MacBreak 107: Macworld 2008: John Lennon Bus Part 2

MacBreak 107: Macworld 2008: John Lennon Bus Part 2
Justine Ezarik learns more about the sound system on the John Lennon Bus in the second part of our two part series.

RSS’ Security Deadline

RSS’ Security Deadline
We have a deadline on our hands, folks. There are vulnerabilities that simply must be addressed before the unthinkable happens. As we here at eWEEK Labs evaluate the next generation of Web browsers, operating systems, collaboration tools and other interactive applications, one feature keeps popping up again and again—namely, integration with RSS feeds. RSS integration has already [...]

We have a deadline on our hands, folks. There are vulnerabilities that simply must be addressed before the unthinkable happens.

As we here at eWEEK Labs evaluate the next generation of Web browsers, operating systems, collaboration tools and other interactive applications, one feature keeps popping up again and again—namely, integration with RSS feeds.

RSS integration has already pretty much become a must-have feature for a whole host of products. Not having RSS integration is almost like not being able to use the Web at all.
And I can see why many developers and businesses are flocking to support RSS. In addition to their popularity as the delivery method of choice for core Web 2.0 products, such as blogs and podcasting, RSS feeds have great potential for reliably delivering a wide assortment of content, files and even applications…. Source: eWeek

GBTV #0393 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

GBTV #0393 (small) | GeekBrief.TV
TuneUp is an app for Windows iTunes users to keep iTunes clean and organized.

The Hacked OH! *#% Flash Drive make geek 2GB or your data safe in a completely unique way.

The HomeSeer HomeTroller is an energy efficient home automation appliance that can controll your lights, appliance, climate, security, telephones, irrigation, window shades and home entertainment equipment. Thanks to AutomatedHome.co.uk for the heads up!

N-Gage has a FIFA football game that's free through August, but only in certain European countries.

PS3 pricing will drop to $400 for the 80GB version in September.

Lyndsay Williams from Girton Labs is working a project called SenseSurface. It makes it possible to use physical knobs on a fluid display.

Blackberry Storm dummy hits Verizon store

Blackberry Storm dummy hits Verizon store

Filed under: Cellphones

Well, it's not quite as big as that gigantic promo Bold, but dummies of the Blackberry Storm have started appearing in Verizon stores, and it's looking a lot, uh, more robust than we remember from all those leaks. Specs include an appropriately multicultural photo of happy people, non-functioning buttons, and a list of Verizon talking points. Still no hard release date, but we're guessing something this big can't be contained for much longer.

[Via Blackberry News]

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MacBreak 31: The Road to 1080p, Part 6

Ben Durbin shows behind-the-scenes on how MacBreak's interactive lower thirds are created. Read More

Official BlackBerry Storm photos leak

Official BlackBerry Storm photos leak
Official promotional photos of the highly-anticipated Blackberry Storm smartphone have been leaked over the weekend, showing the home screen and confirming some of its specifications and that it will be available exclusively at Verizon Wireless. The RIM handset�s large 3.25-inch, 480x360 touchscreen shows the menu will have eight shortcut buttons, with one dedicated to Verizon�s VZ Navigator appli...

Netgear launches WNR2000 / DGN2000 Wireless-N routers

Netgear launches WNR2000 / DGN2000 Wireless-N routers

Filed under: Networking

Netgear, we're here to tell you it's been far, far too long since you threw any new 802.11n gear our way, so we're pretty stoked to see a few new pieces roll out today. The outfit is formally introducing the WNR2000 Wireless-N router and DGN2000 Wireless-N router with built-in DSL modem this morning, both of which boast the company's own Push 'N' Connect with Wi-Fi Protected Setup to eliminate the need to remember those pesky network security passwords. Both units are available in kit form as well, which sees a USB wireless adapter bundled in just in case your rig is operating sans an 802.11n WiFi module. Everything is available now for anywhere between $89 and $129.

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Sanyo's 4LCD PLC-XP200L projector gets reviewed

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment

You're probably wondering if adding in a fourth panel to an LCD projector is really worthwhile. Actually, you're probably willing to bet your bottom dollar that it's a gimmick. Sound & Vision took the time to actually critique Sanyo's latest with an open mind, and believe it or not, it found the all new QuaDrive technology to be everything it was hyped up to be. To be fair, the PLC-XP200L isn't tailored for the home theater; the lowly 1,024 x 768 resolution and 4:3 aspect ratio sound downright appalling. However, reviewers focused more on the actual technology / image quality given that Sanyo already has a compact, quieter, 16:9 QuaDrive beamer slated for 2009. During a demonstration, critics found the new tech to be visibly better than 3LCD rivals, with the picture appearing "dramatically more vivid." Should you rush out and buy the XP200L? Probably not. But you may just want to delay your impending PJ purchase until that HT version hits next year.

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GBTV #425 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

Microsoft announced an update to the Zune. The most exciting of the features is the ability to tag songs from the FM radio to buy over WiFi or later when you're connected to your computer.

The Nano predictions were right, curved screen and all. Apple also updated the iPod Touch to make it thinner, with a contoured back. Both have the new Genius technology that will suggest songs and playlists.

iTunes 8.0 is now out. The Grid view is fantastic! TV shows will now be offered in HD for $2.99. Oh! Oh! Oh! NBC is back in the iTunes Store. Read More

MacBreak 50 Macworld 2007: MacTank

Merlin chats with the developers of MailTank and MailTemplate. Read More

MacBreak 73: Minute: Current Finder Path Shortcut

MacBreak 73: Minute: Current Finder Path Shortcut
Kenji shows us a shortcut for determining the current path in the Finder.

Converting Safari RSS feeds into exportable OPML file

At first, saving and reading your RSS feeds from Safari may have seemed appealing. But that may have changed. After all, there are a good five or six solid RSS readers for the Mac that can do the job better. Well, there seems to be a way to move those RSS feeds out of Safari and into the reader of your choice.

By using an XML stylesheet and running it in the Mac terminal, you can convert the RSS feeds into an OPML file. Nearly all RSS readers -- both desktop and online -- will let you import feeds via OPML. Here's how you do it:

Download the XML stylesheet from here. Then run it in the terminal with these commands:
$ cd ~/Library/Safari
$ plutil -convert xml1 Bookmarks.plist
$ xsltproc SafariFeeds2OPML.xslt Bookmarks.plist > SafariFeeds.opml
$ plutil -convert binary1 Bookmarks.plist

Now you have an OPML file called SafariFeeds.opml. Download a news reader or use an online one and import the file. Now you can enjoy those RSS feeds in a more comfortable reading environment.

Via Mac OS X Hints.

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iYo YOYO Induction Charger lets you enjoy your tunes sans AC

Filed under: Peripherals

For any iPhone or iPod user brimming with energy that might otherwise go wasted on aimless fidgeting, Swedish designer Peter Thuvander has devised the perfect way for you to marry your hyperactivity and your love for your Apple device: the iYo YOYO Induction Charger. While playing with the charger as you would an ordinary yo-yo, a small lithium-ion battery is charged inside, which in turn powers your device. The idea sounds great, and if it ever gets out of the concept stage we look forward to having our idle hands finally used as something other than the Devil's playthings. Check out a video of the device in rendered action after the break.

[Via Engadget German]

Continue reading iYo YOYO Induction Charger lets you enjoy your tunes sans AC

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WebKit achieves perfect Acid3 score

Maciej Stachowiak, of the WebKit development team, has announced that a version of the engine underlying Apple's Safari browser has become the first to fully pass the Acid3 test, including the smooth animation rendering test. Acid3 is a test page that scores how well a rendering engine follows defined web standards, including DOM and JavaScript. The test provides a metric for comparing different e...

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Will Ferrell's gag site heads to Little Britain

It has turned Paris Hilton into an unlikely star of modern-day satire, and could end up pricking the bubble behind Sarah Palin's assault on the US vice-presidency. Now the website that has revolutionised how America laughs is... Read More

Russian iPhone to go on sale October 3rd

Russian iPhone to go on sale October 3rd
The iPhone should go on sale in Russia October 3rd, Reuters reports. Nadezhda Senyuk, a PR director for Russia's Tekhnosila retail chain, explains that several retailers should begin selling the iPhone overnight between October 2nd and 3rd. Two other retailers, Eldorado and M.video, have confirmed Senyuk's statements by issuing separate announcements of an October 3rd sell date. Eldorado says i...

Apple and the App Store: meme of the moment

Apple and the App Store: meme of the moment

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Bad Apple, App Store

It's been a couple of months since I first posted my thoughts on the iPhone App Store review process and called for greater objectivity, transparency, and consistency from Apple. Apple's review process has become the meme of the moment this week. Here's a quick run-down of some of the big (and less big) stories out there at the moment:

Engadget
Ryan Block, with the help of Geek Lawyer (and TUAW buddy) Nilay Patel, looks at the App Store review system and finds it lacking. (Full disclosure: I had a very minor hand in this post.)

Joy of Tech
Here's Joy of Tech's hilarious take on the App-Store review process. (Thanks, Jonathan K!)

Mobile Chat
The authors of Mobile Chat are offering refunds, as they can't tell if or when they will ever be accepted to the App Store with a functioning product.

LateNiteSoft
Here's a thoughtful essay about the "Cruel Economy of the App Store." It's really a terrific read.

Macworld
Don't ascribe malicious intent to what can be explained by incompetence and too-rapid growth of the App Store, suggests this Macworld writeup.

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MacBreak 20: Automator Media Browser

MacBreak 20: Automator Media Browser
Leo Laporte and guest Sal Soghoian show you how to use Automator to more easily browse the media on your Mac.

MacBreak 76: Studio: Motion 3 Paint

Mark Spencer returns to show us the new paint features in Motion 3. Read More

Supposed MacBook Pro redesign, meet Mr. BlurryiPhonecam

Filed under: Laptops

Look, there are a hundred reasons to think this might be fake. That janky right corner, the inexplicable "dock in the trackpad" conundrum, the odd lighting and the entirely-too-convenient iSight self portrait. Still, whoever made this has their finger on the pulse of the Apple faithful -- or pretty much anyone else that thinks Apple is long overdue for a MacBook Pro refresh. We've got Air-inspired curves, a touchscreen trackpad, aluminum and glass in the style of Apple's latest iMacs, and what appear to be separated keys, which have been slow in coming to the MacBook Pro holdout. Naturally there's zero info on who the source is, and we're expecting a "hah, I totally fooled you guys" to spring up at any moment, but there's clearly some pent up demand for this thing if the rumor mill is any indication.

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GBTV #436 (small) | GeekBrief.TV

The 5800 XpressMusic phone might be Nokia's answer to the iPhone. The translation got a bit screwed up, but we do have some details about the phone.

The Apollo Pro WX is the first wireless USB hard drive, with capacities of 250GB to 1TB.

Sony Ericsson announced three bluetooth enhanced watches for women. Control music on your phone, see who's calling, and answer or ignore the call. They're the The Sparkling Allure Edition, The Contemporary Elegance Edition, and The Evening Classic Edition.

The Colombo Two is a landline telephone with a 2 line dot matrix display for Caller ID, a digital answering machine and more.

The Delicair Basin is for laundry geeks like Neal. It has 14 to 16 air jets in the sink for washing delicate clothing. Read More

Microsoft to hand out Windows 7 "pre-betas" at PDC, WinHEC

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops

We've already seen a few apparent Windows 7 screenshots and videos turn up, and it looks like there could soon be plenty more where those came from, as Microsoft has now officially announced that it'll be handing out "pre-beta" builds of the OS at both the Professional Developer Conference (PDC) in late October and the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in early November. As we had heard previously, you can also expect to hear plenty of technical details about the OS straight from Microsoft at PDC and, who knows, we may even get word of an actual release date.

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MacBreak 75: Studio: Motion 3 Time Remapping

MacBreak 75: Studio: Motion 3 Time Remapping
Mark Spencer returns to show us the new time remapping features in Motion 3.

MacBreak 37: 3D Modeling in Google SketchUp

MacBreak 37: 3D Modeling in Google SketchUp
Alex Oliver returns to show us the easy-to-use 3D modeling tools in Google SketchUp.

MacBreak 144: NAB 2008: ScopeBox and 3D-Nixus

Alex drops by Divergent Media and Nixus. Read More

MacBreak 81: iPhone Camping

MacBreak 81: iPhone Camping
Merlin chats with buyers in line outside the Apple store in San Francisco waiting to buy the new iPhone.

MacBreak 93: Studio: Quick DVD Menu

MacBreak 93: Studio: Quick DVD Menu
Steve Martin shows us how to make a simple menu from an existing video stream.

NTUST's humanoid robot walks into your nightmare

Filed under: Robots

Look National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, we understand this is your first walking, bi-pedal robot -- but why the peel-away face? Just slap in some big manga eyes and button-mouth and we might be able to sleep at night. But no, you show up at the Taipei International Invention Show with this creepoid, capable of singing via synthesizer and walking 2-meters in a straight line -- presumably in preparation to celebrate our demise.

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Japan planning its own damn space ladder

Filed under: Transportation

If the third time is the charm, yet you botch that attempt just like the earlier two, then what? That's the problem facing NASA and its Space Elevator Challenge, which has for three successive years failed to live up to the vision of Arthur C. Clarke. Japan isn't waiting for a fourth, announcing plans to spend $7.3 billion on its own lift to whisk passengers (and cargo) 22,000 miles aloft on composite cables. It's the cables that are the problem, as they need to be 180 times stronger than steel and obviously much, much lighter. The Japanese are focusing on carbon nanotubes, and while they will need to be engineered four times stronger than current stock before they're up to the task, their highly conductive nature means they can not only support the lift vehicle but also power it. Useful, that, because the ride up could take a couple of days or even weeks, and astronauts will need some way to recharge their PMPs.

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