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I've never used one of the HDR apps, so I was eager to try out this new feature using iOS 4.1 on my iPhone 4.

Launching the camera now gives you an HDR option at the top of your screen. It's automatically set to off. When you toggle the option on, it will automatically switch the camera flash to off.

Using HDR will provide you with two shots -- one normal shot and one with HDR utilized. For my test subjects I used:

• A shot of a window from a few feet away.
• A shot of a window standing at the window.
• A dark shot using the cat lounging next to the iMac as a model
• A well-lit shot using one of the other cats, who happened to claim a kitchen cabinet as his own, as a model.

The most noticeable difference came from the window shot taken a few feet away. As seen above, the normal shot has the outside areas overexposed while you can clearly see the apartment building across from mine -- including some detailed areas -- in the HDR shot. This shot was taken about eight feet from the window.

TUAWHDR photo hands-on with iPhone 4 and iOS 4.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're all busy people, and I'm sure that many of us missed the iPod/Apple TV SteveFest on the first. Once again, Neil Curtis, master of cutting to the chase, has created a three-minute version of the 75-minute presentation. Previously, Neil did a very short version of the adjective enhanced iPad rollout; he's very good at this sort of thing.


This little video (making wonderful use of music) only mentions stores "with people" in them, the new iPods, the Game Center, Ping, and the underwhelming new Apple TV. I've been through the full video a number of times, and nowhere does Steve mention just what resolution he's talking about when he says HD. In my opinion, this is a bag of hurt...but maybe that's just me. There's also some Lady Gaga in the video.

So, don't expect anything about iOS 4.2 or anything iOS related. It's worth a look and will probably give you a chuckle or two.

Keep up the good work, Neil.

TUAWFound Footage: Last week's SteveFest in three minutes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things. Of Apple TVs and iOS 4.1, of new iPods and Pings. On today's TUAW TV Live the discussion is sure to wander all over the metaphorical map. As promised earlier, I will have my old Apple TV torn apart and will point out some interesting design flaws that demonstrate why the darned things ran so hot.

We have lots of other cool stuff to talk about, and I'm seriously hoping that iOS 4.1 drops before the show so I can give you a hands-on demo of some of the new features. To join in from your Mac or PC, just go to the next page by clicking the link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to join in on the fun by asking questions or making comments.

If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application.

iPad users haven't been forgotten, either, as you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won't have access to our chat tool. And one final note -- if the show has started and you're seeing a previously recorded show instead of the livestream, you can always pop on over to ustream.tv/tuaw to join the show in progress.

TUAWTUAW TV Live: An Apple TV in pieces and a machine that goes Ping originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have you been to VersionTracker.com lately? If you try today, you'll be redirected to the CNET site, where you'll get a brief explanation that the venerable VersionTracker site is now a branded part of the CNET empire.

VersionTracker Pro, a paid feature, will be discontinued after the current subscriptions run out. The VersionTracker newsletters will continue, but they will be rebranded as CNET products. CNET has put up a page explaining the changes.

This process actually began in 2007, when CNET acquired VersionTracker, MacFixIt, and iPhone Atlas. VersionTracker goes back to 1995, when it was a Mac only site. Over time, the content expanded to include Windows software. The familiar layout of VersionTracker has been changed, and it may startle a few users. I don't think MacFixIt was improved any by the CNET takeover, and I don't have high hopes for VersionTracker, either, but I'm going to keep an open mind.

CNET was acquired by CBS two years ago. Other than the irritating and frequent plugs for CBS TV, the site is still useful and continues to aggressively cover all things related to tech.

If you need an alternative to VersionTracker, MacUpdate is still around, and AppFresh (based on i use this) and Logiciel are worth a look. There is also a Dashboard Widget called App Update that will check for software updates.

[via Daring Fireball]

TUAWVersionTracker.com officially 'absorbed' by CNET originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple's official iMovie app for iPhone has been updated to version 1.1. The new update requires iOS 4.1 and is compatible with the new iPod touch. It also adds the ability to split up video clips, automatically loop music for a longer videos and updated Photos browser. There are a few other upgrades to help performance and reliability, and a new tips and indicators to help you use the app. High Dynamic Range photography is new in iOS 4.1, but since HDR requires multiple exposures of a still picture, there's nothing in the new iMovie app to similarly improve your videos.

Current users can upgrade right now via the App Store. iMovie for iOS can be purchased for US$4.99. Enjoy the update!

TUAWiMovie updated to 1.1, requires iOS 4.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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As you might have noticed if you've added a few friends in Apple's new Game Center service, the backbone social components are working great. But where, exactly, are all of the games? Developers have actually had access to Apple's service for quite a while now -- it was introduced to them under NDA way back at WWDC. But for some reason, Apple seems to be waiting on approving Game Center-enabled games.

Fortunately, they're coming, probably as soon as Apple can approve them. Touch Arcade forum member Project-79 has been keeping track of which games have said that they'll be Game Center-enabled. As soon as updates roll out for games like Field Runners, Flight Control, Super Mega Worm and Angry Birds, you'll be able to jump in and earn achievements with them.

Keep in mind that some of the best games on Game Center are still to come: Gameloft's Dungeon Hunter 2 was leaked via a Game Center screen, and of course we're all waiting to see what Epic Games' Project Sword looks like, ever since it was shown off with full GC functionality at last week's Apple event. There are games coming for Game Center, and they should be here soon.

Update: Apparently Ms. PAC-MAN is the first game to get updated with Game Center support. You might want to wait, though -- we've heard it's not a very good version.

TUAWGames updated for Game Center (soon) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC pictures of the brand new iPod touch's internal tech show that the device has a vibrating motor inside of it. According to Apple, the motor will be used with FaceTime, but presumably, it'll work when any app calls for vibration. That should help for gaming -- neither the DS nor the PSP has any sort of vibration feedback, and that's a feature that has become more or less standard on game consoles.

This also brings the iPod touch in line with most of what the iPhone has. Besides the cell service (obviously), the GPS, and the mute switch, the iPod touch really is, as even Steve commented at last week's event, "an iPhone without the contract."

Update: According to iFixit's teardown of the iPod touch, the component identified is actually a microphone and not a vibration motor. Mac Rumors points out that Apple has updated the iPod touch's FaceTime page to remove all reference to vibration. It appears vibration continues to be an iPhone-only feature for now.

TUAWNew iPod touch has vibration motor (Update: No, it doesn't) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're stuck at work and can't update your iPhone or iPod touch to iOS 4.1 yet, feast your eyes on the gallery below. I was able to take some screenshots of the notes for the update as well as get some shots of Game Center, the HD YouTube movie upload capability, and the new HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography setting in the Photo app.

As noted in the gallery titles, I wasn't able to actually find any Game Center games -- the button in the Game Center app shows nothing just yet. That's not a good sign for the first day. At least we can all get signed up and befriend each other. We'll keep an eye out for any games that get GC-enabled as soon as they're ready.

I plan on tinkering with the HDR photography quite a bit over the next few days. I could have used it during a short trip out of town this last weekend. It's also nice to see that the HD YouTube movie upload is working well. Be sure to let TUAW and our readers know what you like the most or least about this update by leaving a comment.

Gallery: A rogue's gallery of iOS 4.1 Update Screenshots

TUAWA gallery of iOS 4.1 update screenshots originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in 2008, reports of fires that were caused by overheating batteries in first generation iPod nanos caught the attention of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MEI). In turn, MEI ordered Apple to replace defective units. Apple conceded and launched a replacement program in August of 2010. Since then, according to the Mainichi Daily News, Apple has replaced over 5,000 batteries.

The MEI reported that Apple replaced 5,527 batteries in August, up from 232 in July and 62 in June. The jump is attributed to changes Apple made to the program's Web page, which made it easier for customers to find pertinent information.

Apple has stated that the defective batteries overheat only in "very rare cases," but it has not revealed how many of the targeted units -- first generation iPod nanos sold in Japan between September 2005 and September 2006 -- have been sold.

The new iPod nano looks super, but I've always been partial to the design of the original model. It felt like a big Andes Mint. And for the record, mine never got too hot.

[Via AppleInsider]

TUAWApple replaces 5K nano batteries in Japan originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This morning, I headed over to the Apple Store and picked up a sweet little green iPod nano to play with. (Thank you, red-headed Molly!) The nano is basically the size and weight of a 2G shuffle, with a cute little touch screen and a couple of buttons for volume control and Sleep/Wake. Of course, I was just as interested in what was inside the nano -- at least from a software perspective.

The interface is easy to use once you get comfortable with the lack of a Home button (you swipe to switch screens) and certain GUI changes (switch buttons are smaller and look slightly different from their standard iOS cousins). The nano refused to play with older versions of iTunes, expecting a minimum of iTunes 10.

TUAWHands on (and in) the iPod nano 6th generation reveals hints of video playback support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mystery episode, you say? What could that mean?

Usually it means that your host can't think of much to talk about, but today I'll probably have iOS 4.1 feature discussion and demos, an original Apple TV tear-apart (literally), and that's just the beginning. I'm thinking a few app demos might be in order as well, provided that the super-secret spy cam decides to cooperate. I'll also be showing off some iPhone 4 products from Exogear, including their new Exolife rechargeable battery case.

My weekly hour-long video livestream starts, as usual, at 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT) right here at TUAW.com. Drop by a few minutes before the show begins to get yourself acquainted with the livestream and chat tools (if you're not a regular viewer), or to start chatting with the others about whatever topic comes to mind. It's fun, it's fast, and it's live -- see you at 5 PM.

TUAWTUAW TV Live mystery episode today at 5 PM EDT originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you were using the tripwire script, you already know this: iOS 4.1 is now available for download via iTunes. Just connect your iPhone or iPod touch and hit the Check for Update button.

tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.tuaw.com/2010/09/08/sound-the-klaxons-ios-4-1-now-available-for-download/'; tweetmeme_source = 'tuaw'; As announced last week, the new version of the firmware should fix some deeply annoying issues (if you've inadvertently muted or hung up a call with your earlobe, raise your hand). It also adds Game Center, HDR photos, high-def video uploading, TV show rentals and dramatic improvements to the lot of iPhone 3G owners.

Chime in below or on our Facebook page with your 4.1 upgrade experience!

View Poll

TUAWSound the klaxons: iOS 4.1 now available for download originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you're an iPhone 3G user who has upgraded to iOS 4, you're most likely pulling your hair out in anticipation of the bug fixes expected in iOS 4.1 (due to arrive this week). However, if you just can't wait that long, creativebits has a few tips you might like to try in order to improve the performance of your sluggish iPhone 3G.

• Delete all unused and unessential apps.
• Delete all unessential conversations from your SMS inbox.
• Clear your history and browsing cache in Safari.
• Delete your call history.
• If you don't use them, turn off Spotlight and MMS messaging.

For all the details, check out the article here.

Our own Chris Rawson has some good pointers concerning this issue, but if all else fails, we recommend you get your party poppers ready for the imminent iOS 4.1 release.

TUAWHow to speed up your iPhone 3G (while waiting for the release of iOS 4.1) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whenever Apple releases new hardware, I start to anticipate iFixit's inevitable teardown. This time they've gotten into the iPod shuffle to show us the very small number of tiny parts that keep users rocking.

Much like the Magic Trackpad, there isn't much to see inside the new shuffle. The guys admit that getting the shuffle apart wasn't easy. "It took us a good half hour of prying and heat-gunning to open the little guy." The front and back cases were glued and press-fit together. It's a solid little device.

Inside, the battery and logic board live side-by-side in cozy quarters. In fact, they're soldered together (so no user-serviceable battery in the shuffle). Once the connecting ribbon has been removed, you can pop the board's retaining clip and the lone screw holding it in place, removing it and the battery as a single unit. Finally, four little screws keep the click wheel in place.

iFixit shares some other information on the battery, board, and probable dates of manufacture in their article, so go and read it. We suspect, as they do, that these teardowns will only get harder as Apple's hardware continues to shrink.

TUAWiFixit tears down a new iPod shuffle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sharing your files, photos, movies, and images with others through online services can sometimes be a hassle for Mac users. For some of us, it's possible to get all of the various interconnections between services set up in such a way that one tweet sends a photo to Facebook, Flickr, and a variety of other services. But for a surprising number of Mac users, it just isn't that easy.

Realmac Software is in the business of making things easy. They're the folks who make website design easy with RapidWeaver, and they've just come out with a tool to make media sharing as easy as putting a stamp on an envelope. Courier (US$19.95 introductory price) is designed so that anyone, even your Mom, can easily upload photos, movies, and the like to a pile of services.

A download of Courier is available for a limited trial, and you can make an in-app purchase of the app if you like it. We're going to be giving away five copies of Courier to TUAW readers, so read up on how the app works and then enter the giveaway. Check out the gallery below for a few screenshots, and then read on for a look at this Mac application.

Gallery: Courier from Realmac Software

TUAWTUAW first look and giveaway: Courier simplifies Mac media sharing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Good news for 2nd generation iPod touch users! As reported by AppleInsider and MacDailyNews, the 2nd generation iPod touch will be compatible with Game Center, Apple's new gaming and social networking application, but the iPhone 3G will not. Other compatible iOS devices are the 3rd and 4th generation iPod touch as well as the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS.

AppleInsider notes that the 2nd generation iPod touch, which has similar hardware specs to the iPhone 3G (in terms of game playability), had previously not been compatible with Game Center, in an iOS 4.1 beta build. However, in a turn of events, the 2nd generation iPod touch is now compatible, according to Apple's official Game Center website.

Though both the iPhone 3G and the 2nd generation iPod touch were released in 2008, the 2nd generation iPod touch has a slightly faster processor, clocking in at 532MHz over the iPhone 3G's 412MHz.

With the iPhone 3G suffering under the weight of an already slimmed down version of iOS 4, it's no surprise to see that the 3G won't be compatible with Game Center. Game Center will be available, for compatible iOS devices, with iOS 4.1

TUAWConfirmed: Game Center for 2nd gen iPod touch, not iPhone 3G originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My FTP app of choice, Cyberduck, has updated to version 3.6, and as you can see on the changelog, it's a nice, chunky update. The developers have added in support for Google Storage, made things easier for Amazon S3 users, and added a lot of little features and bugfixes that make the whole experience easier and more compatible with other apps and platforms.

I still like Cyberduck as an app -- a lot of Mac users praise the heck out of Transmit, and it's also a very nice app, but I like supporting open source (and don't mind the free downloads, either). And Cyberduck is still growing -- they just recently announced that a Windows version is coming soon, so if you need to do some FTP'ing on Microsoft's platform, but want a Mac-quality app to do it with, Cyberduck could be the one. That version is in beta now, and should be out for release soon.

Cyberduck, as open source software, is a free download, with the option to make a donation to the hardworking developers over here.

TUAWCyberduck adds cloud file management improvements originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Like many first generation Apple TV owners, I was sad to see that we were being left behind with the advent of the new Apple TV. That said, I have no plans to get rid of my original Apple TV. In fact, Apple's decision spurred me to take action I have been thinking about for a long time: installing aTV Flash.

aTV Flash is a set of programs that add features to your Apple TV. It adds SSH/FTP access, allows you to use an external hard drive for additional storage, adds Boxee support, and much more. One of the big additions is the ability to watch AVI, MP4, MOV, WMV, and DVD (VIDEO_TS) files. You can even install Firefox and use the AppleTV as a web browser.

I've actually owned the aTV Flash software for over a year but had never gotten around to using it, because after each Apple TV update I'd have to wait for the software to be updated again. aTV Flash updates come out fairly regularly, but it was just the hassle of the process that made me averse to doing it. Now that Apple has declared the product to be essentially End Of Life, I figured there was no better time to start.

Installing aTV Flash couldn't be any simpler. You simply download the installer (available for Mac or Windows), and it installs the aTV Flash software onto a USB flash drive. Unplug your Apple TV, plug in the aTV Flash formatted flash drive, reboot the Apple TV, and wait for it to finish. The whole process took only a few minutes. After being updated, the Apple TV interface looks mostly the same, except there are some new menu options to choose from.

The aTV Flash software sells for $50 and includes a year of updates. They are planning to keep developing additional features for the first generation Apple TV units, including Last.fm support. When I first looked into this about a year ago, there were apparently ways to do much of what aTV Flash offers by yourself if you had the time and inclination to find the instructions on a variety of websites. Personally I found it well worth it to pay for an easy way, but if you are looking to save some money, you might take a look via Google to see what's available; it may have gotten easier since I last checked.

TUAWFirst generation Apple TV owners: checkout aTV Flash originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's two tips for the new iTunes 10 that you might not have seen yet. First up, 9to5Mac shares the news that you can now plug any iOS device with music on it into iTunes 10 and listen in to whatever music is available without having to enable "manual sync mode." That's a nice bonus -- if you're at a party, and your friend wants to hear a tune you're carrying around on the iPhone, you can just plug it in, hit play, and dance the night away. I presume all of the usual restrictions on sharing music are still there (music bought on one account can't be downloaded to another, obviously), but at least just for listening, iTunes 10 makes things much easier.

Mac OS X Hints also shares a tip for those disappointed by the look of the grayed-out icons in the iTunes 10 sidebar. By putting a certain line into Terminal, you can enable "high contrast mode" for the app. It won't bring back the colors (it basically just inverses the sidebar from black-on-white to vice versa), but if you need a little more action in the iTunes sidebar, you can give it a shot.

TUAWiTunes 101: Play other people's music, increase contrast originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I actually picked up Skies of Glory a while back, but it wasn't until I finally nabbed my iPhone 4 this weekend that I got to see it running in its full, well, glory. Skies of Glory is a World War II air combat simulator -- it walks a nice line between simulation and arcade, as you don't need to worry too much about controlling the plane (the iPhone's accelerometer is used to great effect), but you'll still need to keep your bearings to take out enemies. It's challenging, but spending the time to get your plane lined up is actually pretty rewarding, not to mention that it's awesome to see a fully implemented air combat sim on the iPhone.

The game's model will probably rub some folks the wrong way, but there's actually plenty of content for free. The game itself is a free download, and includes a tutorial mission, a first combat mission, and a set of dogfights, along with the ability to play multiplayer over WiFi. After that (and it will take you a good evening to finish that content), you can buy extra planes and mission packs with in-app purchases, just a couple of bucks each. Or if you want to go a more traditional route, you can buy a Battle of Britain app for US $6.99, which has planes and mission packs already included.

Either way, Skies of Glory is worth checking out. I wouldn't say it rivals flight sims on other platforms -- it doesn't have the graphical glitz of a game like HAWX on consoles, and it definitely doesn't match up to super professional flight sims on the PC. But on the iPhone, especially running at full speed on an iPhone 4, it's pretty impressive.

TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Skies of Glory originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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