It’s been a while since a quality QuarkXPress book came out, so my long time friend and graphic design expert Jay Nelson stepped up to the plate with a QuarkXPress for Dummies. Jay explains print and digital publishing workflows, color management, image resolution, fonts, output formats, and more. He also explains the evolution of QuarkXPress, which is great for understanding how it went from being the premier desktop publishing tool to the more specialized product it is today. QuarkXPress for Dummies is available now on Amazon for US$34.99.
Kerbal Space Program (Steam Keys): $13.99
We have a deal for you on Kerbal Space Program, the fully-fledged, physics-based space flight simulation game. Highly rated, it’s available on the Steam platform for Mac (PC, Linux, and SteamOS, too), and you can get it for $13.99 through us. There’s a video on the deal page, more pics, and additional information, too.
Congressional Encryption Working Group Backs Encryption, Thoughts on CES - ACM 390
The Congressional Encryption Working Group has issued a year-end report on encryption that finds weakening encryption would harm the national security interests of the United States. Bryan and Jeff discuss the implications, as well as a new request from the Turkish government asking Apple to unlock an iPhone 4s owned by an assassin. They cap the show with a preview of CES expectations.
Spam Call Blockers, USB-C iPhone - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-22
AT&T is getting in on spam call blocking, so Dave Hamilton and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to look at how their system works and talk about other spam call blockers, too. They also discuss why replacing the Lightning connector on the iPhone with USB-C might not be a bad thing.
Raspberry Pi Brings PIXEL Desktop Environment to the Mac
The team behind the super affordable Raspberry Pi computer platform has been working on their own desktop environment called PIXEL, and now it’s available for the Mac. PIXEL is built on Debian, so it’s a fully bootable system, and includes everything you need to be productive, the Chromium web browser, and more. They designed it so you can pop it on a USB flash drive or DVD and run it from there. PIXEL is still in an experimental stage, so don’t rely on it as your primary OS. It’s a free download at the Raspberry Pi website.
OfficeSuite Premium 3-Year Subscription: $9.99
We have have a deal for you today on three-year subscription to OfficeSuite Premium. This is a cross-platform (iOS, Windows, Android) alternative to Office that handles DOC, XLS, PPT, and CSV files. This license lets you use the software on up to 1 phone, 1 tablet, and 1 Windows PC at the same time. Get the details on the deal listing.
Apple's Mixed Mac Message, Favorite Holiday Movies - TMO Daily Observations 2016-12-21
Apple seems to be sending mixed messages about its commitment to the Mac platform. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to discuss where the Mac is today and what may be in store for it over the next couple years. They also share some of their favorite holiday movies.
iKlips DUO+ Dual Interface Flash Drive: $69.99
We have a deal for you today on the iKlips DUO +, a flash drive with a Lightning connector on one end and a USB connector on the other. This means you can connect it to your iPhone or your Mac for transferring files. It works on Windows PCs, too. With our deal, you can get a 32GB model for $69.99. There’s a pulldown menu for 64GB and 128GB, too.
1Password 6.5 for iOS Adds Native Apple Watch App
AgileBits announced Tuesday the release of 1Password 6.5 for iOS. This release offers device syncing through 1Password.com and gets the iOS version up to date with 1Password 6.5 for Mac. The company also made the Apple Watch app native, which should mean it will be much faster (you can read more about that in the AgileBits blog). In addition to being faster, the native app allows you to access entries to any vault, including vaults stored in 1Password.com—previously, you could only access items in your primary vault. You can download the update through the App Store.
A Drone Big Enough to Pull a Snowboarder? Yes Please
Drones are pretty cool, but a drone big enough to pull a snowboarder? Now that’s really cool. Casey Neistat enlisted the help of some friends to build a drone powerful enough to pull him on his snowboard up hill, and even take him on short flights off snow jumps and ramps. He zips through a ski town to show off his drone boarding skills, and it’s frakking awesome. Check out the video to see Casey’s drone boarding adventures—and don’t try this with your own drone. Casey is a professional crazy man with a custom built drone.
