Appletell

I do not own a PS3, but I am betting some of you do or will after Christmas. If you have not dropped the cash on an Apple TV yet and are looking for a way to stream media from your Mac to your TV, you can do so via the PS3 with MediaLink from Nullriver.

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If you happen to navigate your mouse up to the Apple in the top left hand corner of your screen and check for updates, you’ll find the iTunes 8.0.2 update waiting for you. Although this may seem like just another update to you, many people feel as if it is another hint at the soon-to-come iPhone 2.2 Software update.

That said, this update—which “improves stability and performance and provides a number of important bug fixes,“ as usual—also contains some specific fixes.

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Macintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for November 20, 2008:

• Silly My Apple Space users, hurling your bodies out into The New Blog. If you had any inkling of the true nature of the blogosphere, any at all, you would’ve hidden from it in terror.
• I wonder if the fellows at publicspace.net have considered making Gene Gene the Dancing Machine the spokesman for The Big Mean Folder Machine.
• Speck announces SeeThru Satin for the MacBook. I think that may be naughty.
• The Big Concept and Alphabet Art, my two favorite PBS shows, are now also Logo Design Studio Pro expansion packs.
• Freeway has been updated. Three cheers for the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956!
• Use StoryMill to write your story, so long as it’s not The Mill On the Floss, because that’s already been written.
• Headphone companies need to quit giving their headphones helicopter names. I mean, HFI-15G is really the best you can do?
• VelaClock brings world clock capabilities and a bunch of moon phases to the iPhone and iPod touch. So…okay. Good.
• It’s about time someone revolutionized the way I view media with my iPhone and iPod touch.

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iPod Touch Hacks may be a site focusing on jailbreaking, but they’ve just compiled a list of built-in tricks of which any iPod touch/iPhone user can take advantage.

Some examples:

• On Safari, while scrolling through a long page, tap the bar at the top of your screen containing the time and battery and Safari will automatically scroll up to the top of the page.
• Double clicking the home button in any application, or with the screen off will bring up the music controls.
• To completely exit an application to save battery power. Press and holding the home button for approximately 5-8 seconds. This will help boost battery life if you run lots of different apps regularly.

My favorite of the bunch is that pressing and holding certain letters in the keyboard will bring up the diacriticals associated with that letter (alas, there is no option for the heavy metal umlaut.

Via [iPod Touch Hacks]

It’s a given fact that everyone—everyone—loves bacon. From your basic breakfast to an apple pie, it simply makes everything better. And now even the wildly popular iPhone is about to be improved through the magic of this wondrous meat, because you can now wrap your iPhone in bacon.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Wrapping my expensive electronic device in a piece of greasy pork fat? That’s insane! Clearly I’d try to eat it!“ Well, that bug has been fixed already; this iPhone carrying case is made of felt that simply looks like bacon!

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The Ewoo eFizz speaker system caused some conflicts here at Appletell Towers. About half of us liked the black, curved styling, the other half felt it looked like the midsection of a mannequin that had fallen apart. About half of us felt it was too large, the other half felt it’s not much bigger than your standard desktop stereo system. Most of us felt the price was a bit steep, while others are used to paying more for quality stereo equipment.

What all of us could agree upon, though, is the sound. Ah, that sweet, sweet sound. The Ewoo eFizz is easily the best sounding iPod speaker system I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Full review after the break.

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Macintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for November 19, 2008:

• LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures whips its way to the Mac on November 28th. See? I said “whip” because Indiana Jones uses a whip.
• iMuffs arrive just in time to keep your eyes nice and toasty for the winter season. Or maybe not. I guess it depends upon how you use them.
• myPower ALL Plus MP3700 may sound like something you see the muscle heads drinking at the gym, but it’s actually for your laptop.
• OS X Reality talks with Aaron Fothergill about Flick Fishing for iPhone. Do you suppose they went for the Fothergill joke, because I totally would have.
• Create your own plug-ins for Sandvox. I mean, what are you? Lazy?
• Create your own apps for iPhone. I mean, what are you? Lazy?

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Apple has released Apple TV software version 2.3. AppleInsider reports that this update allows users to stream music from the Apple TV to other Apple TVs or AirPort Expresses. The update also allows users to use third party remotes with their Apple TV, which has been a long standing request from many users.

The Apple TV can now function the same way a computer would for those who use AirTunes to stream music throughout the house.

Being able to use remotes other than the Apple supplied remote has been a critical issue for many who want to integrate an Apple TV into an existing home theater setup. The ability to use third party remotes should allow the use of many of the popular remotes currently available.

If you have an Apple TV, I would recommend updating. The update is available directly from the built-in updater on the Apple TV.

Via [AppleInsider]

• Contest: can you be Yahoo’s next CEO?
• Who’s On Crack in tech: 11.21.08 edition
• Apple rated #1 in customer satisfaction in recent survey

According to two of CNet’s music industry sources, Apple is currently in negotiations with three major music labels about getting more DRM free content onto their iTunes Plus Store. It was a long year ago that Apple signed a deal with EMI to get their content onto iTunes Plus. Although Apple and the music label spokespeople refused to comment, the sources have told CNet that the deals are very close to being finalized. What does this mean for users? Well, if this deal goes through, a lot more of your music will be available DRM free, which means it will be able to be played anywhere, not just on your iPod.

If Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Sony BMG were all to agree on a deal with Apple, this would not only be a major step forward for the music industry as a whole, it would make iTunes even more of a powerhouse in the digital music market. If Apple could get DRM music from the four major labels, they would have even more of an edge over stores like Amazon and any other competitor. We don’t know about you, but we sure hope that this rumor is true. DRM music FTW!

Via [CNet]

• iPhone tethering plan to include 5GB cap, cost $30+?
• iTunes 8.0.2 hits the streets
• iTunes Store starts offering discount movies

As you’ve no doubt noticed, we here at Appletell are big fans of the Ocarina for iPhone, produced by Smule. But we’re not the only ones: the app is, as of this writing, currently the #1 paid application in the iTunes Store.

But can it hold on to this spot, now that it is (gasp) no longer the only Ocarina app available? That’s right, kids, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is now upon us:

Ocarina Wars!

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