http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/features/blogs/ en webmaster@macobserver.com Copyright 2009 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:33:14 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_11_6_failure_is_an_option/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_11_6_failure_is_an_option/ In this week's assemblage of technical news debris, John looks at all kinds of failures, easy options for Barnes & Noble, U.S. DOJ, Apple's Time Capsule, iPhone hardware encryption, those who predicted Blu-ray would never catch on, and Microsoft's bad habit of hosing up their OS advertising. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:09:05 -0500 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_multiple_personalities_of_tweetmymac/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_multiple_personalities_of_tweetmymac/ Imagine sending a Twitter message from wherever you happen to be, containing a command such as "open Safari," and having the requested command carried out on your Mac back home. That's the way TweetMyMac works. After playing with TweetMyMac over the past few weeks, I find myself vacillating among three different reactions: "Wow, this is truly amazing," "Technologically impressive but, really, who needs it?" and "Gak, the implications are a bit scary." Columns and Opinions, Ted Landau's User Friendly View, Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:08:05 -0500 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_30_eyes_wide_open_and_shut/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_30_eyes_wide_open_and_shut/ In this week's hoard of technical news debris, John looks at a video of Steve Ballmer pimping Windows 1.0, the best Apple tablet concepts, the U.S. DOD pushing Open Source, details of Nokia's lawsuit against Apple, and Apple's clever meeting with RBC analyst Mike Abramsky. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:18:14 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/setup_secrets_for_canon_printers/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/setup_secrets_for_canon_printers/ The Canon MP990 is a great AIO printer-scanner-copier. However, if you have Snow Leopard installed on your Mac or if you want to use the device over a network, you may run into some unexpected trouble. This article provides the solutions, which may apply to other recent Canon printers as well. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:09:48 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/partile_debris_week_ending_10_23_multiple_disasters/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/partile_debris_week_ending_10_23_multiple_disasters/ In this week's stockpile of Internet miscellaneous technical news debris, John looks at two personal disasters with product reviews, the Barnes & Noble Nook, Microsoft's Q1 earnings, Apple's war against the PC industry, a hilarious Windows 7 video and a very naughty Google Wave demo. (R rated.) Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:59:20 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_jailbreaking_the_landscape_shifts_again/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_jailbreaking_the_landscape_shifts_again/ I didn't expect to be writing another column about iPhone jailbreaking so soon after my previous one. I figured it would be at least six months before the status of jailbreaking had changed enough to warrant another look. I was wrong. In the past few weeks, there have been several significant shifts in the jailbreaking landscape. Some of the news is good. Some is bad. To see what's going on, read on... Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:45:34 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_16_old_news_new_news_and_good_news/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_16_old_news_new_news_and_good_news/ In this week's omnibus of technical news debris, John looks at expert reaction to Windows 7, rumors of new quad core iMacs, some of the best open source software for the Mac, the demise of passwords, supercomputing with the iPhone, and what everyone knows about the future of newspapers -- except the newspaper publishers. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:55:04 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/confused_about_itunes_home_sharing/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/confused_about_itunes_home_sharing/ I keep discovering new sources of irritation with iTunes 9. Having previously lamented about the confusion with ringtones and the iTunes Store Wish List, I've now tripped over another perplexing new feature: Home Sharing. Exactly how is it perplexing? Read on... Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:13:27 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_9_tablet_iphone_and_snow_leopard_mania/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_10_9_tablet_iphone_and_snow_leopard_mania/ In this week's convocation of miscellaneous technical news debris, John looks at more details of the Apple Tablet from "reliable sources," an interview with Steve Ballmer, a new Snow Leopard doc for UNIX experts, Apple's thoughts about how to replace the keyboard and mouse, John Welch on Creator Codes and UTI, and a great technical article that summarizes how some of the cool hardware features of the iPhone work. Also TWoW returns. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:40:39 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/jeffs_amazingly_long_mce_2009_iphone_app_list/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/jeffs_amazingly_long_mce_2009_iphone_app_list/ I spent some time at the Mac Computer Expo on Saturday, October 3, talking about a slew of apps that let you do more with your iPhone and iPod touch. If you were there and couldn't write fast enough to keep up with me, or you weren't and want to know what you missed out on, here's the list of apps I mentioned. Blogs, Jeff Gamet's Blog, iObserver, App Store, iPhone, iPod, iTunes Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:15:12 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/which_path_will_apples_tablet_take/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/which_path_will_apples_tablet_take/ For the moment, we remain standing at a fork in the road, waiting for Apple to announce and ship its long-rumored tablet computer. Will Apple's tablet follow the path begun by laptop computers, working much like a variation of the MacBook Air, at least in terms of its software? Or it will it follow the ground broken by the iPhone instead? Apple's decision here may well make "all the difference." Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:58:21 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/bring_back_the_itunes_shopping_cart/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/bring_back_the_itunes_shopping_cart/ Before iTunes 9, if you wanted to defer a purchase in the iTunes Store, you could save an item to your Shopping Cart. Not willing to let well enough alone, Apple dumped the entire Shopping Cart concept in iTunes 9, replacing it with a vastly inferior Wish List. How exactly is it inferior? In every possible way. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:10:43 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_15_brace_yourself/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_15_brace_yourself/ In this week's muster of technical news debris, John looks at the details of AT&T's 3G Microcell device, prospects for a Netflix iPhone app, a nifty, wearable HD camera for sports, a neat concept video from Microsoft, the Apple Knowledge Navigator video, a new TI calculator for the iPhone, and a really, really bad marketing video from Microsoft. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:16:06 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/jailbreaking_iphones_going_going_gone/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/jailbreaking_iphones_going_going_gone/ It's time for my latest update on the status of jailbreaking iPhones. In a previous column, posted before iPhone OS 3.0 was released, I explained why I was reluctantly ready to give up on jailbreaking. The situation is now worse. Much worse. Barring some unlikely breakthrough, all iPhone users may be forced to give up on jailbreaking — and rather soon. Many iPhone users already find themselves in this boat. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:59:32 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_18_the_breadth_of_mac_os_x/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_18_the_breadth_of_mac_os_x/ There's a lot more to Mac OS X than meets the eye, and it can be used in ways that aren't obvious until the need arises. Starting with a terrific new Apple document just published, John introduces some of those concepts for both the curious and the technically advanced user. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:14:04 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_adds_confusion_to_ringtone_purchases/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_adds_confusion_to_ringtone_purchases/ With iTunes 9 and iPhone OS 3.1, Apple made major changes in how you purchase and create ringtones from the iTunes Store. Apple also went out of its way to obscure how some of these rules have changed. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:11:36 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/changes_in_how_snow_leopard_updates_reinstalls_and_relaunches/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/changes_in_how_snow_leopard_updates_reinstalls_and_relaunches/ A look at several troubleshooting-related changes to how Snow Leopard updates, reinstalls and relaunches software — from using Software Update to the demise of the Safe Relaunch. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:18:33 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_11_an_os_palooza/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_9_11_an_os_palooza/ In this week's batch of technical news debris, John looks at OS happenings, geeky Snow Leopard stuff, the two initiatives the cable companies don't want you to know about, plus one technically fabulous and one crazy funny article from the great people over at Tidbits. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:20:49 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/tmo_ipod_event_wrap_up1/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/tmo_ipod_event_wrap_up1/ Apple hosted a special media event on Wednesday where the iPod lineup was revamped, iTunes 9 was released, iPhone OS 3.1 rolled out, and the iTunes LP was introduced. Once again, the TMO staff kicked it into high gear and offered up live coverage along with some great follow up analysis. Blogs, Jeff Gamet's Blog, iObserver, iPhone, iPod, iTunes Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:10:16 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/tmos_snow_leopard-palooza/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/tmos_snow_leopard-palooza/ I just love when Apple kicks off a big product launch because there's always all kinds of new things to learn, and I'm always amazed at the cool stuff the TMO staff comes up with to write about. Apple's World Wide Developers Conference event earlier this year is a great example, as is last week's Mac OS X 10.6 roll out. Blogs, Jeff Gamet's Blog, Reports, Mac OS, Snow Leopard Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:44:29 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/garmins_nuevi_vs._navigons_mobilenavigator_for_iphone_the_ultimate_showdown/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/garmins_nuevi_vs._navigons_mobilenavigator_for_iphone_the_ultimate_showdown/ In a recent article, I asked the question: How well does the iPhone's Maps app stand up to separate stand-alone GPS devices (such as a Garmin nüvi 760)? That is, if you already have an iPhone, would it be also worth your money to buy a separate GPS device? I concluded that, while Maps is a superb piece of software and even offers a few features not present in stand-alone GPS devices, a separate device is still worth getting. However, with the release of iPhone OS 3.0, the iPhone's navigation options go beyond Maps. There are several third-party apps that much more closely mimic the features of stand-alone GPS devices. For this article, I am asking: Is MobileNavigator, as an example of the current crop of iPhone navigation apps, good enough that there is no longer a reason for iPhone owners to consider the purchase of a separate GPS device? Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:54:40 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_28_let_it_snow/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_28_let_it_snow/ In this week's shorter congerie of technical news debris, John looks at some of the side issues for Snow Leopard: What's missing, Rosetta impact, handling of .rtf files, and other gripes. And the next Big Cat name? Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:54:19 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/when_it_comes_to_apple_and_the_fcc_the_status_quo_is_king/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/when_it_comes_to_apple_and_the_fcc_the_status_quo_is_king/ Last week, Apple replied to the FCC's request for information about the iPhone App Store approval process and specifically Apple's supposed rejection of the Google Voice app. Readers' opinions are divided regarding what they hope will happen. This got me thinking about these internal divisions within the Apple community and what it all may mean. I offer some speculation... Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:55:19 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_21_green_blu_and_ballmers_red_face/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_21_green_blu_and_ballmers_red_face/ In this week's amassment of technical news debris, John looks at Palm's Thork, Apple's secret roadmap, Blu-ray blues, Snow Leopard and 64-bit EFIs, Apple Education sales, Hollywood's fixation, video embedded in magazine pages, sneak peek videos of the Apple iTablet, Mr. Ballmer's newest cause for heartburn, and the end of free song lyrics. Also, the technical Word of the Week (TWoW). Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:23:31 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/auto-join_wi-fi_hotspots_with_iphone_os_3.0/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/auto-join_wi-fi_hotspots_with_iphone_os_3.0/ If you've ever connected to the Internet at the myriad of popular Wi-Fi spots, such as in hotels, coffee shops, and airports, you know the drill. I'm talking about the irritating two-step dance you need to do before you can access the Internet: first join the Wi-Fi network; then log in via a Web site. Happily, iPhone OS 3.0's new Auto-login and AutoFill features mostly eliminate this hassle. However, to take full advantage of these features, it pays to understand exactly how they work (and sometimes don't work). Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:58:03 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_14_corporate_struggles_slides_and_snafus/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_14_corporate_struggles_slides_and_snafus/ In this assemblage of technical news debris, John looks at the smartphone price slide, what Apple is up against with the Apple TV, the music labels' enduring need to kill the iTunes Golden Goose, Microsoft's effort to save Windows Mobile -- while they whistle in the dark, the great HDTV letterboxing fiasco, and more.  Also, the Technical Word of the Week (TWoW). Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:08:08 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_emotional_toll_of_twitter/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_emotional_toll_of_twitter/ Twitter allows one to tap into the stream of consciousness of a subset of the world. When that stream goes largely negative, it can adversely affect the life balance that most of us seek. Here's what I'm doing about it. Columns and Opinions, Opinion, Editorial, Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:00:20 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_7_end_zone_tweets_powerpoint_nightmares/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_8_7_end_zone_tweets_powerpoint_nightmares/ In this parade of technical news debris, John looks at what the Chrome OS really needs to do, deepening friction between Apple and Palm, a PowerPoint nightmare, touchdown tweets, more Netflix positioning, and a big Darpa project that IBM is working on. And, of course, TWoW. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:33:18 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/garmins_nuvi_vs._iphones_maps_the_ultimate_showdown/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/garmins_nuvi_vs._iphones_maps_the_ultimate_showdown/ You may be asking yourself: "Rather than purchase a dedicated GPS device or an iPhone navigation app, would it be sufficient to just go with the Maps app that comes free with the iPhone?" To answer this question, I did a comparison of Maps vs. a Garmin nüvi 760. What follows is the round-by-round results of the match-up. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:00:29 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_31_national_security_poof/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_31_national_security_poof/ In this week's amalgam of technical news debris, John looks at rumors of Apple talking to book publishers in preparation for its iTablet, Google driving Microsoft looney, National Security snafus, the demise of Windows Mobile, and revelations on how much Virginia is paying to support its PCs. Also: TWoW. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:50:11 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/bikinis_and_the_app_store_approval_process/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/bikinis_and_the_app_store_approval_process/ Search for the word "bikini" in the iTunes App Store and you'll come up with a collection of apps that feature photographs of scantily-clad females. One of these games is Audio Match: Bikini Babes. As a result of a Twitter-exchange, I linked up with Chris Pavlou, the developer of the game. I was intrigued at the possibility of getting an insider's look at the iPhone App approval process, especially for an app as "on-the-edge" as Bikini Babes. So I asked if I could interview him for this column. He agreed. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:22:37 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_24_microsoft_sweets_and_spacey_tweets/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_24_microsoft_sweets_and_spacey_tweets/ In this week's gaggle of technical news debris, John reports on one developer's view of Palm's webOS SDK, a great Internet traffic chart, Microsoft getting in bed with Linux, AT&T snafus, Intel's SSD prices, devious, millisecond stock trading, and Kevin Spacey on Letterman tweeting from his BlackBerry. Also: TWoW. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:26:44 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_iphone_a_puzzle_box/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_iphone_a_puzzle_box/ When I was in Japan last year, I bought one of those puzzle boxes popular with tourists. Without the instructions that came with the box, I might still be trying to figure out how to open it up. And so it is with the iPhone. Only worse. Apple supplies no instructions. Apple doesn't want you to know how to access the iPhone's "insides." It prefers to keep the iPhone as snapped shut as a freshly caught mussel. Yes, with the right tools and know-how, you can take apart an iPhone and check out its internals. Similarly, if you jailbreak an iPhone, you can examine and edit its root level OS software. But Apple deliberately makes all of this hard to do — in every possible way. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:39:42 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_17_lightroom_red_lights_and_creepy_palms/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_17_lightroom_red_lights_and_creepy_palms/ In this hodgepodge of collected technical trivia, John Martellaro looks at Netflix's move to squeeze out the Apple TV, a creepy experience taking a Palm Pre out of the box, how the iPhone is causing disintermediation in the print publishing industry, why Adobe slowed down the export function in Lightroom,  the new entrepreneurs of journalism, Apple's HTTP Streaming Technology, and the question of whether it's improper for iPhone users to use the technology of their devices to alert others about red light cameras. Also: TWoW. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:30:46 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/untangle_calendar_syncing_on_your_iPhone/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/untangle_calendar_syncing_on_your_iPhone/ Once you set it up, syncing events between your Mac and the Calendar app on your iPhone is a breeze. It pretty much happens automatically. It's the setup part that can take some effort. In this regard, iPhone OS 3.0 is a mixed bag. On the upside, you have several new choices regarding exactly how and what to sync. On the downside, the wealth of options can make it even more difficult to figure things out. With that in mind, here is a brief guide to untangling Calendar syncing confusion in iPhone OS 3.0. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:45:01 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/safari_4_back_to_the_bench/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/safari_4_back_to_the_bench/ Safari 4 has been available for a few weeks and the public beta was available for some time before that, so I've had plenty of time to tinker around with the newest version of Apple's Web browser and ultimately do what so many people will probably see as unthinkable: I dumped it. Safari just doesn't cut it for me, so I switched back to my tried-and-true favorite, and no, I'm not talking about Firefox. Blogs, Jeff Gamet's Blog Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:21:46 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/user_interface_blues/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/user_interface_blues/ I have no patience with poor user interface design. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop manufacturers from making such products. As proof, here are three examples of poorly designed "technology" items, all of which I have had the misfortune of using in the last year. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:50:26 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_2_juiced_joost_and_goosed/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_7_2_juiced_joost_and_goosed/ In this week's boatload of technical news, John looks at iPhone 3GS video recording tips, 3GS battery saving tips, Google's violation of its own motto, more on New Tech Journalism, why Joost collapsed, Jonathan Ive insights, and rumors of an Apple squabble with NVIDIA. Also: TWO TWoWs.  Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:45:23 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_26_metamorphosis_transformers_and_stealth_hea/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_26_metamorphosis_transformers_and_stealth_hea/ In this week's miscellany of technical news, John takes a look at the metamorphosis of netbooks, Microsoft and AT&T, all driven by fast paced events in technology and the Internet, Apple stealth health, iPhone 3GS hardware, John Hodgman roasting President Obama, App store secrets, and Optimus Prime MacBook.  Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:53:12 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_os_3.0_and_3gs_so_close...now_even_closer/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_os_3.0_and_3gs_so_close...now_even_closer/ Last March, when the details of iPhone OS 3.0 were first revealed, I wrote a column titled "So Close and Yet..." — where I both lauded several of the new features of the OS and lamented what was still missing. With OS 3.0 now out, and the new iPhone 3GS shipping, the time seems right to take a look back at the list and compare it to how things now stand.  Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, iPhone Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:08:51 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_19_clueless_in_seattle_and_austin_and_apples_/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_19_clueless_in_seattle_and_austin_and_apples_/ In this week's digest of technical Apple news, John looks at articles that covered AT&T's clueless behavior, Sony's desperate behavior, Apple kneecapping the other smartphone vendors, how HTML 5 might kill Flash and Silverlight, and the secret reason why Apple moved the reload button in Safari 4. Also: TWoW.  Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:23:59 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_os_3.0_spotlight_voice_memos_notes/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_os_3.0_spotlight_voice_memos_notes/ There are dozens of new features in iPhone OS 3.0. Some major. Some trivial. Some are featured at Apple's iPhone page. Others are not even mentioned. Today's column focuses on a trio of new features: Spotlight Search, Voice Memos, and Syncing Notes. I look both at how they work and how they sometimes don't work. News, Product News, Tips, How-To, Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, iPhone Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:40:34 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_five/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_five/ It's the last day of the WWDC. I look back at yesterday's big Bash as well as some of the topics getting the most buzz at the event. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:14:14 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_four/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_four/ Today's installment of my WWDC "off-road" coverage looks at food, both at the WWDC and outside the building. Plus a look at parties and other social events. And, oh yes, a couple of sessions. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, Conferences, WWDC Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:59:42 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_3/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_3/ Continuing from previous days' entries, here's Day 3 of my "off-road" observations of WWDC events and related topics. Get the scoop on two of the best events of the conference: Apple Design Awards and Stump the Experts. You won't want to miss this! Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, Conferences, WWDC Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:28:20 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_two/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_two/ Following up on yesterday's Day 1 blog, here's Day 2 of my "off-road" observations of WWDC events and related topics. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, Conferences, WWDC Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:53:13 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_one/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/off-road_wwdc_day_one/ For this week's WWDC, I'll be trying something a bit different from my usual blogging. Instead of a single article for the week, I'll be regularly updating this blog throughout the week. I'll be keeping my comments to Twitter-like short bursts. I'll be in and out of sessions, covering whatever strikes my fancy, focusing on aspects of the WWDC that are not getting primary attention (hence the "off-road" title). Of course, I'll have to be careful not to violate Apple's NDA. But I believe I can manage that. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog, Reports, Conferences, WWDC Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:21:42 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_5_bad_checks_hulu_greed_and_american_pie/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_6_5_bad_checks_hulu_greed_and_american_pie/ In this week's treasury of technical tidbits, John looks at Microsoftian thrashing, the demise of print journalism, American Pie, the Hulu app and Hulu's potential for greed, Twitter and millennials, the success of Google's apps, and what to do before you lose your MacBook at WWDC. Also: Tech Word of the Week. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:55:17 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/are_movies_from_itunes_store_worth_the_price/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/are_movies_from_itunes_store_worth_the_price/ Last March, Apple began selling HD versions of movies in the iTunes Store. Previously, such films were available from iTunes only via Apple TV. This change led me to take a fresh look at purchasing movies, standard and HD, from the iTunes Store. My conclusion: Given the current pricing, the benefits of buying from Apple are minimal at best. Blogs, Ted Landau's User Friendly Blog Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:01:29 -0400 http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_5_29_burial_reversal_and_arresting_gear/ http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/particle_debris_week_ending_5_29_burial_reversal_and_arresting_gear/ In this week's compendium of scattered technical news, John looks at the proposed burial of the BlackBerry, Apple's contorted reversal, a new HDTV wrinkle that will boil your blood, Hulu's perpetual peripatetic dance, and Guy Kawasaki's latest adventure on the U.S.S. Nimitz. Blogs, John Martellaro's Blog Fri, 29 May 2009 15:07:24 -0400