Trunu

Filed under: Tips and tricks, TUAW Tips, iPhone

As a seasoned world traveler and Apple geek, I'm always fascinated to see how others in the Mac and iPhone community make lemonade from lemons when they encounter difficulties on the road. The Mac Observer's Jeff Gamet was recently in Italy (and may still be there) and from the sound of a recent post, he must have arrived well before part of his luggage did. The result? He had a lot of photos on his iPhone that needed to be moved to his Mac, and didn't have a USB cable to link the two.

His solution? Use Dropbox and the hotel's Wi-Fi connection instead of emailing photos and then saving the attached photos to a folder on your Mac. The simple answer involves making sure that you have a Dropbox account (doesn't everybody?), the Dropbox iPhone app [Free, iTunes Link], and access to a Wi-Fi network.

Within the Dropbox app, tap on the Camera button, then tap Existing Photo or Video. From the iPhone's photo albums, you can send your photos to any one of the folders in your Dropbox. As Jeff points out in his post, this has the added benefit of making sure that your vacation photos are backed up online.

Once you've moved the photos to your Dropbox, it's a simple matter of moving or copying them over to your Mac's photo library by literally clicking and dragging them (or option-clicking and dragging if you want to make a copy and keep the originals in the Dropbox) to the iPhone app icon in the dock.

There's only one issue; you have to move one photo or video at a time with the current version of the Dropbox app. Let's hope that Dropbox can address that in an upcoming version of the app.

[Tip of the travelin' hat to Jeff Gamet, The Mac Observer]

TUAWYet another use for Dropbox: USB cable originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In spite of his many years of study and apprenticeship, deep down, Kathanor of Arthas never really wanted to be a blood elf mage. He wanted to be ... a lumberjack gnome pirate! Leaping from ship to ship throughout the mighty seas of Azeroth! The Defias! The Southsea! The Bloodsail! The plucky little Blackwater! The smell of freshly oiled cannons! The clink of gold coins! Kathanor has long suppressed these urges, but doing The Cleansing and fighting his inner turmoil has brought it all back to the surface. How soon until he starts attacking Booty Bay Bruisers?

Do you have any unusual, beautiful or interesting World of Warcraft images that are just collecting dust in your screenshots folder? We'd love to see them on Around Azeroth! Sharing your screenshot is as simple as e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com with a copy of your shot and a brief explanation of the scene. You could be featured here next!

Remember to include your player name, server and/or guild if you want it mentioned. Please include the word "Azeroth" in your post so it does not get swept into the spam bin. We strongly prefer full screen shots without the UI showing -- use alt-Z to remove it. Please, no more battleground scoreboards, Val'kyr on mounts, or pictures of the Ninja Turtles in Dalaran. Older screenshots can be found here.

Filed under: Screenshots, Around Azeroth, Galleries

Around Azeroth: Deep-seated issues originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What is the best way to have a Thanksgiving spread that turns out looking like the glossy photographs in your favorite foodie magazine? I'm sure some readers are expecting a list, organizational techniques or special tips on how to create the perfect meal when you are working full time.

It seems that a better idea is to not slave over the stove, but take you and your family to the nearest upscale restaurant for the special meal. Eat, drink and relax, the turkey will be cooked to perfection. Handing the responsibility for a beautifully cooked Thanksgiving feast over to someone else might even make spending the day with your annoying cousins just that much more bearable.

Another bonus of not preparing your own Thanksgiving meal at home is that often the menu includes items for those at the table who really don't like turkey. It may be considered heresy, but there are many who, out of hunger, force down what is often a dry uninspired main course because that is the only option. There is often at least one vegetarian at every table who sits glumly while the rest of the guests are feasting.

For example, at Ken Aretsky's Patroon in New York City, pictured above, executive chef Bill Peet presents a family-style menu in the warm dining room of this midtown restaurant. In addition to the traditional free range turkey with all the old fashioned fixings (mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted Brussel sprouts and giblet gravy) you will find chateaubriand as well as Scottish salmon for the vegetarians in your group. The restaurant will charge $85 per adult and $45 per child for the meal. Whether you live in the tri-sate region, are in the area visiting family or to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade I can't think of a better way to make you meal truly stress free.

For those of you who live around the country and are watching the parade or the games on t.v., there are great Thanksgiving menu options at the Craft and Craftsteak restaurants, run by the award winning chef Tom Colicchio, located in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. (New York too!) The restaurants offer holiday prix fixe menus - everything is served family style, except the choice of main course.

Leave the turkey in the freezer, save it for a random winter weekend, and eat out!

Filed under: Dining, Holiday Guides

How to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving, Dine Out originally appeared on Luxist on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Look familiar? For a story that broke on Twitter it's only fitting that the first reported picture of the mythical, magical "Google Phone" (AKA, Nexus One) would appear there as well. The tweeted image above appears courtesy of one Cory O'Brien, an account manager at a San Francisco Bay Area marketing agency that does not list Google as a client. That note of caution aside, the image above is an exact match to that leaked HTC Passion / Bravo image from October, only this time lacking the HTC logo on the top-side bezel. Besides the pic, O'Brien tweets that the "Google Phone = iPhone + a little extra screen and a scroll wheel. Great touch screen, and Android." Granted, none of this is confirmed yet, but with Google releasing so many of the devices as part of its "mobile lab" concept, well, we expect to see plenty more sightings in the run up to the rumored January launch.

Update: A quick search for "nexus one" on Google's Picasa photo service reveals several pictures taken with a camera pegged as the HTC Nexus One in the EXIF data. The very first of these geotagged 2592×1944 pixel (that's a 5 megapixel sensor folks, hardly "weirdly large" as described by TechCrunch) images were taken by user Bradley (who just happens to be a Picasa friend to Sergey... hint) in the SF Bay Area on November 27th. A few are clearly lit by an onboard flash as well. In fact, many of the pics appear to be taken from within Google's offices and at Google sponsored events. The quality is not exactly spectacular and that won't likely change in the final product because even Google's bound by the laws of physics when it comes to tiny cellphone sensors.

Update 2: The device seems to have been around earlier with an EXIF identifier of "Phone88." Fortunately, Google's own employees have uploaded pics of the device, by the device, for us to marvel at -- so meta. Check the gallery for the images or a quickie close-up posted after the break.


[Thanks, Alberto and Aaron C.]

Continue reading Google Phone / Nexus One makes first Twitter appearance? (update: new pics!)

Google Phone / Nexus One makes first Twitter appearance? (update: new pics!) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: Engadget]

According to CVG, the recently teased Pirates of the Caribbean content pack for LittleBigPlanet was not only recently confirmed by Sony, but also given a tentative launch window: "We're expecting it to launch just before Xmas," an unnamed Sony rep explained.

If the prospect of platforming as a dreadlock'ed Sack Sparrow isn't exciting enough for you, CVG is also reporting that, as you probably assumed, the Water expansion will be arriving simultaneously with the Pirates pack. Well, of course it would. Can you imagine how much shorter those movies would have been if they didn't have any water? We reached out to Sony and Media Molecule to get confirmation of the two packs' imminence first-hand, but only received a "we don't comment on rumors and speculation" from the former. We'll let you know when we hear more!

Report: LittleBigPlanet getting Pirates, Water expansions before Christmas originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: Joystiq [PlayStation]]

Filed under: iTunes, App Store

TUAWSomething's changing in the iTunes App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a move that could help counter the instant gratification valley that currently separates online shopping from heading to the local retailer, Amazon is pushing a "limited time offer" called Disc+ On Demand that pairs 300 or so of its movies with a free Amazon VOD copy. That digital version pops into the buyer's Video Library instantly after purchase and still has to play by all the usual video on-demand rules of 24 hr / 30 day windows, U.S. address, and is currently only available in standard-definition. Still, this combination of the digital and physical purchase worlds means the online giant has beaten Best Buy's similar plans to the punch and approaches the convenience of Netflix's Watch Instantly. Just its usually lower prices has already driven many of you to be come online only disc buyers, we'll see if this helps Amazon grab the rest.

Amazon's Disc+ program tosses in a free VOD with your Blu-ray or DVD originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Philco PC concept makes the 50s seem less lame (video)

Philco PC concept makes the 50s seem less lame (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 04:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Yanko Design  |  Schultzeworks  | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Rumors, Apple

Over the past few days, several patent applications by Apple have been unearthed -- here's a recap.

Universal Dock
Apple flied a patent for a more "universal" dock for iPods and iPhones. This dock would be made of an elastic, sponge-like material, and would conform to any shape, instead of having to find a dock adapter. Silly putty? Spage-age memory foam? We're not sure what the magical morphing material would be, but not having to deal with bunches of little adapters for each iPod would be terrific.

Tamper-resistant indicators
Apple also filed a patent for a "sticker" which would show evidence of tampering. If you would open the casing of an Apple product, the casing could be attached to a sticker, which would also be attached to a part inside the casing, and would indicate if the casing had been opened. This would be similar to the liquid sensors that Apple has been putting in iPhone and recent iPod models. It also sounds similar to the same sorts of stickers you see warning you that you'll violate your warranty if you break the seal. This warning is seen frequently on hard drives, but would Apple use this to preclude 3rd-party battery replacements? We hope not.

iPod motion controls
Apple also filed a patent for controlling an iPod with motion. It would use an accelerometer, which is currently found in the iPod nano, iPod touch and iPhone. There's the "Shake to Shuffle" that's been a part of 4th and 5th generation iPod nano models, and the iPhone and iPod touch since iPhone OS 3.0, which allows to skip to a random song by shaking the device. Further motion-based controls may allow you to scroll by tilting, or move to the next song by "flicking" the device in your hand. Either way, you'll want to turn it off before you go dancing in an iPod ad.

As with all patent applications, it doesn't mean that these features could be released, it just gives a general idea on what Apple has been focusing on.

[Engadget and AppleInsider]

TUAWApple patents recap, universal docks, iPod motion controls and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)]

Filed under: Action

The Spike TV Video Game Awards has revealed that LucasArts is working on Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, the sequel to their best selling 2008 console action game that finally made its way to the PC last October (that's the game pictured above). A URL (www.unleashed2010.com) hints strongly that the game is due for released sometime next year.

The CGI trailer showed the lead character of the first game, Starkiller, fighting a massive creature in an arena-like setting. It also looks like Starkiller is going to have to deal with the voices of Darth Vader and Yoda in his head. Hopefully PC gamers won't have to wait a year to get the sequel.

Update: The Unleashed2010.com teaser site has launched with the above image

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II announced [Update] originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even though Motorola's only officially announced a small handful of devices that run Android so far, this much is clear -- the company was dead serious about going all-in on the platform because we're seeing new leaked hardware practically every time we look. This time around, it's a clearer view of the Zeppelin, which turns out to be coming to market on China Telecom as the XT800. It looks like it could be a sharp-looking handset, borrowing design elements of the Instinct HD and featuring both GSM and CDMA radios for compliance with Telecom's up-and-coming 3G network. What makes this juicier, though, is the fact that QQ.com alternately identifies the Zeppelin as the Titanium, a device we'd just seen in the FCC with EV-DO Rev. A last week. That leads us to believe we could see this bad boy on Sprint or Verizon in the near future -- and with an HDMI output in this thing, 2010 is shaping up to be a great year for high-end Android gear.

[Thanks, Vitala]

Motorola Zeppelin outed as the XT800 for China Telecom -- US getting it, too? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: Engadget Mobile]

Filed under: Bargain Babe

Get a free photobook from MyPublisher when you order a second copy of one paid photobook.

Use code FREEGIFT. Expires Tuesday, Dec. 15. New customers only.

The photobooks are $13-$60 depending on whether you go with the pocketbook, hardcover or deluxe hardcover. Each can hold 20-100 pages with up to 12 photos per page.

The latest you can order your free photobook and get it on time for Christmas is Dec. 20, and that means you'll have to pay for FedEx overnight.

Caveats: one per person. To get the freebie you'll need to download their photo software, which takes about three minutes.

Continue reading BOGO free photobook offer

BOGO free photobook offer originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Career, Recession

Unemployment isn't a disease that needs a 12-step program, but let's face it, being broke and trying to feel festive around the holidays don't exactly go hand-in-hand. Which is why a California business coach got my attention.

Deborah Gallant normally commands big bucks for telling people what they need to do to start up a business or grow the one they already have. She has first-hand experience dealing with professionals who got the axe in the recession during the past year: Her husband was laid off from his big-deal job in finance 16 months ago and is still looking. She also coaches people who are frustrated with their job search. And she does that for free. Heck, she's even helped me for free.

Gallant runs a free group hug every Tuesday morning called the Conejo Jewish Support, held at Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, CA. You don't have to be Jewish to attend and nobody expects you to actually cry or bare your soul. She arranges free speakers about different aspects of the job search, serves free coffee and has one rule: When you get a job (notice, she says "when" not "if") donate a few bucks from your first paycheck to the coffee kitty. The woman is Santa with a New York accent.

Continue reading Tips for the unemployed to stay sane during the next two weeks

Tips for the unemployed to stay sane during the next two weeks originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You readers have filled me with so much freakin' holiday cheer that I may, MAY, not protest the holidays with my ritualistic murder of a tree. Here are the 107 entrants in this week's Shooting Challenge:

Second Runner Up
This is actually a picture of my Christmas tree. I shot this with my Canon XS using a 4 second exposure at f-8, and an iso of 100. I started with the lens unfocused and zoomed in at 55m. During the 4 second exposure I zoomed out to 18mm.
-John Chapman

First Runner Up
Sony A230 Body; Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens; ISO 800; 1/500 sec @ f2.8; No Flash
-Nick Marquis

Winner!
Nikon D5000; Nikkor 18-200 VR; Exposure: 12.2 seconds; Aperture: f/9.0; Focal Length: Multiple; ISO: 200; White Balance: Cool White Fluorescent. This was taken in bulb mode on a tripod. I exposed the tree and surrounding scene at 18mm for about 9 seconds, then slowly zoomed to 200mm closing the shutter right before hitting 200. More here.
-Dan DeChiaro

Dan, please contact me to claim your Joby SLR-ZOOM Gorillapod and Ballhead.

As always, thanks to everyone for participating, and enjoy all of the awesome entries in the gallery below. Picking winners is my favorite worst job to do of the week. Oh, and for those of you wanting wallpaper-sized images, we'll be popping those in a separate post soon.

By the way, more of you sent in shots of soul-sucking winter than pretty, happy Christmas lights. What's that say about us all?

Images coordinated by Kyle VanHemert.

Read More... [Source: Gizmodo: top]

Now that's a shocker, isn't it? A gaming laptop that isn't particularly friendly on your wallet? It's true, Origin's Eon18 is not the machine to consider if you're ready to make the step up from a netbook but aren't yet willing to step into quadruple-digit price tags. As tested by Laptop, the Eon18 was half-way to five-digits thanks to its $5,952 cost, but that money gets you a an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 chip running at 2.53GHz, dual 160GB SSDs, a pair of GeForce GTX 280M graphics cards, a lovely airbrush job on the lid, and a power brick that on its own, at three pounds, weights more than some of the competition's machines (no concerns about inadequate juice here). That configuration delivers unbeatable I/O performance but, when it came to the all-important gaming benchmarks, was found to be comparable to Alienware's M17x, and thus not exactly worth the $1,000 premium -- unless you really dig flame jobs.

[Thanks, Mark]

Origin's Eon18 gaming laptop reviewed, found to be a great performer, not a great value originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Company News, Investing, Goldman Sachs , Google , Microsoft, Boeing, Apple, Bank of America, Citigroup, Yahoo

Boeing (BA) said on Thursday that its 787 Dreamliner may finally -- finally -- fly as early as Tuesday. After two years of delays, Boeing is allaying concerns that it will miss its latest goal of test flying the long-awaited aircraft before the end of the year. Boeing shares climbed 2% in pre-market trading.

National Semiconductor (NSM) beat analysts' earnings and sales estimates for its fiscal 2010 second quarter. The company reported earnings of 20 cents per share, on $345 million in sales, beating analysts' estimates of 14 cents EPS on $336.7 million in revenue. Still, shares declined 2.2% ahead of the bell as the company projected sequentially flat sales in its third quarter.

Continue reading Stocks in the news: Boeing, National Semi, United Tech

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Read More... [Source: DailyFinance]

Data caps and tiers could be on the way for the mobile side, but things look all good for AT&T's U-verse TV service, as it announced it has crossed the 2 million subscriber threshold (up from 1.3 million at the end of Q1) and is snapping up 60% of the share of customers in new markets. Even better, a new High Speed Internet Max Turbo package just launched, offering customers 24 Mbps down / 3 Mbps up speeds for $65 a month, closing out a year that's seen the launch of new HD channels, new interactive apps, Total Home DVR and expanded availability overall. Of course, that just means the bar has been raised for our 2010 expectations. we're thinking a Sky TV-like Xbox 360 tie-in, expanded streaming video portal and... another new remote?

AT&T U-verse now serving 2 million+ originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Actroids go on sale in Japan, John Isidore not impressed

Actroids go on sale in Japan, John Isidore not impressed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An ESRB rating has revealed a new Wii game published by Disgaea creator NIS America, with the catchy title of "Viral Survival." The ratings board describes a game "in which players direct small 'cartoony' DNA-strand creatures around a game board," collecting other DNA strands and avoiding viruses.

This sounds like peakvox escape virus, an obscure WiiWare title that snuck into Japan in June. That game involved chaining DNA creatures and navigating them between virus blobs, occasionally gaining the ability to destroy them with "immunity" missiles. NIS America seems to simply have an interest in picking up games about viruses, like the hilariously localized Puchi Puchi Virus.

ESRB: NIS promotes 'Viral Survival' for Wii owners originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: Joystiq [Nintendo]]

Filed under: MMO, Star Trek Online

During an awards presentation at the Spike TV Video Game Awards, actor Zachary Quinto revealed that he would be the "voice" for Star Trek Online, the upcoming MMO title from developer Cryptic Studios and publisher Atari. Quinto did not make clear if he would just be an unnamed voice in the game or if he would be reprising his role of Spock in the recent movie revival.

Besides playing Spock, Quinto is best known for his role as the complex super villain Sylar in NBC's Heroes TV series. Hopefully we will learn more about his role in Star Trek Online in the near future.

Zachary Quinto's voice to be heard in Star Trek Online originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Nov. 10 Christie's in New York will auction off an epic 15-ft. wide Jean-Michel Basquiat painting as part of its Post-War and Contemporary Art sale. The painting is expected to fetch up to $12 million. Brother Sausage (detail above), painted in 1983 and featured on the cover of Basquiat's catalogue raisonné, is a cartoon strip-like composition of six panels hinged together to form a narrative frieze of multiple drawings and Xeroxed overlays, each laden with themes of racial inequality and prejudice, wealth and corporate greed in a fame and consumer-obsessed American. Christie's notes the work is "steeped in Basquiat's signature style, raw energy and ingenious, loaded layering," exemplifying the artist at the pinnacle of his career. Also included in the auction are Andy Warhol's Tunafish Disaster, painted in 1963 and estimated at $6 - $8 million; and Jeff Koons' Large Vase of Flowers from 1991, estimated at $4 - $6 million.

[via JustLuxe]

Filed under: Auctions, Art

Massive $12 Million Basquiat on Offer at Christie's originally appeared on Luxist on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While the fierce debate rages about whether Avatar will be a spectacle of win or suck hard continues, we wondered: Does the public even know what this film's about? So we asked them to explain the plot to us.

Additional video editing by Julia Carusillo and Mike Byhoff. Thank you to all the people that allowed me to pester them in NYC's Times Square.

Read More... [Source: io9: top]