Google has a new app called Vidnik. It allows you to use your Macs built-in video camera to record videos and upload it to your YouTube account in a snap.
Vidnik is currently at version 0.13.0. I downloaded and tried it and it was fairly easy to use. It still needs a lot of polish. It doesn’t respond as quickly as it should.
This app is great for making quick videos for your blog. Diaries perhaps? Or just simply saying hello to friends. Download it here and give it a go.
This is one app that really makes the iPhone/iPod Touch all the more enticing. Touchpad Pro allows you to control your computer via your iPhone or iPod Touch. Using VNC technology, your iPhone/iPod Touch can connect to your computer and act as a remote screen. You’re really seeing a version of your screen.
Here are some of the features of Touchpad Pro
1. Supports iPhone & iPod Touch
2. Connects with Windows, Mac, and anything running a VNC server
3. Control your computer’s mouse and keyboard wirelessly using your iPhone / iPod Touch
4. View your computer’s screen on your iPhone / iPod Touch using ScreenView
5. Natural Touchpad interface for mouse controls
6. Supports multi-display, high resolution desktops
7. Remote Control provides access to numeric keypad, arrow keys, and function keys
8. Fine-grained control of media player using Touchpad Media Server
Setting this up on a Mac is fairly easy. Leopard has a VNC server so you don’t really need to install 3rd party software. Just follow these steps and you’re set. Windows users have it a little more complicated. Hey, that’s Windows right?!?
For those people who want to dabble with vector based graphic design but don’t want to or can’t afford to spend for Adobe Illustrator, there’s VectorDesigner from Tweaker Soft.
Like other apps for Macs, VectorDesigner boasts of a simple, intuitive and easy to use interface that focus on helping the user get tasks done instead of overwhelming them with bells and whistles. It provides all the basic tools you’ll be needing to create vector based designs.
One cool feature of this software is the integrated Flickr browser that allows you to search for texture and images from Flickr.
It can also use filters available via CoreImage and apply it in a non-destructive manner.
The folks over at MacWorld got themselves Psystar’s Open Computer to test. The Open Computer is the ‘Mac Clone’ Psystar built. They say that for a fraction of the cost, you can have a decent spec’d computer running the Mac OS.
However according to what I’ve read so far, It’s not that simple. For one thing, it’s not that easy to install OS X on it. MacWorld actually paid $155 dollars to have OS X installed. So you’ll have to add that to your cost of ownership. Plus in the event that you need to reformat your computer, you’ll either have to ship it back or pray that you’re technically gifted and be able to install it yourself.
Software updates is another problem. Apparently the OS X version that Psystar ships the Open Computer with can’t use the Apple Software Update Utility. You need to go to Psystar’s web site in order to download the updates and install it yourself.
All-in-all here’s the breakdown of what MacWorld spent for their Open Computer.
System - $399
FireWire Card - $50
Graphics Card - $100 (optional)
OS Installation - $155
Total Cost of their Machine is $714.99 ($751.47 w/ shipping)
Machine Specs
2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
2GB of 667MHz RAM
250GB Hard Drive
It’s a decent machine. You can opt not to get the Graphics card and just rely on the built-in graphics chip. That will be $100 less.
Now let’s compare that to a Mac Mini.
Machine Specs
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
120GB hard drive
Cost $799
Now the Mac Mini has pales in comparison to the Open Computer specs wise. At about twice the price you get 1/2 of the specs. That might seem bad but then again there’s the intangible things that are good with the Mac Mini.
One, it comes with everything pre-installed already. OS X plus iLife 08 is included that’s additional value right there. You won’t have trouble with software updates since the Apple Software Update Utility works flawlessly with it.
The Mac Mini is also small and takes up less space.
Of course there are pluses to the Open Computer. It has better specs, you can upgrade it easier. However it’s not as elegantly put together as the Mini and you’ll probably need a lot more technical knowledge to maintain this computer over the course of its life.
Personally I’m still not sure whether a clone is the way to go. I love Apple products because it works and it makes it easier for the consumer. I think this is the way to go for most people. So until Apple officially supports clones, it’s going to be a very tricky thing maintaining one.
I like the version of Apple Mail that ships with Leopard. Don’t get me wrong. I love that it’s faster. I love that it has ‘todo’ integrated with it. I love the small improvements in the interface and the overall polish of the application. I love all of that.
I do have one gripe though.. So far.. When you receive an email with an attachment and you want to save it, the previous Apple Mail had the option for you to select where you want to save it. On every email. Now Apple Mail either saves it to your downloads folder or you can set a folder. But it will save to that folder every time.
So now every time I save an attachment, my workflow is extended. I save it to the downloads folder and them move it to the folder i want to file it to. That’s just not right. It’s tedious.
I wish they kept it the same way as they did before. Maybe there’s a way to do it like before and I just haven’t found it.
The good think though is quicklook. You can use quicklook to preview the attachments. That’s a good thing.
Now Apple if you can just fix this gripe of mine… Please…
*Edited
Thanks to Mark, David, Doug, and Anonymoose for pointing out how I can solve this problem. Turns out all I need to do is hold down the save as button until the option comes out. Why I didn’t think of that? Beats me… See even if you’re an experienced Mac user you can still learn something from people.
I’ve only installed Leopard recently on my personal computer so the computers with Leopard installed that I’ve used before, I didn’t play with Mail since I don’t download mail on other computers.
One of the things I’m asked most about is Photoshop. It’s great tool and as far as image editing tools for professionals go, Photoshop sets the bar. It’s the creme of the crop. However being that stature commands a hefty price tag. Unless you’re really making money out of Photoshop or seriously loaded, then Photoshop is best left to the professionals.
However there are free or cheap alternatives to Photoshop that will satisfy the needs of most users. Photoshop is very powerful but most users won’t have a need for all that power. Think of it as using a Ferrari to go to the shopping mall.
So I’ve rounded up some Photoshop alternatives. I’ll also be reviewing them one by one in future posts.
Acorn
Acorn is simplicity personified. It’s meant to do a task and do it well. It does away with other features that most people won’t really use.
You can chain image filters and create all sorts of effects. Use the iSight to create new images and layers. One of the features of Acorn is the ability to have people write plugins using Python or Objective-C.
Acorn is $49.95.
ChocoFlop
ChocoFlop is being positioned as an alternative to Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter. It’s targeted towards people who work with digital media. It has limited print capabilities and from what the developer said, it might just stay that way.
ChocoFlop uses the CoreImage and OpenGL code making it very powerful. It doesn’t use any legacy code so it’s faster. The downside is that it will only work with the latest OS (10.4+) and recent hardware. It’s a universal binary.
As of this writing it’s still in beta and free but that will change when the release candidate is available.
Pixelmator
Pixelmator is in my opinion one of the most beautifully designed apps I’ve seen for the Mac. The interface is just great.
It’s a powerful, easy-to-use image editor. Among the other apps this is the closest to Photoshop I’ve seen. It has a full assortment of painting tools, retouching tools, correcting tools and other things. It’s a layer based editor as well.
Great news for The After Mac readers! MobileEdge is offering a 15% discount on products sold via their web site. Just punch in the coupon code AfterMac when you make a purchase and you’ll be given the discount. Yay! The code is valid until Dec 31, 2008.
Thanks to Matthew of MobileEdge for extending us this kind offer. So guys, take this chance to get some great products from MobileEdge at a discount.
Apple just updated its iMac line of computers. The base configuration of the updated iMac sports a 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo processor, 6MB shared L2 cache and a 1066MHz front side bus.
Processors up to 3.06Ghz and an NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS with 512MB GDDR3 Memory are upgrades available to the 24″ model.
There are some component upgrades mostly to the processor and video card aspect but most of the iMac stays the same. There’s no radical difference to it. So owners of the previous gen iMac shouldn’t fret. If you’re not a power user your machine will still do fine.
Read Apple’s press release here. The tech specs of the iMac is here.
I’m really happy with companies don’t forget the little people or minority such as people with disabilities. Why? I’m one of them. Most of us have had to take crap through no fault of our own and to be treated unfairly. So when companies such as AT&T does something to help make the lives of people with disabilities easier, I feel good.
AT&T released an iPhone plan for people with disabilities. Realizing that people with hearing impairment, speech problems or something of that sort rely on data services rather than voice calls, they have come up with an unlimited texting, web browsing and email plan for qualified people with disabilities. Way to go AT&T!!!
So if you or you know anyone with a speech or hearing disability point this out to them. It may make life easier for them plus they get an iPhone. How cool is that?!
Forbes reports that the iPhone is coming to Canada and the provider of choice is Rogers Communications. Rogers made this announcement today together with the release of its first quarter results.
Rogers is Canada’s leading carrier. It will give Apple access to around 6 million post paid subscribers.
The article hints about the fact that the 3G version of the iPhone is slated to come out soon. The lack of details provided by Rogers might suggest that they are awaiting a new version of the iPhone, hence they need to wait for Apple to release the details.
It’s great that Canada will soon see the iPhone. This hopefully is the start of more international releases of the iPhone this year. Philippines puh-lease be one of them.. I doubt though…
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