Filed under: Analysis / Thought, Software, Cool tools, Internet Tools

I realize I may not be your average browser user. As a web developer, a browser to me is two parts daily use, two parts testing, and one part challenge. Since 2005, I’ve been using Firefox in some form or fashion as both my primary browser and as a testing car.

I had recently started a JavaScript-intensive project, and I appreciated Safari 4’s lightning-fast JavaScript execution speeds. In Firefox, I rely mostly on add-ons like Web Developer and Firebug to help me examine and test for mistakes in websites I build in Firefox. They work great, but enabling them slows the browser down.

That’s why I was excited for the updated Web Inspector that comes as part of Safari 4. (Yes, Safari 3 first came with Web Inspector, it couldn’t hold a candle to Firebug’s Swiss Army knife of an add-on for Firefox.) Testing was simple, and Safari 4’s Web Inspector’s many improvements made me think I could migrate to Safari full-time.

Read on to see how it went.

Continue reading From Firefox to Safari (and back again)

From Firefox to Safari (and back again) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

From Firefox to Safari (and back again) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Accessories, Peripherals, Internet Tools, Security

When I wrote about Pogoplug earlier this month, journaled HFS+ support was missing in action. That was a shame, since it’s the most common drive format for Mac users.

Pogoplug is a network drive adapter coupled with a web service that allows you to access a personal drive from anywhere on the World wide web without having to worry about firewalls and other security issues. You plug a drive into the Pogoplug, connect the unit to power, and you can securely access that data no matter where you’re, from your laptop, another personal, or from an iPhone.

Today, Pogoplug has announced support for journaled HFS+ formatted drives. You can now plug in almost any drive formatted for use on the Mac and it’ll work with Pogoplug.That’s great, because the last few times I dredged up Disk Utility (from /Applications/Utilities), it was to re-format drives to use with the Pogoplug system. (You can also turn off journaling from the Terminal, if you’re so inclined, via the ‘diskutil’ command.)

What’s particularly cool is that Pogoplug is currently working on developing remote backup assistance. They don’t support Time Capsule yet, but the Pogoplug developers say they’re working on having “the Pogoplug play nice with [Time Capsule and other remote storage devices] and allow our users to back up to their home drives automatically and regularly.”

Being able to set up off-site backup drives with just a simple plug-and-go sounds like an awesome business opportunity for anyone with a central router and a whole bunch of USB hubs. But even if you’re setting up your off-site backup at your sister-in-law’s (”Sure, go ahead and plug in that…um…thing. Can I take it out if I need to vacuum?”), that’s a fine way to keep your backups physically remote from your primary computing space. At just $99 plus the cost of a hard drive (the lifetime service is included free), a bargain.

Pogoplug adds journaled HFS+ support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pogoplug adds journaled HFS+ support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Audio, Blogging, Freeware, World wide web Tools, Podcasting, iPhone, App Store, App Review

Back when we looked at Radar, a photosharing site with an accompanying iPhone app, I mentioned that while Twitter had monopolized the “text exporting” function from your iPhone, there would be a slew of companies to try and grab the rest of the media you want to broadcast. Radar, I stated, wanted to be the pic app. And AudioBoo, it appears, wants to be the audio app (we’ve yet to see a strong video contender pop up with the 3GS, though YouTube is certainly serving for now).

I’ve been using AudioBoo (iTunes link) for a few weeks now, and I’ve to say, it definitely does what it states on the box: after a short signup session and the installation of the app to your iPhone, you can record and upload (and nearly more interesting, listen back to others’) audio quickly and easily.

You hit record, can speak for a while (i haven’t hit a limit yet, though three minutes is what I originally heard, and that tends to be about right for these tiny mini-podcasts), then hit stop and upload, add a picture, title, and tags, and a few minutes later, your audio is right there on the web for everyone to hear. I’ve used it on my EDGE phone and my friend’s 3G, and I’ve to say the experience is better on the 3G — the upload speeds are much superior (I generally have to wait on my iPhone until I get on Wi-Fi to upload the audio), and to my ears, the audio sounds better. Here’s a recording I made at a Cubs game on my 1G with a few friends, and a recording my friend made on his 3G at a restaurant. Edge works, obviously, but the 3G seems to work better.

Continue reading AudioBoo lets you broadcast audio directly from the iPhone

AudioBoo lets you broadcast audio directly from the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AudioBoo lets you broadcast audio directly from the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Freeware, World wide web Tools

With the release of iPhone OS 3.0, I was wondering if emoji icons still worked (they do), and then it finally dawned on me: why not iChat? A quick search turned up exactly what I was looking for: Emoji for iChat. This free downloadable icon pack basically adds the iPhone Emoji icons to iChat, accessible from the standard smiley-face dropdown menu. For it to work, however, both sides have to have it installed; if your recipient does not use the tool, all they’ll see is gibberish.

Emoji for iChat is a free download from Einar Andersson & Tor Rauden K

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Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, World wide web Tools, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look

Despite all of the hoopla the last few days about TweetDeck becoming available for iPhone, I decided to stick with a tried and true friend — Twittelator Pro. My loyalty was rewarded with a new version of the iPhone Twitter client that takes advantage of many of the features of iPhone OS 3.0.

Twittelator Pro 3.0 [App Store] is priced at US$4.99 for new users, and the upgrade is free for owners of previous versions. The app is from Andrew Stone’s BigStonePhone, and builds upon capabilities of the new iPhone OS. Along with the existing features such as offline tweeting, a built-in browser, and being able to handle multiple Twitter accounts, Twittelator Pro 3.0 now adds the following goodies to 3.0 iPhones:

• Record, edit, and tweet video with the 3G S
• Record and tweet audio
• Copy, paste, choose, choose all, and undo text (shake to undo)
• Paste pics into tweets
• Compose and send email from within the app
• Get a zoomable map of a tweeter’s location

My personal favorite feature is the built-in browser in Twittelator Pro, which keeps me in the app while I’m tapping on links. I’ve also been able to delete one other Twitter/geolocation app off of my iPhone thanks to the tweeter location maps.

Be sure to check out the gallery below for a plethora of pithy photos of this great app.

TUAW First Look: Twittelator Pro 3.0 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW First Look: Twittelator Pro 3.0 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Apple

Safari updates to 4.0.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Safari updates to 4.0.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Odds and ends, World wide web Tools, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Kevin Rose is reporting that the iPhone version of the popular Twitter client TweetDeck is set to be launched tonight (Tuesday, June 16th) at 9 PM PDT. Although the free app will officially be announced at that time, availability is totally dependent on the whims of the App Store. Rose’s leak of the app’s impending release did not include any precognition of when the app will actually make it into our hands, nor was price information available.

Mashable notes that TweetDeck for iPhone reflects many of the features of the desktop version, including multiple column-based friend groups and a beautiful user interface. TweetDeck for iPhone syncs with the desktop version, and is expected to provide the following features:

• Shake to refresh
• Support for multiple accounts
• Flick to move between columns
• Status updates similar to Facebook toolbar

It was mentioned in our email discussions about this app that it’s interesting to see a Cocoa Touch version of Tweetdeck before a Cocoa (Mac OS X) version; the desktop app is cross-platform and runs atop the Adobe AIR framework.

Whether TweetDeck has the mojo to kick Twittelator off of my iPhone home screen remains to be seen. How about you, TUAW readers? What’s your favorite Twitter app?

Update: Well, it looks like a number of blogs leaked the news, and TweetDeck for iPhone is now available for download in the App Store.

TweetDeck for iPhone go for launch tonight originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TweetDeck for iPhone go for launch tonight originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Education, Odds and ends, World wide web Tools, iPhone, iPod touch

The knowledge engine at the heart of the recently launched Wolfram|Alpha site can answer queries that would baffle traditional search engines. It can make amazing comparisons, perform linguistic searches, and provides a way to do calculations that are impossible elsewhere other than in a copy of Mathematica.

Now there’s a mobile Web portal for Wolfram|Alpha that is designed for viewing on either an iPhone or iPod touch. Point Safari on your mobile device to http://www.wolframalpha.com/iphone, and you can compute queries as well as test most of the functionality of the Wolfram|Alpha engine. You’ll need to set a bookmark icon on your home screen to go back to the page (just press the + icon at the bottom of the Safari screen).

Wolfram is also asking for input on what people would like to see in future versions of mobile websites or apps. You can join the conversation here.

Are any TUAW readers eagerly waiting for Mathematica Mobile to be released for the iPhone platform?

Wolfram|Alpha now has an iPhone portal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wolfram|Alpha now has an iPhone portal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, iPod Family, Peripherals, World wide web Tools, Reviews, iPhone

When word about the Pogoplug hit TUAW central, we debated to see who would luck out and and cover the device. Apart from a few cuts and bruises, almost all of which will mend in a matter of weeks if the doctors are to be believed, I won. The past few days, I’ve had the pleasure of road testing a unit. And it’s awesome.

The Pogoplug offers a USB NAS adapter, i.e. a network-attached storage system, that gives you network access to your data from home and on the road. With NAS you can use common protocols like AFP and SMB to connect to a remote disk. And you can do so easily. That’s a huge win, because choosing and setting up these remote devices has been a deal killer for many otherwise interested people. As Brad Dietrich, Pogoplug’s CTO, told TUAW, “[Until now], the say of home networking has been too complicated and geeky for most people.” Pogoplug provides a simple solution.

What Pogoplug brings to the celebration is a remarkable ease of use that crosses past any issues of firewalls and port setup and delivers remote storage to normal (i.e. read “non-geek”) humans. It transforms remote file access into a consumer device. And ideal of all, it provides this for just $99.

Continue reading Pogoplug: Your data, wherever you’re

Pogoplug: Your data, wherever you are originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pogoplug: Your data, wherever you’re originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, World wide web Tools, First Look

Google released a new tool for Mac users this day. With Google Swift Search Box (QSB), you can perform searches of anything on your Mac or the Web with a few keystrokes. After downloading QSB, I installed it and gave it a test drive on my MacBook Air. After a short first look, I can say that QSB is going to be in constant use on my Macs.

The application takes up about 18 MB of space on your Mac hard disk, and once it is installed a small search box hovers on your screen (see above). You can toggle the presence of the box by pressing Control-Space Bar. The keyboard shortcut, as well as the appearance of the search box, can be customized in a very thorough preferences panel.

Continue reading TUAW First Look: Google Swift Search Box for Mac

TUAW First Look: Google Quick Search Box for Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW First Look: Google Swift Search Box for Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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