Safari 4 Beta
Apple – Safari – Introducing Safari 4 – See the web in a whole new way.
Get it while it’s hot! Safari 4 beta with over 150 news features! Cover Flow shown below…
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Google Chat with voice & video
If you use Google chat (if you use iSkubmail than you do). Head over to the Google Chat site and download this plugin to have voice and video in your Google chats!
Mailplane: Gmail heaven on your Mac
Mailplane has simply become one of my “can’t live without” Mac apps after shortly installing the trial, followed promptly by a purchase…
How so?
Mailplane is a desktop app that completely integrates your Gmail/Google Apps mail into a desktop email client that even adds functionality to Gmail, not just letting you access it, which you can do with things like Fluid.app.
So what makes Mailplane so great? First off, you don’t need a browser window open all the time. Second, you don’t have to use Mail.app. Mail.app is fine… but doesn’t give you threaded conversations, and labeling and starring of messages (both of which are reasons you would choose Gmail). Mailplane lets you have access to all of these, right in the app, no browser required. Pic of Mailplane.app running below!
Leopard 10.5.2 impressions
Found this funny little tidbit after updating Leopard to 10.5.2 today. It seems I have Finder version 10.5.3…
I always thought that you can’t have a version of Finder that is newer than your OS, but maybe that’s just me…
In other 10.5.2 news you can now turn off the transparent menubar in Desktop & Screensaver and we now have a handy Time Machine menubar item which really helps with usability, bye bye Time Machine dock icon 
MarsEdit 2.1
Just a quick note about updates to my blogging software of choice. MarsEdit 2.1 from Red Sweater software came out today with a host of nice improvements including:
Search Your Drafts and Entries
Now you can quickly filter your posts and drafts by keywords. Just type a word or phrase into the toolbar search field, and MarsEdit will restrict the post listing to only items that contain the text you’ve typed.
Native Tags Support
For supported systems, including Movable Type and WordPress, MarsEdit now offers a field for capsule-style tagging of your posts. It even remembers the tags you’ve typed before, so you’ll be able to reuse them in a jiffy on future posts.
Improved Web Preview
MarsEdit’s built-in preview sports a sleek new default appearance, massively enhanced performance, and fine-tuned usability. Now previews update quickly and without flickering or jumping around as you edit your post.
iPod Touch 1.1.3 & January software update
Here are some pics of my iTouch running software version 1.1.3 with the January software update including Maps, Mail, Stocks, Weather, and Notes. Note the custom icons on the home screen and the new dock. This is a great software update. It gives you almost all the features of a jailbroken 1.1.2 while giving you official update support and great reliability. This is the best software update for the iPhone/iTouch yet. I’m very impressed!
MacBook Air pics
Scope the gallery up at Engadget. It’s the thinnest laptop ever made. Wow!
Macworld 2008 predictions
So Macworld 08 is approaching and it’s time to rundown some predictions from the skub…
- iTunes Movie Rentals: I have been saying this for a long time and it looks like Apple and Fox have finally agreed on a deal to make it happen.
- MacBook/MacBook Pro revisions: A smaller MacBook Pro (ala 12″ Powerbook) is overdue and would be a nice addition to the product line (mockup below). A MacBook Pro Rev. that features the new keyboard keys that have made there way across the rest of the Mac line seems inevitable. Speed bumps to the whole Mac line would be possible too.
- iPhone SDK: Finally unveiled before it’s release to developers in February. This will probably take center stage with the demoing of some native iPhone apps to wow the crowds.
- Cinema displays with integrated iSight cameras…long overdue.
- A note on the rumored iTablet: Why would Apple want people to go nuts over another mobile gadget other that the iPhone/iTouch? They want to push these products into the future as they still are the talk of everybody. Apple won’t release a new multi-touch tablet to draw away from the iPhone media frenzy. There is still far to much work needed on the iPhone for that to happen and Apple likely doesn’t have to resources for that now after the strain to release Leopard.
So there you have it. Skub’s predictions for Macworld 08. In a Macworld keynote there can only really be 1 big announcement and a few smaller ones. My bet is 1 big (iPhone SDK), and 2 smalls (iTunes rentals and ultralight Macbook Pro). Let’s see how I do…
Anxiety Task Manager
Ever wanted a super lightweight task manager that integrates into the core apps of Mac OS like iCal and Mail? Anxiety, by Model Concept does just that. Seamless integration with Mail and iCal of To-do’s. Since Anxiety integrates with Leopards Calendar Store database you can even sync to your phone via iSync. So if your looking for an extremely “Mac like” To-do app, give Anxiety a try. It’s even free (donations excepted).
Folder and Zip Quicklook plugins
One of the few omissions from Quicklook in Leopard are Folder and Zip file Quicklook capabilities. Enter the Folder and Zip Quicklook plugins by Taiyo. Add these great Quicklook plugins to /Library/Quicklook to have the ability to Quicklook Folder contents and Zip file contents without opening the file. These plugins add some great functionality to the already fantastic Quicklook. A must have for any Leopard user and they’re free! Enjoy.
Folder Quicklook plugin and Zip Quicklook plugin before and after.
Leopard 10.5.1
MAC OS X 10.5.1 has landed today, the first OS update to Leopard. Many bug fixes and improvements are included. It’s nice to see an update out so quickly from Leopards October 26 release. Start your Software Update now. Post your reactions below…
Free PUSH email with Gmail IMAP-IDLE
Now that Google has rolled out it’s IMAP service to Gmail and GoogleApps users, one can take advantage of the excellent feature called IMAP-IDLE. IMAP-DLE means that while connected to your mailbox (IMAP-IDLE supported program) that new mail will get “pushed” to you, instead of the program polling for new email. This is great on a mobile device (like my Nokia E61) and also great in Mail.app in Leopard, which now supports IMAP-IDLE (this can be enabled in the advanced tab in mailbox settings). So, if you want free PUSH email, check out the already great free email solution from Google (which powers iSKUB mail via GoogleApps). Later skubies.
Saft & Inquisitor for Leopard Safari
Inquisitor and Saft. These are my 2 favorite add-ons for Safari and now they’re are available for Safari 3.0.4 in Leopard. These add serious function to Safari. Inquisitor 3.0(v49) is dubbed as Spotlight for the web(screenshot top), it provides instant search results without ever having to go to a search page (and it’s free!). It so great because it actually improves the functioning of your web searches. Saft 10.0.0 (screenshot bottom) on the other hand, adds many more robust features to Safari. Things like Add Blocking, auto-download window closing, a full-screen mode, and much more. Saft can be downloaded here. It sells for $12, or $6 if your upgrading from the Tiger version. With these 2 add-ons who will experience Safari in a whole new way as it is turned into robust, feature rich, customizable browser. Combine that with the great design and simplicity of Safari, and you have one amazing browser. The BEST browser for Mac OS X Leopard. Edit: screenshots below are from Inquisitor and Saft running on my system instead of canned screenshots from before.
Leopard
So, Leopard is finally out. It’s not much different from the last developer build feature wise, but I’m very glad it’s out. Now I’m back in the mainstream after running developer builds for 1.5 years, feels weird… So post your Leopard reactions and other things about Leopard you want to talk about. I’ve been using it for quite sometime now, so what do you guys think? At least I can post screenshots again now that it’s official! Seems perfectly stable to me, but so did the last build, no worries.
CSSEdit
A fantastic tool for web design, CSSEdit allows you to easily edit CSS within your (or any) webpage. CSS controls things like font colors, link colors, mouse-over effects, and various other webpage elements. CSSEdit allows you to edit these in its own design window before sending any of these changes live onto your webpage. This gives you a great way to experiment with new fonts, colors, etc without changing your actual webpage until your ready to. I used CSSEdit to change all the font colors on iskub.com just the other day. If you want to edit CSS and don’t know all the ins-and-outs of it, or what code effects what on a page, CSSEdit is an amazing tool. It’s available here, and is $29.95.
iPod touch native applications
So I took the plunge this week and chose to jailbreak my iPod touch. This is seriously what Apple should have done from the get-go to give consumers a truly killer device. Lets just start by loading all the apps the iPhone has, but the iTouch doesn’t. Done. Email, calender appt adding, weather, stocks, and notes, great! The excellence of installer.app (included in ijailbreak) opens up the true capability of the OS X multi-touch interface. When you use a iPhone/iTouch you are wowed by this interface, but with 3rd party applications you can do so much more. A great wealth of tools, hacks, themes, OS X system tools, and apps are at your fingertips to use these devices to the fullest. They really become much more useful and provide an awesome experience in testing the capability of the multi-touch interface. If you want to take the plunge and have the BEST mobile device PERIOD, get ijailbreak and start from there. It is the only tool you’ll need to open these fantastic and limitless devices (when set free). Apple has a chance to make all this freedom legitimate when it releases the iPhone SDK in February. I sincerely hope Apple will do the right thing and give people what they want. A truly open device built around the amazing Mac OS X multi-touch interface. They have to chance to do great things. Let’s hope they make the right choice.
Apple News: iPhone/iTouch SDK + iTunes Plus price reduction
Steve Jobs announced today that a iPhone/iPod touch SDK will be released in February for the development of native 3rd party apps on the iPhone/iTouch. Scope the post by S. Jobs here.
P.S. Apple also today expanded iTunes Plus to more than 2 million tracks online and reduced the price of the DRM-free tracks @ 256kbps to the same $0.99 as DRMed tracks. Awesome!
Leopard now available
Mac OS X Leopard is now available for pre-order and will launch @ 6pm on October 26. If you pre-order, Apple says it will be delivered on the 26th.
Apple Web Apps directory
Apple launched a Web App directory today for the iPhone and iPod touch. So now you have a semi-central and official Apple sanctioned place to hunt down your iPhone/touch apps. Very cool! I just wish that when you browsed it on your iPhone/touch that it would be mobile Safari formatted. Why Apple why? So fix it up, give us a mobile interface, and I will be happy. Thanks for the directory, it’s a good start.
Mac OS X Leopard on track for October release
ThinkSecret is reporting Leopard is on schedule for its October release. They speculate a possible release date of October 26. That is a good day perhaps… The last release (9A599) is very stable and polished. So here’s hoping the Big Cat makes its leap on schedule, and maybe even on the 26th.
iLife 08 updates add tons of usability
Major updates to every iLife 08 app came out yesterday from Apple, and after testing them all I can say is WOW! Thank you Apple for making these apps usable. Like any Mac user, I appreciate the iLife apps, but find there stability unsatisfying at times (especially on 10.5). Today’s updates remedy every usablity and stability problem I have encountered and greatly improves iLife 08. So if you haven’t yet, update your iLife 08 and get to appreciating these fine updates.
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Apple update roundup
Here’s your latest Apple software update rundown on the heels of iPhone firmware 1.1.1…
- iPod touch firmware 1.1.1: general bug fixes (download through iTunes)
- EFI firware updates for Core 2 Duo Macs: various fixes
- Keynote 4.0.1, Pages 3.0.1, Numbers 1.0.1: performance and bug fixes
- GarageBand 4.1, iMovie 7.1, iPhoto 7.1, iDVD 7.0.1, iLife Support 8.1: performance, bug fixes (substantial), and added features
iPhone update disables 3rd party apps and relocks?
Engadget is reporting that unlocked iPhone owners who are updating to the newly released firmware 1.1.1 are ending up with locked phones and non-working 3rd party apps. It’s looking like Apple just bricked any and all iPhones that run this update. A bold move, but it was warned…
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Skub’s iPod touch review
So I've had my iPod touch for a few days now, and have some comments along with a small review. The iTouch has been getting a bit of bad press as a watered-down iPhone lately on various sites. First off, I do not have the defective, washed-out screen problem. Second, it is the most feature complete iPod ever. The design is amazing. It's as thin as a nano, which is a bit hard to get used to… It has a certain heft to it, with the all metal body and glass screen. It has a very nice feel in the hand, like a luxury item with better build quality than any previous iPod. The interface is amazing and extremely user friendly. My only complaint; transfer times are very slow compared to previous iPod's. I don't know why this would be, hopefully it can be improved with a software update. So there you have it. My quick-take on the iTouch. The simple fact is that once you use one of these things, you won't want to go back to a traditional iPod. That sure seems like a successful product to me…Blogged with Flock