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>> Postings for January 2010

Peter Serafinowicz introduces the iPad, Apple style

Sun, 31 Jan 2010

Comic and all round top man Peter Serafinowicz created this latest Mac spoof in the run up to the announcement on Wednesday of Apple's latest "magical and revolutionary" device.

His Beatles iPod spoof is a classic, his take on Paul McCartney spot-on.

Nick Spence | Read more...


The Apple iPad's future shock

Sun, 31 Jan 2010

I can't help being struck by the volume and vehemence of apparently technologically sophisticated people inveighing against the iPad.

Some are trying to dismiss these ravings by comparing them to certain comments made after the launch of the iPod in 2001: "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." I fear this January-26th thinking misses the point.

Fraser Speirs | Read more...


Introducing the knitted iPad cosy

Sat, 30 Jan 2010

They say, grannies mainly, that knitting is the new rock n' roll, well here's something for knitters out there to keep you busy until the iPad arrives online and instore late March and April.

Lion Brand have released a pattern for a knitted iPad cosy.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Pee-wee Herman gets an Apple iPad

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

The great Pee-wee Herman is back on TV and hopefully back for good.

Pee-wee has an Apple iPad apparently. What fun.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Apple iPad YouTube video spoof

Fri, 29 Jan 2010

With hundreds of Hitler YouTube parodies now available it was only a matter of time before the Führer ranted about Apple's forthcoming iPad.

The climactic clip from the 2004 film Downfall has gained a cult following after a succession of subtitled parodies despite being criticised for its humanising portrayal of the Nazi dictator.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Free books on iTunes to celebrate Apple iPad launch

Thu, 28 Jan 2010

Here's an £1.79 iPhone and iPod touch application that's currently free thanks to the launch of Apple's iPad.

"Many of you have been contacting us with questions about Apple's recently announced iBooks for iPad. We have no involvement, but we are proud to have influenced the future user interface of digital reading," the team behind Classics write.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Woz speaks on early days of Apple, Steve Jobs and the iPad

Thu, 28 Jan 2010

While the world was focused on Steve Jobs yesterday launching the Apple iPad, here's a great video of the other Steve talking in Chico, California on the same day.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, popularly known as the "Woz," spoke at length about his career and Apple.

Nick Spence | Read more...


iPad means iFart in Urdu

Wed, 27 Jan 2010

While everyone is trying to come to terms with the name Apple has chosen for its world-saving tablet device – debating whether it sounds like a sanitary product or Thai cuisine – I have it on good authority from an Urdu speaker that it in fact sounds like something far worse.

Apparently 'iPad' sounds very like the word for fart in Urdu - Padha.

Karen Haslam | Read more...


Knomo and DJ Erick Morillo team for SS10 bag collection

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

knomo the makers of some very fine laptop bags, iPhone and iPod accessories for both men and women have announced a tie-up with Erick Morillo, the international superstar DJ.

Together, the pair have produced a rather cool collection of men’s laptop bags and travel accessories for SS10, as part of their best-selling Brixton coated canvas collection.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Never mind the Mac Tablet, here's the iTable

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

As we wait for Apple's long rumoured Mac tablet, here's the now rather retro looking iTable.

First introduced in 2008, the iPod-shaped tables are designed by Italian artist Mirko Ginepro for Milan Design Week.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Insanely bad Apple

Mon, 25 Jan 2010

Last month I wrote about the wonderful decade that Apple just had, revolutionising industries as diverse as music, movies, telecoms and software with its iPod/iTunes/iPhone products and ruling the OS Wars with its much-copied Mac OS X. To use Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ own words, it was “insanely great”. Could Apple do no wrong? Oh, yes it could do wrong. Very wrong. Here’s my list of ten products – in no particular order of badness – that Apple and Steve Jobs probably wish had never seen the light of day.

Too cool for tool Following the success of its funny-looking bubble-shaped iMac what did Apple do next? Come out with something even wackier? A completely spherical ComputerBall that you could roll between workgroups? Something that looked like a fish? No, it waited till 2002’s crazy anglepoise iMac for its next doolally design.

Simon Jary | Read more...


A novel way to cover your MacBook and MacBook Pro

Sun, 24 Jan 2010

Here's a novel way to cover the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro from US company Twelve South.

BookBook is billed as a one-of-a-kind, hardback leather case designed to cover your laptop available in Classic Black or Vibrant Red.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Microsoft's Steve Ballmer autographs Apple Macbook Pro

Sat, 23 Jan 2010

Here's video of Steve Ballmer autographing an Apple Macbook Pro.

At least the Microsoft CEO appears to have a sense of humour.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - Light Blue Software - FileMaker CubeAwards winner

Fri, 22 Jan 2010

Light Blue Software's photography software Light Blue: Photo is built around FileMaker, the Apple owned database software for Mac and PC. Light Blue: Photo, the business management software for photographers, provides a range of integrated tools to keep a business running professionally and hassle free.

Last year's prestigious FileMaker CubeAwards ceremony, held at The Royal College of Physicians, Regent's Park, celebrated the work of a range of developers. Macworld was also in attendance and met with several of the nominees, including one of the eventual winners, Light Blue Software.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Creative Profiles - TimeStream Software - Notescasts

Thu, 21 Jan 2010

TimeStream Software is an industry leader in the development of custom mobile marketing Notescasts for the iPhone, iPod touch, the iPod classic and iPod nano along with Google Android powered phones. Notecasts includes a collection of classic literature given a new life digitally as well as some handy travel guides.

Macworld caught up with Mike Westby from TimeStream Software to discover more about Notescasts.

Nick Spence | Read more...


You Wear It Well - Augmented Reality T-shirt

Wed, 20 Jan 2010

Starting this week, subscribers of T-post magazinee will be able to wear their graphic T-shirt in front of any web camera and play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors against a computer-generated arm that extends from the shirt itself.

Interpreted by Swedish designer Marc Strömberg, and pulled from the headlines, you can see the results below.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Cranking the handle on the Apple rumour mill...

Wed, 20 Jan 2010

I’m sitting here in my office, wondering just what the hell I’m going to write about. In the time between when I started this column and… not quite… hang on… alllll most… rrrrighhttt… nnnNOW!… news broke that Apple had reserved the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco for a few dates at the end of January. It’s a largish hall and was the site of Apple’s most recent iPod announcements.

So this could indicate that Apple’s using the location for one of two things:

Andy Ihnatko | Read more...


The big question: Who is Steve Jobs?

Mon, 18 Jan 2010

Here's what happens when a random group of people are asked "Who is Steve Jobs?"

The survey, via Lewis PR, revealed 20 percent thought Steve Jobs was a football player, while 10 percent had the Apple CEO down as a trade union boss.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Bowers & Wilkins promise best of British headphones

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

At the weekend, our own Andy Penfold reported on some nice new headphones and desktop speakers from Bowers & Wilkins, live from CES in Las Vegas.

Bowers & Wilkins, or B&W, are that rare thing a British company competing on a worldwide stage and producing award winning quality hi-fi and home theatre loudspeakers.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Intego VirusBarrier X6: Does auto-expiring security software make sense?

Wed, 13 Jan 2010

The latest version of VirusBarrier adds new features, and revises the interface of the antivirus application for the Mac. But lost amid the news of VirusBarrier X6’s release on Wednesday was this little detail: Intego has removed your ability to actually buy the software.

Intego doesn’t go out of its way to make this new "feature" apparent on the company’s Website either. On the Buy Now page, I noticed this small footnote: “All programs include 12 months of protection, with updates to filters and programs included.” When I asked for clarification on what “12 months of protection” meant, an Intego spokesperson stated it meant that the programs will stop working if they’re not renewed after 12 months’ usage.

Rob Griffiths | Read more...


Twitterrific Ollie collectible figure available now

Tue, 12 Jan 2010

The Iconfactory, the team behind award-winning social networking application Twitterrific, has announced the availability of the rather cool Ollie collectible figure.

The Ollie character and the vinyl figure were designed by David Lanham of the Iconfactory and produced by StrangeKiss Art Toys.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Coventry to California - Rob Shoesmith's iPhone developer diary

Mon, 11 Jan 2010

Rob Shoesmith, a 27-year-old binman from Whitley, Coventry adventures continue with the latest installment from his busy diary. Rob gained fame last year, releasing an iPhone application in Problem Halved, with the aid of MEDL Mobile, a company that builds iPhone applications and encourages development with an App Incubator scheme, while still ensuring the local bins got emptied. His story featured on local and national news, in newspapers, radio, online and The Gadget Show.

Over Christmas, Rob sent Macworld an update on his recent progress as he continues to work as a binman while promoting his own application and planning others, including an ambitious trip to the US.

Nick Spence | Read more...


If you have £1,000 to spare - Parrot Zikmu audio system by Philippe Starck updated

Fri, 08 Jan 2010

The rather cool but rather expensive Parrot Zikmu audio system by Philippe Starck has been updated. According to the blurb, Starck has created speakers reflecting his genius and personality exclusively for Parrot.

Now available in Arctic White, Pearl Grey and Sorbet Lime, the Mac, PC, iPod, iPhone and TV compatible audio system will cost you around £1,000. At that price, the unit comes Made for iPod/Works with iPhone approval.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Q&A - Shazam’s CEO, Andrew Fisher

Thu, 07 Jan 2010

For those seeking musical enlightenment, Shazam is an excellent tool for discovering which song is playing and identifying tunes anywhere.???From a modest start, Shazam is now used by over 50 million users in 150 countries across the world.  

The company has seen explosive growth since launching its application on the iPhone 3G in the summer of 2008, with its application being downloaded more than 10 million times on the Apple iTunes App Store.???

Nick Spence | Read more...


Turn photos into Lego with new iPhone, iPod touch app

Wed, 06 Jan 2010

Lego Photo from The Lego Group is a free iPhone and iPod touch application which promises to turn any photo into lego.

Photos taken at short range with good solid colour backgrounds make the best images, although you can create endless versions on a theme until you get a look you like.

Nick Spence | Read more...


Fight the New Year flab: UK’s top gym tracks revealed

Tue, 05 Jan 2010

With perfect timing, PRS for Music, the organisation that collects royalties for songwriters and composers has revealed the most popular music tracks used by fitness and gym instructors to motivate those looking to shed a few extra pounds.

1. BEAT AGAIN by JLS
2. SWEET DREAMS by Beyoncé
3. HOLIDAY by Dizzee Rascal
4. WHEN LOVE TAKES OVER by David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland
5. I KNOW YOU WANT ME (CALLE OCHO) by Pitbull

Nick Spence | Read more...