I posted a new column to The Mac Observer that explains how to register for iChat and then use it for remote desktop help. You can read it here:
http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/ ... _your_mac/
There is a video of an interview that I had with Chuck Joiner at Macworld. Should you care to see it you can do so here:
http://macvoices.tv/macvoicestv-1043-ma ... -macworld/
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( 2.9 / 66 )If you have time to investigate some new software here is a recommendation. I saw it demonstrated at Macworld and have since purchased and tried it. It is easy to use and, at least from my perspective, a great asset.
It is BusyCal from BusyMac. It works with iCal but offers more options. For instance the weather report for your area for the next 7 days is included in the form of weather icons. You can get information about or edit events in a box just by clicking on the name of the event. Even better, for beginners, there are very good movie tutorials included in the download that show you just what to do. Oh, and if you are on a network, you can share calendars between users. It requires OS 10.5 or 10.6 and costs $49 for a single user license or $79 for a family license. Check it out at http://www.busymac.com/.
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( 2.8 / 63 )Some final thoughts from Macworld as I prepare to fly home to Texas. Actually I hope I get to fly home, considering all the problems folks in the east have had. It is so easy to become isolated from the real world when at a convention, but I know flights have been cancelled and delayed so we shall see.
Final thoughts on San Francisco. San Franciscans love to eat good food and they sure know how to cook it. I only argue with one thing, strictly from the point of view of a Texan you understand, they don't quite understand the fine art of creating barbecue sauce.
There are so many product ideas in my head that it will take awhile to sort them out and review them, but a couple come to the top. Scosche has two new products designed for the traveler or anyone else who has to carry their computer from place to place.
The first is the flipSYNC - USB 2.0 charge and sync cable for iPod and iPhone. It attaches to your keychain and flips open for use. It’s priced at $19.95.
The second is the Docking travel charger with nightlight for iPod and iPhone. It is priced at $24.99.
The Scosche web site is http://scosche.com/
The second product of interest is iPhone apps that allow you to send photo postcards. These appear quite sophisticated and easy to do. I visited with two developers and at this point, of course, have not tried either product, but if you want to check them out the two are:
Postage from RogueSheep
and Postcard Express from frogdesign
The third is also an iPhone app. This one is called Reto Recorder. It allows you to record conversations and events using your iPhone. According to the representative at Macworld this product provides better quality recording than the recorder that is included with the iPhone package. I don't know, but at $1.99 I think I will try it out. The app is called ALX and the web site is http://retrorecorder.com
I'm off to the airport with positive thoughts.
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( 3 / 43 )From San Francisco - Macworld 2010. Day 2 Observations
I haven’t figured out why I attend a year’s worth of parties in 4 nights. It could be that I am surrounded by fun people that I like and good music that I enjoy (especially The Atomic Love Bombs band that features The Mac Observer's own Bryan Chaffin - you guys were awesome), but deep down inside I know it probably is a comment on my social life as a whole. Whatever, the parties are a fun part of Macworld, but the products are even more important.
Reviews will follow as they always do, but there are some that I think are worthy of a web site visit, so a quick discussion of each.
NAVIGON 1.5.0 Software
I have covered NAVIGON before and anyone who knows me personally knows that I think this is the greatest iPhone app going because it keeps me from getting lost. You can read my review here.
NAVIGON AG, has introduced three updated features to it’s GPS system for the iPhone. The first is an in-app connection to Facebook and Twitter, the second is Panorama View 3D with 3D terrain views powered by NASA data, and the third is personalized route delivery via NAVIGON MyRoutes, an intelligent direction provider.
The connection to Facebook and Twitter allows a user to broadcast current position, destination and ETA without navigation interruption.
The Panorama View 3D uses digitized cartography that delivers an accurate depiction of environment and landscapes using NASA’s height and terrain data, independent from the phone’s data connection.
My Routes analyzes individual driving data and designs customized routes, giving up to 3 choices with distance and ETA displayed in-map for each.
Special pricing is in place until Feb 15. Check their web site.
YAPPER
YAPPER stands for Your APP makER. This company has been in business for two months and the owners were almost overwhelmed with the interest they were getting at the show. They create an iPhone app for you or your business and get it through the Apple approval process and posted to the App store. It seems incredibly easy to do and you use your own company or organization logo. The regular price is $499, but the show price is $99. I will be reviewing this product in full very soon, but if you want to check it out now, go to their web site.
Power Outlet: U-Socket, Dual Socket/Dual USB 110V
This product won’t be released until the second quarter but can be pre-ordered http://store.fastmac.com/product_info.p ... cts_id=458 now at the introductory price of $19.95.
Simply put, once installed you have two USB sockets added to your normal electric sockets. The company representative assured me it was very easy to do and that I could do it following the easy instructions and the on-line video. I said uh-huh out loud and “That’s why God gave me children.” to myself and ordered three.
These are today’s recommendations for us regular folks.
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( 2.9 / 36 )From San Francisco - Macworld 2010. Day 1 Observations
The wifi connection in my hotel is really, really slow. Reminds me of dial up. Must have something to do with 35,000 Mac users in town. Speaking of which, there were only 300 less people in attendance today than there were the first day of last year's Macworld. Vendors on the show floor were caught totally off guard and were calling in reinforcement staff to help with the crowds. There were less give-aways. No free tote bags at the door, no free pens in all the booths -- economy measures are evident everywhere (there aren't even free lunches in the press room), but attendees are buying.
The new products I have seen are awesome and I will mention some of them tomorrow when I have time to pull info together. This morning we heard David Pogue speak and what a hoot he is. I had no idea he was such a performer. He performed several parody songs that I understand are available on uTube. One makes fun of long waits for phone tech support, another is about wanting an iPhone. He also held a contest on Twitter for fake iPhone apps and shared some of them - such as an app that lets you watch paint dry. Ten years ago he wrote a column based on the movie I't A Wonderful Life in which he starred Steve Jobs instead of George Bailey - showing how bad things would be if there had never been an Apple Computer. David turned it into a play and had several people act it out on stage. The part of Steve Jobs was played by the actor LaVar Burton.
The next big event was a preview of six outstanding products. Again I will talk about a few products tomorrow, but I will say now that the one thing I have observed about this whole conference is that there are a lot of little companies with innovative products that are really exciting.
Paul Kent with IDG, the company who puts on Macworld, has done an outstanding job of creating the "new Macworld" and it is great to be here and be part of the action.
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( 2.7 / 28 )
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