track
5. The Music Never Stopped > Don’t Ease Me In Kansas City, MO, Starlight Theatre – 09/03/1985 download the track
6. Estimated Prophet > He’s Gone Columbus, OH, Veterans Memorial Auditorium – 04/19/1978 download the track
7. Dark Star New York, NY, Fillmore East – 02/14/1970 download the track
8. Scarlet Begonias Detroit, MI, Cobo Arena – 10/03/1976 download the track
9. He Was A Friend Of Mine Colorado Springs, CO, Reed’s Ranch – 07/03/1969 download the track
10. Bird Song Washington, DC, RFK Stadium – 06/10/1973 download the track
11. Candyman ; Cassidy Boulder, CO, Event Activity Center – University of Colorado – 12/09/1981 download the track
12. Looks Like Rain > Might As Well Columbia, MD, Merriweather Post Pavilion – 06/26/1984 download the track
13. Friend of The Devil San Francisco, CA, Fillmore West – 06/07/1970 download the track
14. Mississippi Half-Step Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Civic Center – 03/26/1973 download the track
15. Uncle John’s Band Oakland, CA, Oakland Coliseum Arena – 12/28/1988 download the track
16. Ramble On Rose Chicago, IL, Auditorium Theatre – 10/21/1971 download the track
17. Just A Little Light Hartford, CT, Civic Center – 03/18/1990 download the track
18. Peggy O San Diego, CA, Golden Hall – San Diego Community Concourse – 11/24/1979 download the track
19. Passenger Chicago, IL, Uptown Theatre – 02/26/1981 download the track
20. Wharf Rat Landover, MD, Capital Centre – 07/29/1974 download the track
21.New Speedway Boogie San Francisco, CA, Fillmore West – 12/20/1969 download the track
22. Lazy Lightning > Supplication Boston, MA, Boston Music Hall – 06/12/1976 download the track
23. Let It Grow New Haven, CT Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum – 09/23/1982 download the track
24. Weather Report Suite Durham, NC, Cameron Indoor Stadium – Duke University – 12/08/1973 download the track
25. Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain Philadelphia, PA, The Spectrum – 08/30/1980 download the track
26. Feel Like A Stranger Atlanta, GA, Omni Coliseum – 04/02/1990 download the track
27. Playing In The Band Oklahoma City, OK, Oklahoma City Music Hall – 11/15/1972 download the track
28. Samson And Delilah Carson, CA, California State University Dominguez Hills – 05/06/1990 download the track
29. China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider(5.17.74 PNE Coliseum, Vancouver, BC)download the track
30. Lazy Lightning>Supplication (5.25.77 The Mosque, Richmond, VA) download the track

Bulk renaming files can be a time consuming pain without the right tool. If it's a problem you face often, you've probably already got a favorite batch-renaming app residing on your Mac, but if not, Quick File Renamer might be a good place to start. It has a user-friendly interface with straightforward options -- "idiot proof" you might call it.

Add the files that you want to rename into the "Before Rename" box by using the file finder built into the program or dragging and dropping from Finder. You then select the kind of renaming action you want from the presets, input your custom name, set whether you want to save the renamed files in the same location or another, and whether you want to delete the original files.

If you want to do something a little more complicated, the advanced tab lets you change or add numbers to an existing series or clear the name entirely. You can also modify things such as upper or lowercase names, add dates, suffixes or prefixes, remove or replace sections of names or add audio or photo tags. A comprehensive help system will guide you through the more complicated actions, which is accessible via the good old F1 key.

Quick File Renamer comes in two flavors -- a free 'lite' version, which lacks some of the more advanced renaming and tagging options, but will rename and append file numbers without issue; and a fully capable paid version that'll set you back US$1.99. There are quite a few other batch renamers available for the Mac including Renamer, Name Mangler and Photo A.K.A, while you can achieve the same result with a bit of Automator magic. But if you're looking for a decent free batch renaming app for the occasional file renaming task, then Quick File Renamer Lite is a good start.
Daily Mac App: Quick File Renamer originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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FORTUNE The Legacy of Steve Jobs ($14.99) by Time Home Entertainment Inc. is a collection of magazine articles for the iPad that were originally published between February 1983 and November 2009. It is not just a bunch of old magazine articles. It is a masterpiece of history, lovingly and artistically molded into a remembrance of the life of the world’s most beloved CEO.


The story of Steve Jobs’ life unfolds in the pages of Fortune Magazine’s history. In 1983, Jobs made an appearance on the cover of the business magazine with the headline, “Apple’s Bid To Stay In The Big Time.” That cover, and the article it references can be found in the pages of this app. Additionally, a whole chapter, dedicated to “The Early Years” of Apple and Jobs’ role as CEO are organized and laid out for the reader’s reference.

Other chapters include, “What Made Steve Tick,” “The Return TO Apple,” “The ‘I’ Years” and the Epilogue. Each section includes Fortune Magazine articles that pertain to the subject, not necessarily in chronological order. This design structure makes the app read like a well researched book, complete with insider interviews, pictures and industry opinions. Each page is like a snapshot in time of Jobs’ career.

Video footage is peppered throughout to add to the large amount of information already within the pages of the app. Included are Jobs’ last known public appearance in June 2011 and the first ever appearance of the friendly computer that pushed Apple to the forefront of technology, the Macintoch. Both videos brought tears to my eyes. The former because it was so clear that Jobs was physically deteriorating rapidly, even though his mind was as sharp as it ever was. The latter because it was so poignant to see Jobs’ face, beaming with pride as the audience gave the Macintosh a standing ovation.

Fans of Apple products, admirers of Mr. Jobs, history buffs and business aficionados will find this well-made collection of Fortune Magazine’s articles, photographs and videos to be one of the best compilations of history’s most adored CEO. The price of this iPad-only app may seem steep, but think of it as a detailed, well-researched and artistic book of Jobs’ life. It is worth the $14.99 price tag, and then some.



FORTUNE The Legacy of Steve JobsRead About More Than 30 Years Of Steve Jobs’ Life In This App is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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Chemistry teacher Julius goes into a spin over fetching coed Stella Purdy, but lacks the chutzpah to try to win her heart. That changes when the absent-minded professor concocts a chemical cocktail that turns him into slick chick-magnet Buddy Love.

In this surreal sitcom, slacker artist Tim Bisley and brooding writer Daisy Steiner meet in a café and decide to pose as a young professional couple so they can move into an affordable flat, where they do everything possible to avoid adulthood.

This long-running comedy series is a hilarious look at everyday people caught on tape in their most uproarious and unexpected human moments. The clips range from outrageously funny situations to those that make you go "ouch" even while laughing.

From Recipes








No, I did not make up the "man breakfast" thing. It's actually in Alton Brown's Good Eats 3: The Later Years. While you can argue about the name, my wife can attest to the fact that females can enjoy this meal, too. I mean, what's not to love about properly made hash browns with eggs and bacon? But the best part is that this meal comes together so quickly.

While the bacon cooks, you grate the potatoes. When the bacon is done, you remove the strips, and then cook the potatoes in the bacon fat. While those crisp up, the eggs cook slowly in a separate skillet. Then you just toss everything on to the same plate and dig in. There are a few tricks employed—the grated potatoes are squeezed in a towel to remove as much water as possible—but mostly this is remarkably straightforward and totally satisfying.






Ingredients
serves serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes





For the Hash Browns

4 slices of bacon

8 ounces russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed, not peeled

kosher salt

 

For the Eggs

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

kosher salt and black pepper





Procedures



For the hash browns: Add the bacon slices to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet set over medium heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, until the slices are cooked to your liking. Turn down the heat if they are cooking too quickly. When done, drain the bacon on some paper towels and set aside.



Remove all but two tablespoons of the bacon fat, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Grate the potatoes on the largest holes of a box grater. Add the potatoes to the skillet and spread out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt. Let the potatoes cook undisturbed for five minutes. Flip the potatoes with a spatula, reduce heat to low, and cook for an additional five minutes.



For the eggs: With five minutes left with the potatoes, add the butter to a non-stick skillet set over low heat. When the butter foams, carefully crack in the four eggs. (Brown suggests cracking the eggs into a custard cup, and then adding them in.) Season with salt and pepper, and then cover the skillet. Cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny, three to five minutes.



When the eggs are done, use a spatula place two eggs on two separate plates. On each plate, add half of the hash browns and bacon. Serve immediately.

Some of the best wallpapers we find come from you. You're either finding awesome stuff on the web or making it yourself. These wallpapers don't always fit into a category, so the reader wallpaper pack was created. This is our fourth. Come check out some great images from your fellow readers. More »

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

George Harrison

Brainwashed

Genre: Rock

I’ve read epic tales of music hounds who search for rare and “lost” recordings as though these tunes were lost children, or violent criminals, or that one peanut M&M that you remember dropping under the sofa just before you started the movie an hour ago. Robert Crumb and Harvey Pekar have written comics on that subject. Crumb was so obsessive about collecting old blues and jazz records that he’d often target a neighborhood of old people down south and go from door to door, asking if they had any 78′s they’d like to get rid of.

(Thus proving that there are elements to Crumb’s weirdness that go beyond looking for women of good, sturdy Eastern European stock and then asking them for piggyback rides.)

You might also think about the lonely but brave preservationists at the Smithsonian and the National Archives, keeping our cultural heritage safe for future generations. Good men and women, every last one of them.

I say this as a sheepish introduction to this track, which was one of my most-played acquisitions of 2011. How did I, Andy Ihnatko, intrepid musicological explorer, discover this wonderful piece of music?

Um…I saw it on that documentary of George Harrison that Martin Scorsese made for HBO.

Yes. I admit it. Often, HBO or some other entertainment conglomerate is responsible for introducing me to music. It doesn’t lend me a whole lot of “we are the 99%!” credibility, I admit. But I got the song and that’s really all that matters, isn’t it?

“Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea” was written in 1931 or thereabouts, which falls somewhere in the final act of the popularity of sheet music as a means of music publishing. It’s hard to imagine this medium playing the exact same role in the 1800′s and early 1900′s as an MP3 download does today. If you grew up with a piano in the house, sheet music was that dusty stuff inside the bench that you’d pull out when it was time to prepare for a lesson. Back in the day, no, that’s how a hit popular song made its way across the country.

I wonder if that’s part of the charm of these tunes. They weren’t going to be just listened to…they were also going to be played. Or, rather, “performed.” The paper was nothing until it was placed on a little ledge at the piano and somebody in the house sat down and plunked through it.

How did those people relate to music? There couldn’t have been anything mystifying about it. To this day, Beatles fans and guitarists continue to debate about exactly what chord George Harrison plays to kick off “A Hard Day’s Night.” In 1900, the music is just an abstraction and every performance redefined it to the ear.

You also must have felt a tremendous sense of investment in the piece, as you trim bits that seem too hard or add little fills as the song becomes more familiar to your fingers and you see opportunities to amuse yourself.

You don’t get that sort of thing today. A slim percentage of tunes become “standards” in every sense of the word. You can go ahead and record “It Might As Well Be Spring” but you do so with the knowledge that you’re settling into a crouch at a starting line next to every great vocalist who ever existed and the listener can’t help but compare.

Otherwise? We don’t click into songs; we identify with performances. And learning how to actually perform a song that you like Just Isn’t Done.

One element in which we’ve come full circle, though: we’re back at the point where we tend to relate to music as individual tracks divorced from any larger context. Purists bemoan the fact that albums were designed not just as this specific group of songs, but as a presentation in a specific order. That somehow, Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” is a different song when it comes up on Shuffle Play than when it comes after you’ve just heard “That Voice Again” and then walked across the room and flipped over to side 2 of “So”.

Want to learn “Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea”? No sweat: here are the lyrics and chords, via the wonderful Ukulele Boogaloo site. I’m about a third of the way through it, myself; I’m at the point where I can play the verses and only start muttering “Crap, no, that’s not it…” when I get to the choruses.

George Harrison became a big fan of the ukulele later in life. One has to imagine that it was a much easier and relaxed leap than when he became curious about the sitar. For sure it was easy to travel around with a half-dozen ukuleles in the trunk of his car than it was to travel with a six-pack of sitars. The uke is a highly-social instrument and Harrison was a highly-social musician. The documentary underscores how much of Harrison’s music consisted of him wanting to get together with his friends and play. The documentary has Tom Petty telling the story of George dropping off several ukes at his house, just in case he’s ever over and wants to get another uke jam going.

I’m so glad that this recording made the final cut of Harrison’s final — yes, posthumous — album. It represents a kind of music that’s sorely unrepresented: strictly fun tunes that everybody can get behind. Sure, we need the kind where it sounds as though the Gods are riding down from the heavens on beasts of stone, intent to steal back Fire from humanity. But can’t we also have these lovely little plunka-plunka-plunka ones?

That said: I’d like to hear more about the relationships that Ted Koehler (the lyricist) had with the women in his life.

I don’t want you
But I’d hate to lose you
You’ve got me in between
The devil and the deep blue sea.

This is the sort of man that teary-eyed women used stand up and talk about during a taping of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” no?

Here’s the link to buy/preview “Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea” from Amazon. As usual, anything you buy after clicking this link results in a small kickback in the form of Amazon credits, which I promise to spend on foolish and wonderful things.

Caleb says: "I blogged almost every detail of building a small green tiny-ish house to rent out in our backyard where our garage once was. It even includes a public Google spreadsheet of our costs."

From A Hamburger Today






[Photographs: Damon Gambuto]

Coal Burger
15147 N. Scottsdale Rd., Suite 133, Scottsdale AZ 85254 (map); 480-596-1234; 3 other locations in the US; visit coalburger.com for list
Cooking Method: Coal-fired
Short Order: Coal-firing at this new upscale fast food chain makes for a juicy burger with a subtle hint of smoke
Want Fries with That? Sure; midsize, skin-on spuds are just serviceable
Prices: Backyard Burger (1/3 pound patty), $5.49

I walked into the Coal Burger in Scottsdale with a simple objective: find a decent burger restaurant in Phoenix. Ever since my big sister moved there a few years ago, I've hunted down a burger at least once per visit. I started out with a heartfelt story about a substandard burger at Delux Burger and then followed it up with another less-than-stellar meal at Zinburger.

The look of Coal Burger—higher-end fast casual—made me think it was cut from the same cloth. That is to say, another ready-for-replication burger gimmick that undermines the very thing it should be creating: a great burger. Instead, what I found was a restaurant concept that already has a few links in the chain and a burger that's worth your time. More than that, they cook their burgers using a gimmick that actually works.

The gimmick Coal Burger has latched onto is, you guessed it, coal. They've taken the coal oven famous at their parent company Grimaldi's Pizzeria (which is why there's a Grimaldi's next door; each Coal Burger is built next to a Grimaldi's) and turned it loose on their beef. They even call their restaurant a "burgeria." The oven is a ferocious looking thing that apparently burns at a heat just shy of a supernova. For this reason the burgers go in and out of the grill in just minutes.

On top of that, Coal Burger makes their commitment to ingredients a part of their brand identity. Their website reads: "we are committed to food raised natural, without the use of chemical pesticides and harmful fertilizers. Our beef is hormone free and pasture raised." This means the beef is all grass-fed.

Coal Burger has a standard list of pre-designed burgers, but the basic Backyard Burger that comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, and CB Sauce was the one that caught my eye. It's a simple construction that I thought offered the most promise. Given the name I thought American was the apropos cheese choice.

While the pictures make the bun look a titch too big for my 1/3-pound patty (they offer a 1/2 also), it was actually the perfect measure against the rest of the ingredients. I really enjoyed the creamy sweetness of the CB sauce (Thousand Island-esque). The toppings were all fresh and hit the right "backyard" notes, but it was always going to be about the beef.

Coal Burger's grass-fed patty was impressively juicy and well-seasoned. Despite being woefully overcooked, my burger was still full of moisture and flavor. (One imagines the young cooks often suffer the low margin of error of this high heat cooking technique.) I expected a deep smoke from the oven, but the char was standard and the coal-firing not particularly distinct. That said, there was still plenty to enjoy. I thought the flavors of my burger were pretty spot on and the ratio of meat to (a quality homemade) bun just right.

The fries weren't anything to write home about, but certainly these medium cut spuds get the job done. Mine came hot out of the oil without being oily. Add to that a nice amount of salting and you get a solid, if not special, order of fries.

I also tried the Coal Burger salad, which is dressed with a version of their CB sauce. The veggies were, again, very fresh, but more interesting was the way it summoned the flavor of a burger. Add a patty to this salad and you've a bun-free burger experience.

There's still room for improvement at this mini-chain, but on balance they are doing pretty well. I went to Coal Burger thinking I was going to get another Phoenix burger spot trying it's darndest to become a chain, only to realize that it already was one (albeit a small one). It's no surprise, as this fast casual spot is worth your time and, with the rational pricing, worth the money.

About the author: Damon is one of our roving burger reporters and food writers. When he's not eating more than is warranted or healthful (and then writing about it) he can be found writing and producing for television and film. You can contact him at seriouslydamon@gmail.com.

Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter while you're at it!

Grey drizzly days that get dark at 4 o'clock? Fingerless gloves in my pocket? Ever-present mug of tea at my elbow? Yup, I'm thinking it's time for a massive pierogi chow-down.
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Microsoft is expected to launch iOS versions of the company’s popular Office suite sometime in 2012, according to The Daily. This means Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and even Outlook could soon be arriving in the App Store for use on the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad.

According to the report, Microsoft is likely to release each app for $9.99 each. This is the same price Apple charges for its comparable (but less popular) applications – Pages, Numbers, and Keynote on iOS.

In addition, Office 2012 for Mac is also expected to arrive sometime in the New Year. This suite, when released, would arrive in the Mac App Store.

Office is one Microsoft’s biggest sellers, second only to Windows. In 2011, the software suite should earn more than $15 billion in revenue, according to Business Insider. By branching out to new platforms — like the iPad — that number should only grow.

When Office does come to iOS, it will be huge news and also a game-changer. After all, it will finally bring together the world’s most popular business suite and the top-selling iPad tablet. Because of this, the suite’s arrival will almost certainly be a win-win for Microsoft and Apple. For Pages, Numbers, and Keynote, perhaps less so!

We’ll keep you updated.

PagesNumbersKeynoteGet Ready – Word, Excel, And PowerPoint Set To Arrive On iOS is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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Unlike its competition, which jumped at the chance to get its magazines on the iPad, Wenner Media has been slow to embrace the tablet and its digital subscriptions. The publisher is finally ready to take the plunge and is preparing to bring Rolling Stone Magazine and US Weekly to the iPad in 2012. These two magazines will be tablet versions of the print magazine and, sadly, won't offer any new or unique content.

Before it kicks off Rolling Stone, Wenner will test the waters with a tablet app about the Beatles. The app will be an enhanced version of Rolling Stone's The Beatles: The Ultimate Album-by-Album Guide. The print version of the album guide has little-know facts about every track on every Beatle's album. The digital version will include this treasure trove of information and add both song samples and interviews with the band. It will be available starting December 1st.
Rolling Stone magazine coming to the iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bon Iver just topped our list of the best albums of the year and released their deluxe edition of their self-titled complete with videos expanding the experience of all 10 songs. Justin Vernon and a group of friends filmed and edited each of the videos to help capture the emotions presented in each song.

Whether your iPhone has been with you for years or you just picked one up this weekend during the holiday shopping rush, you're facing the same problem either way: getting it to stay where you put it, in the car or on your desk. Scores of companies offer lots of different "stick it and forget it" solutions to this challenge, but one newcomer is putting together some innovative and attractive products for iPhone car/counter mounting -- and doing it entirely in the USA, from design to hands-on manufacturing.

Insanely Great Products' launch line includes six different mounting/stand solutions, all but one involving a powerful suction cup to attach the iPhone (or other flat-back device) to the mount. The Jack (image, right) and the Scooter are designed for desktop use, while the Willy (top image) and the Traveler can serve either in the car or in stationary settings.

The light and flexible Clip-n-Go combines the suction cup with a customized binder clip for easy air vent attachment of a cased or naked phone, while the anodized aluminum Norm uses the same binder clip with side arms to hold a case-free phone to the dashboard vent.

While the products are affordable (most of the line costs between US$10 and $20, with the aluminium Norm coming in at $35) they're set apart from most of the accessory market by their made-in-the-USA pedigree. IGP was founded with the intention of doing all manufacturing domestically; currently, all the products are assembled by hand (from US-sourced materials) in the company's Menlo Park facility.

In fact, every IGP employee spends at least part of every day filling customer orders by making products themselves. This agile/all-hands manufacturing process is intended to help keep the entire team connected to the products; IG is also able to create customized or branded versions of all the items in the line, on request.

It might seem a bit presumptuous for any new enterprise to call itself Insanely Great, but in this case the company at least comes by it honestly. IGP's marketing lead/co-founder Richard Ford spent several years at Apple in leadership roles on the product teams that built most of the Internet underpinnings in Mac OS 9. The other co-founder, company president Jeff Osborn, was formerly a VP at mega-ISP UUnet.

For today, Cyber Monday, the company is offering 50% off three of its products -- the Jack, the Scooter and the Willy -- as long as you buy them in blue (the Monday blues, so clever) rather than the full line of colors shown above.
Insanely Great launches made-in-USA iPhone accessories with Cyber Monday deal originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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For those of us who work remotely or from home on a regular basis, making sure to get some exercise can be difficult when faced with the temptation to sit at a desk for hours on end. The solution is simple: schedule your workouts like you would your lunch or any other break to make sure you get an alert to get up and move around a bit. More »

Candied ginger is one of those things that I keep around the house at all times. Not only is it a tasty treat and great to sweeten a cup of hot tea, but it's also great for upset stomachs and light nausea. Unfortunately, it's frequently only available in health food stores, and even then it can be pricey. Here's how to make it at home. More »

Watch how many times the cast of Community mentions Beetlejuice, and then keep your eyes peeled for an awesome cameo. [Buzzfeed]

Read more posts by Eliot Glazer

Filed Under:
clickables
,tv
,community
,beetlejuice

One area of literacy that’s changing is the order in which things are presented — it isn’t linear, it’s organised spatially, and often some meaning is carried in the design, layout, images, sounds, movement, subtle changes in colour in a game — it’s all part of what literacy is in today’s world. These are fundamental changes to operational literacy, the biggest since the printing press.

– Dr. Rosie Flewitt of the Educational Dialogue Research Unit at the Open University, in conversation with Stewart Mitchell of PCPro about how keeping computers from children at an early age may deprive them of modern communication skills

Errol Morris's six-minute short documentary in the New York Times, The Umbrella Man, is both a fascinating little mystery and an oddly joyous tale about the nature of human curiosity and behavior. "It's as if there's the macro level of historical research where things sort of obey natural laws, and usual things happen and unusual things don't happen. And then there's this other level where everything is really weird," explains Josiah "Tink" Thompson, an expert on JFK's assassination. "If you have any fact, which you think is really sinister ... forget it, man," Thompson says. "You can never on your own think up all the non-sinister, perfectly valid explanations." Seriously, this is great.

Read more posts by Margaret Lyons

Filed Under:
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,jfk
,the umbrella man
,documentaries

Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice president of iPod, iPhone, and iOS product marketing, shared four keys to Apple's success at a recent event titled "Silicon Valley Comes to Cambridge." You can hit the original story at The Wall Street Journal for the full text of each point, but we've pared them down to the basics below.


Focus: It means saying no, not saying yes.

Simplicity: Make complex things simple.

Courage: Don't hang on to ideas from the past even if they have been successful for you.

Best: If you can't enter the market and try and be the best in it, don't enter it.

Joswiak knows what he's talking about; he's worked at Apple for 20 years, and he's been responsible for marketing some of the most successful electronic products ever -- forget most successful Apple products, we're talking most successful gadgets from anyone, period.

What's refreshing about these four points is they sound as though they could have come from Steve Jobs himself; though the man himself is gone, the company he built has clearly internalized the principles that made it successful in the first place.
Apple's Greg Joswiak describes Apple's four principles of success originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Some of us have to have everything right now. Others couldn't give a crap if their new DVD turned up this week or next. Starting today, Amazon is rewarding its Prime users by offering free music store credit in exchange for longer shipping times. More »

Amazon's new Kindle Fire represents the company's first device to move beyond black and white ebook readers and into the realm of apps, music, videos and magazines, delivered using a color touchscreen.

Disc 1 | Disc 2

1987 12 23 Los Angeles, CA Rehearsal Without F.Z. SBD 1st 92.27 (db-pbuzby)

Disc 1

01 Jezebel Boy
02 When The Lie's So Big (-> Planet Of The Baritone Women)
03 What's New In Baltimore
04 Moggio
05 I Ain't Got No Heart
06 Heavy Duty Judy
07 Filthy Habits
08 Pound For A Brown
09 Disco Boy (-> Pound For A Brown)
10 Big Swifty
11 Who Needs The Peace Corps (-> I Left My Heart In San Francisco)
12 Let's Move To Cleveland
13 Dancin' Fool
14 RDNZL
15 Strictly Genteel (cut near end)

Disc 2

01 Andy
02 Inca Roads
03 Hot Plate Heaven At The Green Hotel
04 Stick Together
05 My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama
06 Willie The Pimp
07 Montana
08 Easy Meat
09 Peaches En Regalia
10 Sofa
11 Black Napkins
12 Black Page #2

NFL Flick Quarterback has arrived in the App Store. The iPhone/iPod touch uses flick and after-touch controls similar to those in Flick Golf and Flick Soccer.

Created by Full Fat, the $2.99 game includes all 32 official NFL teams where you are the star quarterback.

NFL Flick Quarterback

Features include:

Complete passes to try for the highest score in Playmaker
Face your opponents, avoiding their intelligent movement and interception skills
Juke oncoming defenders to avoid getting sacked
Throw as many passes as you can into the trash can in Trick Shot
Play during the day or night, and even take on the natural elements – can you stand up to the wind like the toughest of NFL QBs?
Pick your favorite team and customize your jersey name and number to become the QB you’ve always dreamed of becoming
Play among beautifully rendered 3D stadium environments
More than 120 unique football player animations
Dancing cheerleaders before the game
Game Center leaderboards and achievements
Full high-resolution graphics for Retina display devices
Enhanced for iPhone 4S
Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation 32gb and 64gb), iPod touch (4th Generation), iPad and iPad 2.

Download NFL Flick Quarterback today in the App Store.

NFL Flick QuarterbackFlick Golf!Flick Soccer!NFL Flick Quarterback Launches On iPhone is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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Watch the new Primus for Tragedy's A' Comin, a track from their Green Naugahyde album. The clip contains lobsters, astronauts, restaurant dancing, and the general weirdness that is associated with this band.

» primusville.com

HT faves Umphrey’s McGee have teamed up with the folks behind the Groupees platform to sell the band’s two-part Red Rocks & Blue documentary to help benefit an incredible cause – feeding the hungry through the Feed Them With Music campaign. Starting at 3PM ET this afternoon, you can pay what you want for access to the 26-minute documentary at Groupees’ website or through the widget below. For every dollar collected, one meal will be to distributed to those in need.

If Umphrey’s and Groupees meet their goal of furnishing over 2,500 and 5,000  meals, the Chicago-based sextet will kicked down rare, unreleased tracks to those who participate. In addition, the folks who contribute the most to this “Pay What You Want” promotion will receive an autographed copy of the group’s long out of print debut and will have the chance to name the “Jazz Odyssey” that kicked off Umphrey’s epic Hauntlanta finale. So, UM fans get to see a documentary filled with live performances, interviews and backstage footage AND help feed the hungry? Sign us up!

If you’re like us, your first exposure to Primus came through one of the group’s now legendary videos for Wynonna’s Got a Big Brown Beaver, Tommy The Cat or Jerry Was a Race Car Driver. Primus front man Les Claypool has teamed up with the director of the Tommy and Jerry videos, Mark Kohr, to create a video for the Green Naugahyde track Tragedy’s A’Comin.

In the clip, Claypool appears dressed up as a lobster who dreams of running on a white sand beach instead of meeting his true fate – someone’s dinner at a fancy restaurant. While this is Primus’s first video in over 11 years, The Tragedy’s A’Comin clip continues the band’s trend of deliciously bizarre adaptions of their music. Take a look…

Primus – Tragedy’s A’Comin

Firecore has announced that its aTV Flash (black) software for jailbroken second gen Apple TV’s has finally come out of beta and is now at version 1.0. aTV Flash adds a whole host of additional features to your Apple TV such as a media player that can handle loads of different video formats, a WebKit web browser, Last.fm radio, Weather and RSS feeds. The new Media Player included in aTV Flash (black) empowers you to go beyond iTunes and play most popular media formats. This includes formats such as: AVI, FLAC, ISO, M2TS, MKV, MP3, MP4, MPEG, MPG, VOB, WMV and many others. Cover art and metadata are downloaded automatically and added to your files with an end result of amazing! If you’ve already taken the time to add your own metadata you can you can use that too. Surf the web with a native web browser that provides a rich web experience on the AppleTV. Included is support for things like HTML5 music and video streaming as well as easy to use bookmarks and history. Navigating the web is easily done with the included AppleTV remote or the free Remote app for the iPhone and iPad. Go beyond just listening to music and start truly experiencing it by utilizing the full power of Last.fm. While streaming Last.fm radio (or playing your own music) you’ll have access to artist bios, and a seemingly endless amount of artist photos. Get quick access to weather and RSS news feeds. Your current weather location will be detected automatically, and other locations can be easily added as well. aTV Flash version 1.0 is now available to buy and costs $29.95. You will need to have a jailbroken second generation Apple TV to take advantage of it.
Source: Firecore
 

aTV Flash (black) Demo from FireCore, LLC on Vimeo.

Amazon's hot, new tablet, the Kindle Fire, has been touted as a potential competitor to the iPad. Now that the tablet has launched and landed in the hands of several of our writers, it's time to take a closer look at Amazon's offering. You can read our opinions below and find out if the Fire lives up to its pre-launch hype.

Kelly Hodgkins

When I first pulled the Kindle Fire out of the box, I fell in love with the size. I love the iPad, but sometimes it's hard to hold the tablet for any length of time with one hand. The Kindle, though, is just perfect. It's not a full-fledged Android tablet like the Xoom or Galaxy tab, but it does most everything I want it to do. You can listen to music, watch videos, read books and browse the web. You can install apps from the Amazon App Store and there's a free app everyday.

It's tightly integrated into Amazon's ecosystem and had all my content ready and waiting right out of the box. It helps that I am a long-time Amazon customer and have used the retailer's music store, book store and video store in the past. I'll lose some of my Apple cred, but I must admit I have more content tied up in Amazon's services than I do in iTunes.

It's not the iPad, though, and wasn't designed to be. It's a media consumption device for Amazon's content. It isn't a workhorse like the iPad, which I can use to write documents, edit images and create presentations. The Kindle Fire will find a home on my coffee table ready and waiting for me to read that next chapter in a book, watch that TV show or look up information on that web site. For $199, it's the best bargain tablet on the market.

Steve Sande

It's obvious that Jeff Bezos had taken presentation lessons from Steve Jobs at some time in the past, because when he announced the Kindle Fire I thought it was going to be an incredible device. Don't get me wrong -- I've found some things that I like about the Fire, but it's definitely not an iPad-killer, at least not in its current incarnation. Instead, I think it's a way for Amazon to enter the tablet market with a splash, and then use the first Kindle Fire as a "gateway drug" for larger and better tablets to come. At $199, it's an amazing device.

The Kindle Fire is small - surprisingly so. I found that specific size (a 7" screen) to be too big to comfortably hold in one hand like I can an iPhone or iPod touch, and too small in terms of screen size to be friendly to my 54 year-old eyes. That's kind of an uncomfortable neighborhood to be living in, and at least I only had to pay $199 to find out that a 7" device isn't the right size for me.

My biggest complaint at this point is the utter lack of decent software. I'm used to the awesome built-in apps and wonderful third-party apps for the iPad. When I was trying to figure out how to take a screenshot, I quickly found out that there was no way to do it that was built into the device. A search for screenshot apps showed nothing. Finally, our own Queen of the iOS App Devs, Erica Sadun, figured out a way to do it -- something that a lot of people in the Android world were also trying to figure out. I'm used to being able to easily set up new email accounts with iOS Mail, which seems to take care of a lot of the details of setting up IMAP and POP accounts. Not so with the built-in email app on the Fire, which took a lot more work. I wanted to listen to some podcasts, so I looked for a way to do so on the Kindle Fire. Surprise - there's no native way of doing it. I was fortunate enough to find a third-party app that would allegedly allow me to download and play podcasts, but after entering in the feed URLs and downloading the feeds, the device just didn't want to play them.

I found that to be the case with many things I wanted to do with the Fire. I think Amazon is going to sell a boatload of the devices to Kindle book reader owners, and I think that things will get better as Amazon responds to early adopter feedback and has developers create apps that are designed for the Fire. But right now, it feels a bit like a work in progress.

TJ Luoma

My first reaction to the Kindle Fire was opening the box and thinking "Wow, that looks great." My second reaction was when I took it out of the box and thought: "Wow, that's heavy." I had one of the previous generation Kindles, and loved the fact that it was so light and thin, you could almost forget you were holding it. The Kindle Fire isn't like that. It might not be very heavy *objectively* but it feels heavy.

There were a few immediate frustrations, too. First, unlike all of the other Kindles, the Kindle Fire does *not* come with optional built-in 3G. "Free 3G" is included in the other Kindles primarily to download books, not surf the web. Browsing on the previous Kindles was listed as an "experimental" feature, and the experience was painful (I assume that is still true with the other Kindles). When I tried to download Watchmen (more on that in a moment), the download was painfully slow. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, when suddenly the Kindle announced that it had an OS update, and rebooted itself immediately. It's a little surprising to see an update needed on Day 1, but worse was the fact that the Watchmen download was about 50% completed when the Kindle rebooted, and then I had to restart the download from the beginning.

Reading on the Kindle Fire is great. The screen is really bright, it's a nice size despite the weight, and other books downloaded quickly. If the e-ink "flash" annoyed you, you'll be glad to know that it's not a problem with an LCD. Pages don't "curl" like the iPad, but that's not a feature I ever wanted or needed. Instead, pages slide out of the way when you tap or drag. If you've ever used a Kindle before, the move to a touchscreen Kindle is very intuitive...at least for reading books.

My wife picked it up and couldn't figure out how to turn it on. There are no buttons on the front, and the button on the bottom is very small. Once she was inside a program, she couldn't figure out how to get back out again (tap on the screen, then hit the back or home icons). Those are minor adjustments that will come with more experience. Cut/copy and paste, however, is a mess. Anyone who thinks Apple made a mistake by waiting to add copy/paste to iOS until they had a good UI should try the Kindle Fire. Trying to select text is difficult. Trying to adjust the selection is difficult. Once you get the word/sentence/paragraph highlighted, figuring out how to get it to cut/copy is difficult. It's so bad that I actually opened the manual and searched for a section on copy/paste. There isn't one.

In a world without an iPad, the Kindle Fire would be the best tablet device I had ever seen. But the world has now seen two generations of iPads. It's impossible not to compare them. Yes, the Kindle Fire is less than half the price of the iPad; unfortunately, it's less than half of the experience, too. Before someone objects to comparing version 1 of the Kindle Fire against version 2 of the iPad, let me be clear: the Kindle Fire compares unfavorably against the *first* generation iPad, and the UI compares unfavorably against the first generation of iOS.

I was sitting yesterday with my iPhone, iPad, and Kindle Fire. Someone sitting next to me pointed at the iPhone and said "I know what that is" and then pointing to the iPad "and I know what that is" then he pointed to the Kindle Fire "but what's that?" I explained told him what it was. "Is it a big phone or a small computer?" he asked. That's the experiential difficulty with the Kindle Fire. It's obviously not a phone.

While there have been plenty of people who have considered trading their laptops for iPads, I don't think many people will try the same with the Kindle Fire (for one thing, the lack of Bluetooth means you can't connect a keyboard). The Kindle Fire is primarily a color Kindle that also has a web browser, email, and some games. The addition of the Amazon Instant video library will be a benefit to some, but again the size makes it too small to be able to set down on a desk or table and watch comfortably, but too heavy to hold for the duration of a movie.

One last word, regarding the "Silk" browser. I live behind a high latency satellite connection, and I thought Silk was going to be a huge boon for me because of that. It isn't. In fact, it has no noticeable effect at all. On a fast DSL connection it doesn't seem any faster than my iPhone or iPad.

Oh, and about that Watchmen book, which is available exclusively on the Kindle Fire? It's unreadable. There's far too much whitespace around the actual page (a side effect of its shape?) which makes the page itself too small to comfortably read, at least for my 38 year-old eyes. I had expected there would be some sort of special feature or reason why it was only available on the Kindle Fire, but if there is, I can't figure out what. As far as I can tell, there's absolutely no reason why Watchmen isn't available for Kindle on the iPad, where it might actually be readable.

Even more surprising, the Kindle Fire cannot play the "Kindle Edition with Audio/Video" version of Stephen King's 11/22/63. If you want to read that, you'll need an iOS device, or get the regular Kindle version which doesn't have the "13-minute film, written and narrated by Stephen King and enhanced with historic footage from CBS News, that will take you back...to Kennedy era America."
First Impressions of the Kindle Fire originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A study of 2,300 enterprise workers notes that Apple's iPhone has surpassed RIM's BlackBerry as the top pick among business users, with more than twice share of Android models in business.

DC Comics released the first issues of 52 new series during a relaunch of their entire line of superhero comics. Paste comic reviewers read every issue and now reviewed the entire line-up week by week.

While Apple’s iPad falls into the mobile device category, “mobile” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s being used while on the go. In fact, new research conducted by McKinsey & Company found that most iPads never leave their owners’ houses, and are used most in the living room, for many of the things previously done on a home computer. Though Microsoft, Google, Sony and others through the years have been vying to be the “living room PC,” Apple, at least right now, is winning that battle.

McKinsey came up with this data during a recent survey of 15,000 consumers in 15 countries, undertaken to create a profile of what the firm calls the “iConsumer.” Bertil Chappuis, principal for McKinsey & Company’s Silicon Valley office, presented his findings on Tuesday morning at Forbes’ Techonomy conference  in Tuscon, Ariz.

Apple has sold about 40 million iPads since 2010. Of the iPad owners McKinsey surveyed, it found that 62 percent never take their iPad outside their house. In other words, it’s being used as just another home computer, like a replacement laptop for tasks such as watching video or browsing the web. While the iPad is “finding its way into places in the home we didn’t have computing in the past,” the living room is where people use their iPad: 70 percent of usage takes place there.

Said Chappuis:

“The PC tried to get into the living room for 20 years. Well, it’s here.”

The side effect of iPad owners finding their iPad good enough for certain computing tasks at home is a delay in plans to buy a new PC. You can see that in the slowly declining PC sales over the last few quarters: By the end of this year, IDC expects worldwide PC shipments will have grown a measly 2.8 percent compared to 2010.

“Folks who have tablets are significantly delaying their purchases of PCs,” said Chappuis. “They’re not doing away with it — [the PC] has a role to play for a long time — but that delay of a purchase is having a very direct impact on unit volumes in the PC ecosystem.”

To watch the full presentation, see the clip below:

Watch live streaming video from techonomy at livestream.com
Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
Connected world: the consumer technology revolutionConnected Consumer Q3: Netflix fumbles; Kindle Fire shinesWhat Amazon’s new Kindle line means for Apple, Netflix and online media

To coincide with the release of his new “Sting 25” album, the British singer has released a companion app for iPad. According to The Wall Street Journal, the free Sting 25 app, cost one million dollars to produce.

Created by New York-based @radical.media, the app combines music, concert footage, photographs and videos. In addition, the app includes raw footage from Sting’s performance in October at New York’s Beacon Theatre, which included duets Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder.

Apps represent largely uncharted territory in music. Recently the singer Björk married songs from her album “Biophilia” to a series of spacey video game-style interactives. Otherwise, few artists’ apps have grabbed mainstream attention—most that exist are rudimentary, compiling tour dates, Twitter feeds and the like for mobile devices. Artist managers and labels have held off on attempts to develop ambitious apps because the payoffs are unclear.

Sting’s team is offering the app free in an effort to drive downloads and cross over to users outside his fan base. But the free strategy underscores a nagging uncertainty about the demand for such apps, and whether they can effectively spur sales of music downloads. “There’s clearly going to be a business model down the road, but nobody has a sense of what the market is yet,” said Justin Wilkes, @radical’s executive vice president of media and entertainment.

Sting 25 looks like an interesting app and a must-have for any Sting fan. Get it today in the App Store.

Sting 25Sting Releases His One Million Dollar App – For Free is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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Unstuck is a new book from Noah Scalin offering 52 methods and strategies that one can use to get out of a creative rut. He's also running a bunch of 30 second videos from people describing their own tricks, including yours truly; Improv Everywhere's Charlie Todd; performance artist Slash Coleman; and Matt Lively.

Hours after releasing its iTunes Match service to the public, Apple is providing customers with additional information by way of their support site, according to news first reported by 9 To 5 Mac. Taken together, these documents should answer most of the questions many are having about Apple’s song matching service. Here are some of the highlights.

The first is this chart that explains what each of the iTunes Match icons mean. These show up within iTunes after adding a computer to iTunes Match.

iTunes Match Icons

Apple also released four additional support documents, each worth reviewing.

Troubleshooting iTunes Match
How to subscribe to iTunes Match
How to add a computer or iOS device to iTunes Match
How to delete songs from iCloud.

 

We’ve received a number of emails yesterday and today from readers wanting to know what happens to local copies of songs through iTunes Match.

According to a tipster in the MacRumors forum, these songs stay in iTunes unless they are MANUALLY removed.

Nothing happens to your local music when you run match. If you have a lower quality song that was matched you can remove it from your local library and then replace it with the 256k version. What happens is you delete the song, but the entry in iTunes stays, but a little cloud now shows up in a newly added column that shows you that you have a song that is in the cloud but not in your library. You can click on the cloud and it will download it to your local library, where again it is now permanently yours at the higher bit rate.

In addition, we’d like to clarify and explain the often noted 25,000 song iTunes Match limit. While this number does not include songs purchased in iTunes, songs matched do count against this limit. In other words, songs burned from a CD do count against the 25,000 limit. Remember also that iTunes Match only works with songs. In other words, it excludes audiobook, ringtones, iTunes LPs, and iTunes Extras.

Again from 9 To 5 Mac:

Your limit is 25,000 songs and purchased from iTunes don’t count, but matched does. Again if you have personal recordings etc. they won’t match (obviously) but will be copied to the cloud in their current format.

In terms of file formats and iTunes Match, Apple states:

Songs encoded as MP3 or AAC that have been matched to the iTunes Store will be made available for download as 256 kbps as AAC from iCloud.
Songs encoded as MP3 or AAC that cannot be matched to the iTunes Store will be uploaded as is. These songs will be made available for download in the same format it was uploaded in.
Songs encoded as MP3 or AAC with a bitrate of 96 kbps or less will not be matched or uploaded to iCloud.
Songs encoded as ALAC, WAV, or AIFF, will be transcoded in iTunes to 256 kbps AAC when uploaded to iCloud.
Song files over 200 MB will not be uploaded to iCloud.

As a reminder, iTunes Match is available via iTunes 10.5.1 for $24.99/year. For more information on iTunes Match, please see our original review. Have any additional questions? Let us know by using the comments below.

iTunes Match – Your Questions Answered is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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The first shows billed as Phil Lesh and Friends took place in the Bay Area during the Spring of 1998. One of these shows, a 4/20 gig at the Warfield, featured a ridiculous lineup of Lesh, Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby, John Molo, Stan Franks and Branford Marsalis. An audience recording of this performance has just surfaced on the Live Music Archive and is well worth hearing for the banter between Phil, Bobby and Bruce alone.

Here’s six other bootlegs to keep your music player well-fed…

The Band @ Woodstock SBD [Guitar101]
Wooden Shjips 11/10/2011 DAUD [NYCTaper]
Paul McCartney 11/10/2010 SBD [Guitar101]
Robert Plant and Band of Joy 6/21/2011 FM [Guitar101]
Buffalo Springfield Outtakes & Alternates [Guitar101]
Steve Kimock & Friends 11/04/2011 DAUD [NYCTaper]

MG Siegler:

During the PC years, specs also mattered because there was one
common dominant force in computing: Microsoft. Because Windows was
everywhere, you could fairly reliably gauge the performance of one
machine against another. But with the rise of the Mac and more
importantly, smartphones and tablets, you can’t as easily stack
machines up against one another performance-wise.

As our technology becomes more humanely designed, subjective factors outweigh objective ones. Subjective factors can’t be assigned neat little numbers ranging from 1-10.

 ★ 

After a bit of delay, Apple launched iTunes Match today. The new $25/year service offers users the ability to match their existing iTunes library with high quality versions in Apple's iCloud. The new service, however, has generated a bit of confusion about what exactly happens to your music library after you have enabled it.

One of the first questions, how to determine the iCloud status of a particular song, is solved by right-clicking the column bar at the top of the iTunes window (or pressing Command-J) and making sure "iCloud Status" is selected.

MacRumors forum user Nunyabinez has written a detailed explanation of how iTunes Match works that should answer a number of potential questions if you are planning to enable the feature. We've summarized the key points here, but the full post is worth a read if you are planning on using Tunes Match.- When you enable Match it goes through a three step process. Analyzing your library, matching songs, uploading non-matched content. It does this for your whole library. You can't choose to exclude songs other than taking them out of your library.

- If a song is matched, it becomes available to download in 256K AAC. If a song is not matched it is copied in its current format and bit rate up to 320K. If the file is Lossless however, it is converted (presumably by your computer) to a 256k AAC file and then uploaded.

- Nothing happens to your local music when you run match. If you have a lower quality song that was matched you can remove it from your local library and then replace it with the 256k version. What happens is you delete the song, but the entry in iTunes stays, but a little cloud now shows up in a newly added column that shows you that you have a song that is in the cloud but not in your library. You can click on the cloud and it will download it to your local library, where again it is now permanently yours at the higher bit rate.

- Match uses your meta-data. If you in an anal-retentive fashion have made lots of custom edits to your files, that is what gets copied to the cloud. Even if you replace your songs with the upgraded versions you keep your previous meta-data.iTunes Match launched earlier today with the arrival of iTunes 10.5.1. The $24.99/year service offers cloud-based matching and upload of users' complete iTunes libraries.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• How to Use iTunes Match With Very Large iTunes Libraries
• Roundup of Early Kindle Fire Reviews
• Apple Opening New German Retail Store on November 17th
• iPhone 4S to Launch in India on November 25th
• Some Users Not Able to Access iCloud Mail or Website [Update: Back Up]

Profanity is a divisive subject. Some think obscenities have no place in any polite conversation, ever; some feel, judiciously applied, profanity is the best flavor in their communication spice rack; others lob expletives like they're trying to unlock a coveted F**k-Yeah Four-Letter Words badge. It's a touchy subject, and one at the focus of some enjoyable debate in the past week. So let's talk about it, shall we? More »

Every since Apple introduced disc burning into Mac OS X, third-party software stopped seeing much development. While there aren't a ton of disc burning apps still in the running, Burn still stands strong as our top choice thanks to its simplicity, powerful feature set, and $0 price tag. More »

It's fall. It's chilly. Maybe you have friends or family coming over later. Beef stew is on the menu. It's tempting to spring for some steak to make your stew extra-special, isn't it? But, friends, save your pennies because slow-cooked stews are where cheaper cuts really shine.
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Mac: Sure most of us use iTunes to purchase music, but playing that music in iTunes is kind of a pain. For a lot less bloat and a more streamlined experience give Simplier a try—it's a simple music player that uses your existing iTunes music library. More »

'Tis the season for braises, slow-cooked meat that falls apart into tender chunks. Here's a new favorite cut of meat for me: The inexpensive, incredibly delicious crosscut beef shank.
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Backed by his New Blood Orchestra, art-rock singer and former Genesis leader Peter Gabriel performed a special hour-long show for the CBS online live music series, Live on Letterman. In addition, Gabriel made a guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman to perform an orchestral rendition of "Red Rain" from his hallmark 1986 album So.

Originally released as an iPad-exclusive app in mid-March, iCookbook is now available to iPhone- and iPod touch-toting home cooks thanks to a big version 2.0 update that hit the App Store today. The update also brings all kinds of handy new features that will definitely make planning and preparing your home meals much easier.

All 2,000+ of iCookbook‘s name-brand recipes have made their way to iPhone and iPod touch along with the app’s many original features like voice commands during preparation, search filters, kitchen tools, and personal recipe box. The best part is, if you already have iCookbook installed on your iPad and want to avoid having to add the same recipes and shopping list ingredients to your iPhone or iPod touch, it’s as easy as enabling iCloud. The only catch is that both devices need to use the same Apple ID for this feature to work.



Voice commands during preparation.

iCookbook also now allows you to push your recipes to your Apple TV-connected television via AirPlay, so you won’t need to walk all over the kitchen just to see the next step in the meal preparation process. That is, of course, if you are lucky enough to have an Apple TV-connected television in or near your kitchen.

iCookbook v2.0 also features a new recipe rating system, the ability to drag and drop recipes into My Recipe Box and Meal Builder, the ability to add photos to your own personal recipes, and a simplified way of displaying recipe collections in the iCookbook in-app store.

The latest version of iCookbook for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad is now available in the App Store for $4.99. Check it out if you need some new ideas for Thanksgiving this year.

iCookbook – thousands of name-brand recipes with easy Voice Control prepiCookbook Gains iPhone, iCloud, And AirPlay Support With Latest Update is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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On Oct. 2, 1941—11 days before Paul Simon was born—a Baptist preacher from Atlanta named Reverend J.M. Gates recorded his final sermon. He concluded his prolific 15-year career, which included more than 200 recordings, with the fiery oration “Gettin’ Ready For Christmas Day.”

Turns out there’s a way to enable that as-yet unsurfaced iOS 5 panorama mode in the Camera app without having to Jailbreak — though you do have to be comfortable opening up iPhone backup files, editing plists, and restoring the modified backup. It’s not difficult mind you, just a little be of time and effort.
If you’re itching to get your tinker on, hit the link below for all the details.
Source: Funky Space Monkey via 9to5Mac

Did you ever think of your finger as a legal signing tool? Softsign for iPad (free for a limited time) offers a PDF annotation tool for iOS that allows you to sign legal documents via a touch screen.

Developer Tom Hodgson points out that a variety of laws implemented more than a decade ago made electronic signatures legally valid in the US, the UK, and beyond. The 2000 United States ESIGN act specified that e-signatures could be accepted as equivalent to a written signature for commercial transactions. The EU has the 1999/93/EC Directive on Electronic Signatures, and in the UK there is the Electronic Communications Act 2000.

The first time you use the app, you're prompted to enter a master password. This password goes into effect whenever the screen goes idle or you enter or leave the app. It ensures that no one is going to use Softsign accidentally by picking up your iPad.

Once you've authenticated, you can review the PDF agreements that have been sent to you and sign them, both by entering typed text elements and by signing items. The signing screen provides an interactive drawing session letting you create as many strokes as needed to build your signature. Handy undo support means stray marks can be removed before adding them to your signature.



Softsign has clearly spent a lot of time thinking about the user experience. You can easily drag elements around the screen to move them into place just-so, or to resize or delete them. This is one of the best iPad direct manipulation GUIs I've encountered in that regard.

I'm slightly less fond of Softsign's annotation system, but I understand where it comes from. The designers needed to adapt tasks to a touch-only system without having to add complex gestures or overly train their users. They did this by adding a lot of menus. These are quite pretty to look at, and simple to use, but I wish you didn't have to drill up and down quite so much.

Softsign allows you to mark up PDFs, not just sign them. When you enter annotation mode, it uses a series of (modal) pull-down menus that allow you to adjust the pen size, to navigate through the document, and to perform basic edits.

Once you're done, (tap Done), you save your changes (with optional password protection) to file and enter a screen that allows you to email and print the file. Softsign offers integrated "Open in" features, letting you export your signed documents to AirSharing, Dropbox, or other applications that connect outward to the internet.

Adding new documents to Softsign couldn't be easier. Just drop items in through iTunes or email them to yourself and use iOS Mail's "Open in" option to move PDFs over to Softsign.

On the whole, Softsign is cleverly built, offers well thought out features, and was straightforward to use. It is being offered for free for a limited time. TUAW suggests you take advantage of this offer while you can.

[We covered SignMyPad a while back, a similar app developed by former TUAW contributor Justin Esgar. SignMyPad is now $3.99 for the basic version, and $19.99 for the GPS-enabled Pro version that formerly cost $99. -Ed.]
Sign legal documents with your finger, your iPad and Softsign originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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While you wouldn’t know it from Apple’s latest marketing campaign, the Siri voice assistant service remains in beta. As such, it doesn’t contain some of the features that will likely be added in the future. Case in point, Siri is currently unable to launch third-party apps. However, there is a way to do this, according to iDownloadBlog.

To do so, you must use something called URL Schemes. Luckily, the iPhone URL Schemes wiki page lists many of these commands, which have been used in the past for some interesting tweaks. For example, in August @comex uncovered a shortcut, tellock://, which when entered will lock your phone in some strange way. Another one, lets you create fake FaceTime call. In this example, you must create separate “contacts” for each app you want Siri to open and then add to it a list of URL Schemes.

For example:

To create a Facebook shortcut for Siri, make a new contact and call it something like “Facebook Shortcuts.” Then, add a bunch of the URL schemes from above. After you’ve made the contact, tell Siri something along the lines of “show Facebook shortcuts.”

Tapping each of the URLs will open the associated action in the Facebook app. Again, it’s not the prettiest trick in the world, but it’s functional.

There’s really unlimited possibilities when it comes to these URL scheme triggers, so I encourage you to check out the handleOpenURL database for more third-party app schemes. Here are some more examples for stock iOS apps:

itms-apps:// – Open the App Store

maps:// – Open the Maps app

sms:// – Open the compose window of the Messages app

music:// – Go to the currently playing song in the Music app

youtube:// – Open the YouTube app

itms-books:// – Open the iBooks app

While even iDownloadBlog admits this isn’t the “cleanest method,” for now, it appears to be the only solution to have Siri open apps automatically. Personally, I’ll wait until Apple provides this feature seamlessly. Still, it’s a nice find.

How To: Teach Siri To Open Third-Party Apps is a story by AppAdvice.comAppAdvice - iPhone, iPad, iPod, App Reviews + News
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Chrome: Reeder for Chrome is inspired by Reeder for Mac OS and iOS, but it's not from the same developers. Nevertheless, it retains the clean and easy-to-use look and feel of the original, and completely re-skins Google Reader into a clean and attractive three-paned feed reader that looks just like the desktop and mobile app. More »

Roku scored a huge coup with the release of the HBO Go app on its streaming media box Thursday. But not everyone who subscribes to the premium cable network will have access to it. In fact, the two biggest pay TV operators in the U.S. — Comcast and DirecTV — have decided not to support the Roku app.

The HBO Go app just went live for users to download from the Roku Channel Store, and as pointed out by BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield, it provides a better experience than most cable VOD offerings for accessing HBO content. However, the service is only available to subscribers of participating TV providers, a list that doesn’t include Comcast or DirecTV.

With more than 40 million subscribers between them, those operators represent a huge portion of the overall pay TV market in the U.S., but they’re not the only operators whose subscribers can’t access HBO Go on Roku. Time Warner Cable and Cablevision still haven’t reached deals with the network to roll out HBO Go access on any of its platforms, whether it be PC, mobile or connected TV platforms. Altogether, that means that more than half of all pay TV subs won’t be able to use the Roku HBO Go app, even if they wanted to.

HBO Go has proven incredibly popular since it came out about a year and a half ago. The HBO Go iPad app, by itself, has been downloaded more than 5 million times — and has only been available since May. With that in mind, HBO wants to become ubiquitous on as many devices as possible.

When asked about the lack of support by Comcast or DirecTV, an HBO spokesperson emailed the following statement: “HBO GO has been a huge success with HBO subscribers. It therefore makes good business sense that affiliates will want to satisfy their subscribers’ desire to access this valuable product enhancement on all platforms.”

The decision not to support streaming on the Roku is also a little surprising because both Comcast and DirecTV have both made huge strides in opening up to new digital platforms. Comcast, for instance, unveiled its own iPad app, which includes on-demand video content from HBO and other providers — and is launching its own connected TV apps on Samsung TVs and the Xbox 360. Meanwhile, DirecTV is betting big on its Nomad set-top box for streaming pre-recorded DVR programs on laptops and connected devices. Both also support HBO Go streaming on web browsers and mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Furthermore, there’s no contractual reason Comcast or DirecTV users can’t access the Roku app. A person with knowledge of the situation told us there are no amendments needed for those companies to authenticate with one device or another, and the decision to support different devices — or not — is up to the operator.

Roku expects to have sold 3 million streaming boxes by year-end, and CEO Anthony Wood told us last fall that about 12 percent of Roku users go on to cut the cord or cancel their pay TV subscriptions. All of which suggests that the number of HBO Go users with Roku boxes is probably pretty small, in comparison to the 28 million subscriber the network has in the U.S.

But non-support for one device that streams to the TV calls into question support for other connected TV apps that HBO and other networks have in the works. HBO Go will be one of the featured applications as part of Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox Live update, and expects to build apps for other connected TV platforms next year.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.
Connected Consumer Q1: The Over-the-Top vs. Pay TV Battle Heats UpReport: The Connected TV MarketplaceReport: The Ongoing Battle for the Digital Home

Calendars are the cornerstone of our busy 21st century lives. Without them, many would not remember the long list of things they need to do and all the places they need to go. For some, the iOS default calendar is suitable, but many people want a calendar with a bit more oomph. Here's a list of five calendar apps for this group of power calendar users (all prices are USD).

CalenGoo ($6.99, universal)

CalenGoo is a calendar replacement that let you sync with Google Calendar. It easily syncs all your calendars (not just the default) and keeps their status so your hidden calendars remain hidden. It also supports Google calendar-specific features like Google tasks and Google's invitation system, so you can see whether someone accepted or declined an invite. If you don't have an Internet connection, CalenGoo will save all your changes offline and sync up with Google calendar when you have an active connection. At $6.99, this universal app is pricey, but worth it for heavy Google calendar users.

Fast Calendar + Tasks (Calvetica) ($2.99, universal)

Calvetica is an another favorite, but unlike CalenGoo, it pulls its calendar entries in from your default iOS calendar. This means setup is easy as you don't have to provide login information for Google and other services. It also means you can sync with a variety of calendars including iCloud, Exchange calendars and Google Calendar. This convenience comes at a cost as you lose some specialized features like Google task syncing. Calvetica does support tasks, but they're restricted to Calvetica, not an external calendar. If all you need is a good events calendar with alarm support, then Calvetica is fantastic. It's visually stunning and chock full of options to tweak how it looks and performs. There's also a bunch of gestures that let you navigate through the app with ease. And at $2.99, it is a very reasonably priced.

Pocket Informant ($12.99 for iPhone, $14.99 for iPad)

Pocket Informant is an oldie, but goodie. It was "the" calendar app for Windows Mobile and has been successfully ported to iOS and Android. Just like its older Windows Mobile counterpart, Pocket Informant for iOS is filled with features and options. That's one of the first things you notice about Pocket Informant - the five different views and all the settings that let you tweak the app to your heart's content. It's also more than a calendar app and includes tasks, notes and contacts as well. It may be $12.99, but you get a lot of bang for your buck.

TouchBase Calendar ($0.99)

TouchBase is described as "smart calendar" that works more as a digital assistant and less as a static calendar. It helps you add contacts and map information to each event you add to your calendar. This information can then be used with the apps 1-touch feature, which lets you notify others that you have arrived at your meeting location or send them a SMS to say you'll be late. It also has 1-touch calling and 1-touch access to maps. It syncs to a variety of calendars including Exchange, Google, Outlook, CalDAV and MobileMe. TouchBase is definitely different from most calendar apps out there and, at 99-cents, it's worth a look.

Easy Calendar ($1.99)

Easy Calendar is easy. It lets you create a new event with only three taps and edit an existing event with only two. It has a clean UI with support for colored calendars and search function that is integrated into the week view. It ties into the default iOS calendar and, as a result, can sync with MobileMe, Outlook, Google Calendar and other CalDAV calendars. It's an excellent choice for someone who wants something prettier than the default iOS calendar, but doesn't need the complexity of Pocket Informant.
Five apps to replace your iOS Calendar originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Speaking of menu-bar calendars for Mac OS X, Fantastical 1.1 now includes the ability to edit events — a really nice improvement to one of my favorite utilities.

 ★ 

It's been a while since I shared some of my favorite recently-published food books. My desk is relatively tidy, but it becomes a sort of cocooned library of food books as the review copies stack up.

Recently I was scanning these volumes and realized that many of the books that came out this year have a really thoughtful aspect to them. Whether it be gentle suggestions for eating less meat like Pam Anderson's Cook without a Book, or an exciting but not didactic single-subject cookbook like Molly Stevens's All About Roasting, or Anne Zimmerman's moving account of M.F.K. Fisher's life in An Extravagant Hunger, I am struck by and humbled to see that it is this approach to that drew me to this career in the first place. These are the writers and cooks who inspire me.
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Less than a month after Roku announced HBO GO was headed to their set-top streamers… the service has arrived. And, at first blush, it looks to offer the same level of programming as found on HBO’s mobile apps — both original HBO programming, like Boardwalk Empire, and a selection of full length movies. I’ll dig in a bit deeper over the next few days, breaking down the content and evaluating the picture quality.

In the interim, it’s worth mentioning the decent amount of angst emanating from some Roku owners on their Facebook page. Folks want the option of subscribing to HBO GO without actually subscribing to HBO… the channel. Which seems entirely reasonable. Except, HBO will continue to make their big bucks through cable and satellite partners that they’d rather not alienate (by competing against). So, for the time being, cord cutters need not apply. Also, some wonder why we’d want HGO GO on another set-top if we already subscribe. Easy. Every episode, of every HBO series, on demand. The HBO channel(s), and even our providers on demand offerings, can’t match that. Plus, I’ve taken Roku on the road to more than one hotel (pic).

Now about bringing HBO GO to Samsung devices and the Xbox 360…

Click to enlarge:

CNET has published a two-part feature detailing the inside story of Microsoft's ill-fated Courier tablet (part one, part two). Courier, a foldable two-screen tablet envisaged as a kind of "digital Moleskine"—a digital analog to a leather-bound notebook ideal for note-taking and sketching—was an eye-catching concept, and its public cancellation dismayed many. The cancellation itself was something of an oddity; the product had never been officially publicised, existing only in the form of leaks and concept videos published by Gizmodo, but confirmation of Courier's demise was official and final.

The feature includes a number of details not previously public, including the scale of the Courier project. This was no minor research project or futuristic video production: more than 130 people were working on the project, and although the Courier team was far from producing final software or hardware, it had designed Samsung-built prototypes to allow people to get a feel for the Courier experience. Heading the Courier team was J Allard, the man who made Microsoft realize the importance of the Internet, later to become one of the key figures in the Xbox project.







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While Apple advertises iCloud's 'Documents in the Cloud' service as a way of keeping iWork files in sync across devices, its been discovered that Mac OS X Lion users can also leverage the service to sync all types of files across multiple Macs.

The San Jose Mercury News has posted a photo gallery of trick or treaters who visited Steve Jobs' Palo Alto home on Halloween, including a very adorable pair of siblings dressed as an iPad and an iPod.

The Mercury News said about 50 children and their parents ventured beyond the home's gates to receive cellophane bags with orange candy slices, Toblerones and sour drops. Some of the parents said keeping up the tradition was a wonderful testament to Jobs, who died Oct. 5.

The newspaper notes that the Jobs' are well-known in the area for opening up their home to neighbors on Halloween night, and Apple Stores have gotten in on the fun as well in the past.
Trick-or-treaters visit the Jobs residence originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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“Guys, look out the window to the left,” Ryan Adams shouts to the other occupants of his tour bus, rolling through the verdant Oregon countryside as it heads northward toward Eugene on Interstate 5. “There’s this weird enchanted forest over there. What the fuck is that?”

If you asked me to name my favorite concert of 2011, you wouldn’t have to wait long for a “Paul Simon at Webster Hall” response. Simon’s current touring band ranks among his best yet, which is saying a lot considering the highly-lauded players he’s gigged with in the past. Beyond David Byrne’s guest spot, which simply put was awesome, there was one highlight after another as the Queens native showed off his deep and eclectic catalog in front of an audience that ate up every minute of it. Paul doesn’t just attempt to simulate the album version of his songs in the live setting, he deconstructs each tune to create a new arrangement that best utilizes each of his band’s eight extremely talented multi-instrumentalists

In my review of the show I wrote, “Did you ever see a movie and then want to see it again because you felt you missed something? That’s the feeling you get when watching this all-star ensemble.” Well, I’m very happy to say we’ll all get to see it again because the Webster Hall show was filmed for a PBS special that will debut on December 3rd. For an example of Simon’s brilliant live arrangements look no further than this sample of Rewrite from the upcoming broadcast which features six of the band members playing guitars…

Check your local listings to find out when Paul Simon – Live at Webster Hall debuts on the PBS station near you.

[via Rolling Stone]

The classic comic book makes its big-screen debut under the imaginative direction of Ang Lee. Researcher Dr. Bruce Banner's (Eric Bana) failed experiments cause him to mutate into a powerful and savage green-skinned hulk when he loses control of his emotions. And the only person who seems to stand by him is his girlfriend, Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly), proving that love is indeed blind. Nick Nolte co-stars as Banner's father.

Director Vincent Gallo stars as Bud, a competitive road biker riding from New Hampshire to California for a race. But the journey is also an attempt to erase his memory of the one true love he can't forget, even as he beds other women.

Last night MTV held their second O Music Awards, featuring performances and award categories dedicated to music and culture in the digital sphere. Notable highlights include Björk taking home a Digital Genius Award, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" being awarded Best Vintage Viral Video, the Flaming Lips paying tribute to Steve Jobs with a cover performance of The Beatles' "Revolution" composed entirely on iPads, and the accompanying O Music Awards dance party achieving its goal of breaking the Guinness World Record for the Longest Team Dance Marathon.

[Updated to clarify version numbering. iOS Plex app is at 2.0, Mac app is at 0.9.5 or 0.9.5.1 beta.]

Plex is an advanced Media Server that runs on your Mac and manages and distributes your audio and video to other computers, a connected TV and your iOS devices via the Plex iOS app. The Plex family of free apps has just upgraded the iOS and server clients with a streamlined GUI and new features like sharing between Plex users.

Other new features include user-scalable subtitles and significant speed improvements. A new cloud-based component lets Plex users access their home media from any PC or Mac without complicated logins or IP addresses. The service is free, but requires a sign up.

Plex fills a nice gap for Apple fans since the company nuked the Front Row player. Of course, Plex does a great deal more than Front Row ever hoped to do, and puts your media about anywhere you want to consume it.

The updated Plex server software is free and is downloadable from the Plex site. You can get much more info at the Plex blog. Plex is based on XBMC, an open source media player and hub, as is Boxee, another popular media solution.

The Plex server software runs on Mac OS X (Intel only), Windows and Linux. The iOS clients require iOS 4.1 or later.

[hat tip MacStories]
Plex 2.0 for iOS ramps up video streaming; Plex 0.9.5 for Mac/Windows released as well originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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John Gruber is a man that really needs no introduction. As the regularly-snarky voice behind Daring Fireball and one of the foremost experts on all things Apple, he's carved out a mini-empire for himself on the internet (and taken his fair share of heat as a result).

He spared a few moments of his time to answer some of our pressing questions on life, technology, and a handful of items in between. The exchange is below, and we think you'll enjoy it.

What are you doing right now?

Literally? I just got home after taking my second-grade son trick-or-treating. (He was Han Solo.)

What's most exciting to you about technology at this moment?

The intersection of exquisitely-crafted native apps with ubiquitous networking and cloud-backed storage. Think about an app like Instagram. It's totally about the native experience -- smooth scrolling, fast access to the camera, instantly-applied image filters. But it would be completely uninteresting if not for its server-backed social networking. Used to be that native apps felt best but anchored your data to the device, and web apps running in a browser offered you ubiquitous access to your data but had a crummy front-end experience. We're getting to a point now where you don't have to compromise.

What's an app that you're in love with right now?

I'll say Tweetbot.

I use Twitter more than anything else on my iPhone. I can (and of course do) read email on my phone, but as I go through new messages on the phone I always find myself flagging messages to come back to when I'm back at my desk, because dealing with them seems like too much to do on the phone. Whereas Tweets are the perfect size to be digested on a small screen.

I find a ton of the material I link to on DF via Twitter, and for many months now, Tweetbot has been my go-to client. It's fast and it integrates with a slew of other services. And the app has a lot of personality.

What is your favorite movie?

Just one? Tough. Come back in a week and I'll probably give you a different answer, depending on my mood, but tonight I'll go with 2001: A Space Odyssey.

What science fiction technology would you most like to see become reality?

I suppose those heal-anything-wrong-with-the-patient devices Dr. Crusher had on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Have you ever edited a Wikipedia entry? Have you ever edited your own Wikipedia entry?

I was going to say "no" to both of these, because I don't recall having ever done so, but I checked, and it ends up I do have an account there, and I've edited two pages, including my own.

In March 2006 I edited my Wikipedia entry to change the word "blog" to "weblog."

In August 2007 I edited the entry for "cheesesteak" to correct the address of (the excellent) Lorenzo's Pizza on South Street, here in Philadelphia.

Hard to believe I forgot about these profound contributions.

Is the current chaos in the economy and the global political landscape a sign that we're in decline as a civilization?

No.

Who is your favorite person on Twitter?

My wife, Amy (@amyjane). She can be funny.

Who is your least favorite person on Twitter?

There are a lot of people I dislike in the world. I mean, a lot. I don't follow any of them on Twitter.

What was your first laptop?

It was a PowerBook G3 of some sort, circa 2001 or so, but I actually don't recall the exact model. I used that hell out of that thing.

Do you believe aliens have visited Earth?

No.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

I'd like to say Batman's indomitable will, but I worry that I'm lazy enough to just want Green Lantern's ring.

What's missing in technology that nobody seems to be working on?

Car accidents kill so many of us; we're not going to give up cars, so it seems like we ought to make them harder to crash. Did you see those reports about a sudden decrease in car accidents in Saudi Arabia during the BlackBerry messaging outage last month? That's terrifying, to me. I'm not sure this counts as "no one seems to be working on it" though, because Google's got those self-driving cars.

So let me pick another one, more practical: a modern-day HyperCard. Something that allows anyone who can just kinda-sorta program to make their own apps. We've regressed in this way from 20 years ago. 20 years ago most Mac users could build their own software with HyperCard -- rudimentary stuff, often, but nothing is more satisfying than scratching your own itch.

What do you think will define the next wave in technology?

Ubiquity. Accessing your data, your stuff, from anywhere, using a wide variety of devices, software, and interfaces -- GUI at the desk, touch on the couch, voice on the go. "The cloud" is effectively an augmentation of our brains' memories.

We had a gut feeling Microsoft Windows President Steven Sinofsky was going to show off Windows 8 at D9, and that's exactly what he took the stage to do. While Sinofsky showed a very early preview of the future operating system (yes, we're talking wires hanging out of the box), it's extremely clear that the new OS is a melding of Windows 7 and Microsoft's Metro UI. The "start screen," which works a lot like a layer running over regular Windows, is tile based and will provide easy access to applications. Sinofsky hammered home the point that these were just apps running over Windows and that you could always return to your regular desktop. That said, the entire OS has been designed for touch input and includes a revamped keyboard.

So, what type of applications are those there on the homescreen? According to AllThingsD, the OS will support two types of apps -- the first being classic Windows programs and the second being new HTML and Javascript apps. Nope, not Silverlight. While it doesn't seem that Microsoft will be discussing an app store at this point, you can pretty much assume that's in the works. Speaking of applications, there's also a new way of interacting with multiple running apps, and as you can see in the video below, you can "snap" certain programs to the side of the screen. There will also be a new version of Internet Explorer.

As for hardware, Microsoft was very clear to point out that Windows 8 requires fewer resources than other versions of Windows and that it will work with both x86 and ARM processors. The demo at D9 was done on Intel based laptops and all-in-ones, but the demos at Computex tonight will be on ARM-based hardware. Regardless, the message seems to be that Windows 8 will work across different devices and different form factors.

What else did we learn? Not too much. More features will be shown off in September at Microsoft's Developers event and Windows 8 is only a codename at this point. Hit the break for a few more shots and a quick video demo of the new features.

 

The Flaming Lips are streaming a 24-hour song called "7 Skies H3."

The option to buy the track for $5,000 is available through PayPal, which is basically Wayne Coyne giving a middle finger to the economy or something. Yeah, we're probably reading too much into it, aren't we?

[24 Hour Song Skull]


Read more posts by Eliot Glazer
Filed Under: clickables, flaming lips, music

A prolific songwriter Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio quietly spent part of the past two years working on a score for a new musical – an adaptation of the documentary Hands on a Hardbody – which will debut this spring in La Jolla California With a book written by Pulitzer Prize...

If you thought the Flaming Lips were crazy when they announced their six-hour song, “I Found This Star On The Ground,” just wait. The band recently announced their plan to release a 24-hour song, and it’s arrived to stream on their website.

If this isn't a deleted extra from Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, then heaven help us all.

Cue the meaty bass riff!

[Colin Fitzpatrick]


Read more posts by Eliot Glazer
Filed Under: clickables, video

Four hours after kicking off the second of two Halloween-themed performances at The Tabernacle in Atlanta with one of their signature Jazz Odyssey jams, improg rockers Umphrey’s McGee left the stage having just completed two momentous sets and encores to a booming roar from an appreciative crowd that was so loud it was even noticeable through the webcast. Granted the 72 hour rule is still in effect, but last night’s show should rank among the best of the year (and possibly of their career) thanks to a relentless setlist, flawless execution and the best batch of mash-ups the Chicago-based sextet has come up with since starting the tradition in 2008.

[via @UmphreysMcGee]

The first set saw the band offer treats from nearly every period of their career, with a focus on material Jake brought to Umphrey’s from Ali Baba’s Tahini (40′s Theme, Mulche’s Odyssey and Padgett’s Profile). An extended version of one of their newest songs, the Death By Stereo opener Miami Virtue was the improvisational highlight of the set until Umphrey’s delivered a beautiful, soaring jam out of The Haunt. And about that Haunt, UM finally gave the fans what they wanted by playing the “OG” version of the tune instead of the “rock” version they’ve been performing for the past four years. Addicted to Kiss, a spot-on mash-up of Kiss by Prince, Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love and Genesis’s I Can’t Dance closed the set, complete with the band’s wives, girlfriends and friends dancing on stage dressed up as the ladies from Palmer’s iconic music videos.

In keeping with tradition, Umphrey’s not only debuts mash-ups at their annual Halloween celebrations, they also wear mash-up costumes. This year guitarist Brendan Bayliss was Keith Richard Simmons, drummer Kris Myers was Pamela Anderson Cooper, guitarist Jake Cinninger was Dimebag Daryl Hall, keyboardist Joel Cummins dressed as Vince Neil Armstrong, percussionist Andy Farag was Raggedy Andy Rooney and bassist Ryan Stasik was Karate Kid Rock. Bayliss hilariously didn’t break character throughout the whole show and the funniest segment of the night took place when Myers’ Pamela Anderson Cooper shared a few thoughts, and high-pitched laughs, with the crowd.

The second set featured three mash-ups along side some of the most potent songs in Umphrey’s repertoire. “Come As Your Kids” mixed MGMT’s hit Kids with Nirvana’s timeless Come As You Are and the ’80s classic You Spin Me Right ‘Round by Dead or Alive. Myers, who impressively bashed away behind the kit for the entire evening and didn’t seem to lose one bit of steam by the end, led a quick jam out of the mash-up into the end of the Mulche’s UM started in set one. Our next mash-up of the evening was the least “mashed,” as Umphrey’s worked a section that alternated between Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train and The Fish by Yes into the All In Time jam.

Umphrey’s McGee – Addicted To Kiss

Following a memorable Day Nurse, Resolution > 2×2 sequence that continued to build the energy in the room into a frenzy, came the most out of left field mash-up as the group mixed elements of their own Wellwishers with a dash of Terrence Trent D’Arby’s Wishing Well and a heaping helping of  Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five by Paul McCartney. This McCartney deep cut from 1973′s Band On The Run finished with the coda from the album’s title track, bringing the set to a close.

You couldn’t have blamed the band for dropping a quick encore on The Tab after setting fire to the place for two sets, but Umphrey’s had other plans. The emotional Hajimemashite gave the group and fans another chance get their ya-ya’s out and was followed by a creative mash-up of two originals – In The Kitchen and Puppet Strings. With the crowd roaring their approval there was still one more blast of energy left, a lengthy Nothing Too Fancy second encore, complete with elements of Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear The Reaper worked in.

Umphrey’s McGee – Come As Kids

There are some performances that take time to appreciate like a fine wine and others which are so otherworldly that you immediately recognize something special has happened. Last night’s Umphrey’s Hauntlanta finale falls into the latter category and will be remembered fondly by those who were in attendance or watched from home for years to come.

Set One: Jazz Odyssey > 40′s Theme, Miami Virtue -> Push the Pig, Mulche’s Odyssey > The Haunt > “Jimmy Stewart”* > Padgett’s Profile, The Floor, Addicted to Kiss**

Set Two: Come As Your Kids$ > Mulche’s Odyssey, All In Crazy Train Fish Time$$, Day Nurse, Resolution > 2×2, 1985 Wellwishing%

Encore: Hajimemashite, In The Puppet Kitchen%%

Encore2: Nothing Too Fancy&

* with lyrics
** Kiss (Prince) + Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer) + I Can’t Dance (Genesis) mash-up
$ Kids (MGMT) + Come As You Are (Nirvana) + You Spin Me Right Round (Dead or Alive) mash-up
$$ Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne) + The Fish (Yes) + All In Time
% Nineteen Hundred and Eight Five (Wings) + Wishing Well (Terrence Trent D’Arby) + Wellwishers mash-up, with Band On the Run ending
%% Puppet Strings / In The Kitchen
& with Don’t Fear the Reaper jam

[via The Bort]

Goodbye surfing, hello God! The title of Jules Siegel’s 1967 magazine feature on Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys sums up how well the group was outliving the early-’60s beach fad — and revolutionizing pop music in the process. During 1966, the twin shots of Pet Sounds in May and “Good Vibrations” in October announced first that the group had entered the vanguard of pop music and then, not content with mere critical praise, seized control of the singles charts with a chart-topper as catchy as it was complex and costly to record. Early on, though, “Good Vibrations” had actually been slated to appear on Pet Sounds, which reveals the long odds on whether Wilson could ever finish an entire album of his pocket symphonies (at least, in the time frame of a label circa 1966).

Nevertheless, beginning in August of 1966, he began planning a new album project, first called Dumb Angel and later SMiLE. Working from the ideas in his head, he and his studio musicians and bandmates recorded continually during late 1966 and early 1967, putting down hours of tape during dozens of sessions. He labored over every note and, more than that, every tone, often asking his musicians or the Beach Boys themselves to revise when the results didn’t match his conception of the music going on inside his head. Such care and control produced music that was far beyond Pet Sounds, and when the impressionistic themes and lyrics of collaborator Van Dyke Parks were added, SMiLE began shaping up as the most unique LP ever produced by a pop group. That much is perfectly clear after listening to Capitol’s release of The SMiLE Sessions, the first official SMiLE release ever. (As most music fans know, the album was never completed, although elements of the whole have trickled out ever since.) Each version of the SMiLE Sessions set begins with a re-creation of what a mono release of SMiLE could have sounded like, with a track listing patterned after Wilson’s 2004 recording, Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE. Each version also includes some SMiLE sessions in stereo, in order to hear Wilson’s working method in the studio. Peeling away the layers from these tracks, several instruments at a time, reveals more of the music’s magnificence, how each element combined in ingenious ways to become the songs that have entranced Beach Boys fans over the years. The sessions and studio chatter also reveal how much of The SMiLE Sessions were a family affair; far from the previous conception of Wilson holed away in the studio with a coterie of handpicked musicians, virtually all of the Beach Boys make themselves heard with suggestions and contributions both vocal and instrumental (and beside the infamous credits of Paul McCartney, even Brian’s wife Marilyn, a singer in her own right, is heard on backing vocals).

It’s difficult to object to anything about The SMiLE Sessions, considering the time and care invested into the entire package (which becomes yet more lavish with the varying Deluxe Editions available). Still, Brian Wilson’s 2004 re-creation of SMiLE hangs over this set, and not just because SMiLE lost much of its mystery and taboo after Wilson re-recorded it. The choice to studiously re-create his 2004 rendition may have eased the burden of a difficult and controversial compiling process — although thousands of hours still had to be spent compiling these sessions — but it also forced principal reissue producers Mark Linett and Alan Boyd into giving listeners a version of SMiLE that wasn’t in stereo, even though roughly 80 percent of the tracks were available that way. (For the record, the liner notes state that mono was used because that would have been Wilson’s original choice in 1967, and also because not enough of the basic tracks were available in stereo.) As it stands here, having a full SMiLE album in mono and a collection of sessions in stereo immediately positions The SMiLE Sessions as something less than a true bootleg beater — which will undoubtedly lead fans back to extra-legal means (at least, any time they want to hear a virtual mixdown of these glorious recordings in true stereo).

Quibbles aside, everything about this package is richly detailed, immensely pleasing, and overall a wonderful experience. All of the CD editions include copious bonus tracks, including nine minutes of a cappella vocals (“SMiLE Backing Vocals Montage”), whose beauty and fragility will help listeners realize that the Beach Boys obsessed just as much over their vocalizing as their music. Deluxe editions add essays from several angles, reminiscences from those who were there, and original artwork and photos from the period. True, no one will ever know what effect a SMiLE release in spring 1967 would have had on music or pop culture, and with the music so circular and the lyrics so obtuse, it’s likely that SMiLE would have become merely a curio of psychedelic excess rather than a work that truly transformed culture. But regardless, it shows Wilson’s mastery of pure studio sonics and his ability to not only create distinctive pop music, but give it great beauty as well. That has inspired musicians for decades, and it will continue to do so. [The SMiLE Sessions is available in several different editions, all of which begin with a re-creation of what a mono release of SMiLE could have sounded like. The two-CD packages add one disc of sessions tracks, while the Deluxe Edition box set includes a total of five CDs, two LPs, and two 7" singles -- including the one disc and double-LP of SMiLE in mono, three discs of SMiLE sessions in stereo, and one disc of sessions from the "Good Vibrations" single. The Deluxe Edition box set also features a 2' x 3' poster and a 60-page hardcover book, all packaged inside a three-dimensional shadow box lid.]

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