TidBITS#983/22-Jun-09
=====================
Issue link: <http://db.tidbits.com/issue/983>
Unsurprisingly, the iPhone nearly monopolizes this issue with our
news coverage of the release of the iPhone OS 3.0 and the iPhone
3GS, AT&T's improvements and clarifications of upgrade pricing, the
iPhone 3GS's initial sales figures, Glenn Fleishman's in-depth look
at how the new Find My iPhone feature works, and Adam's gleeful
reporting of the iPhone 3GS's name change. On the Mac side of the
fence, Jeff Carlson reviews the ViBook monitor adapter for adding a
display via USB, we announce the release of Sharon Zardetto's "Take
Control of Safari 4" book, and we open a DealBITS drawing for free
copies of SmileOnMyMac's DiscLabel. And just for a little variety,
Glenn reports on the letter sent by a Who's Who of security experts
to Google about improving the security of Google services. In the
TidBITS Watchlist, we look at Apple's Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0,
Sync'Em 1.30, DiscLabel 6.0.1, and Safari 4.0.1.
Articles
iPhone 3GS and iPhone OS 3.0 Now Available
AT&T Improves and Clarifies iPhone Upgrade Eligibility
iPhone 3GS Sells One Million Units in Its First Weekend
Security Experts Urge Google to Secure All Sessions
"Take Control of Safari 4" Guides Readers Beyond Basic Browsing
DealBITS Drawing: Win a Copy of DiscLabel 6
Ding, Dong, the iPhone 3GS Space Is Dead
Find Your Lost iPhone or iPod touch with iPhone OS 3.0
My Three Screens, via ViBook
TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 22-Jun-09
ExtraBITS for 22-Jun-09
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk for 22-Jun-09
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iPhone 3GS and iPhone OS 3.0 Now Available
------------------------------------------
by Jeff Carlson <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10358>
Apple overhauled its mobile computing offerings last week, making
the iPhone OS 3.0 software available on 17-Jun-09 and then releasing
the iPhone 3GS two days later on 19-Jun-09.
The iPhone 3GS release didn't create the same lengthy waits as last
year, when some people stood in line for hours. (I spent 8 hours at
the Apple Store University Village to buy an iPhone 3G for my wife;
see "iPhone 3G: On the Line in Seattle," 2008-07-13.) Purchasers
this year were able to pre-order models and have them shipped for
delivery on the 19th or for pickup at an Apple Store; iPhone 3G
buyers needed to activate the phones in person at an Apple Store or
AT&T retail location.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9691>
Supplies seem to be plentiful, with shipping estimates from the
online Apple Store quoting 2-4 business days.
Today, Apple announced that it had sold 1 million iPhone 3GS units
during the opening weekend, an impressive feat considering the new
model was introduced in just eight countries; the iPhone 3G, which
also sold a million units in its first weekend, debuted in 24
countries. Apple also reported 6 million copies of the iPhone OS 3.0
software were downloaded in the same time period.
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/22iphone.html>
**iPhone OS 3.0** -- The iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update is a free
update for owners of all existing iPhone models. Owners of all iPod
touch models can purchase the update for $9.95 (the pricing is
required because of how Apple reports iPod revenue). For details on
what's new, see "Apple Previews iPhone 3.0 Software" (2009-03-17)
and "iPhone OS 3.0 Ships 17-Jun-09" (2009-06-08).
<http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10144>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10334>
To get the update, connect your iPhone or iPod touch to your
computer, launch iTunes, and let it synchronize and back up the
device. Next, click the device's name in the sidebar and click the
Check for Update button. iTunes downloads the software
(approximately 230 MB, depending on the model of device you're
updating) and applies the update. It will take some time to download
and install, so don't do this if you expect to need your phone
within the next hour or so.
**Activation Troubles, Again** -- Although not as rocky an
introduction as the iPhone 3G and iPhone OS 2.0 last year, the
launch still taxed Apple's resources.
When the iPhone 3G and iPhone OS 2.0 software were released on the
same day in July last year, the launch was severely marred by the
overwhelming flood of activation requests to Apple's servers, which
left many people with unactivated devices. The load was compounded
by the introduction of MobileMe, which replaced Apple's .Mac
service. (See "MobileMe Fails to Launch Well, but Finally Launches,"
2008-07-12; and "MobileMea Culpa: Apple Apologizes and Explains
Tiger Situation," 2008-07-16.)
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9689>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9695>
This year's release was better, but activation woes still bedeviled
new iPhone owners and upgraders. According to a report posted to
AppleInsider, some customers were alerted in iTunes that the
activation process could take up to 48 hours. My new iPhone 3GS
(white, 32 GB) had no cellular access for about 3 hours on Friday;
my original iPhone was also offline during that time.
<http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/06/19/apple_warns_iphone_3g_s_activations_may_take_up_to_2_days.html>
According to Ars Technica, Apple is offering $30 iTunes Store
credits to people who were affected by the activation delays. It's
not yet clear who will receive the credits - I presume there's a
minimum wait time - but email messages with the offer are due to be
sent from Apple today.
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/06/new-iphone-users-with-activation-headaches-get-itunes-credit.ars>
AT&T Improves and Clarifies iPhone Upgrade Eligibility
------------------------------------------------------
by Glenn Fleishman <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10357>
With the release of the iPhone 3GS, AT&T has clarified and changed
some of the most confusing policies around which existing customers
qualify for the cheapest upgrade prices. Many existing iPhone 3G
customers can now pay $199 or $299 (16 GB or 32 GB) for a new iPhone
3GS - the same as a new AT&T customer. Before 17-Jun-09, they were
told it would cost them an additional $200.
<http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=13745>
TidBITS editor Rich Mogull wrote about these policies and his
analysis of how they work last week in "Call AT&T for the Best
iPhone Upgrade Price," 2009-06-15. The condensed version is that
AT&T said most subscribers who had a subsidized phone, whether an
iPhone 3G or otherwise, under a 2-year plan would likely be eligible
for the cheapest upgrade between 12 and 18 months into their
contract period.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10350>
The latest change is that iPhone 3G owners who would be eligible for
new-customer pricing in July, August, or September 2009 will be
offered that lower upgrade price starting 18-Jun-09. AT&T will
update whether a customer is eligible or not in that person's
account on that date as well.
In the announcement, AT&T revealed what Rich and others had
inferred: the more you spend, the sooner AT&T will sell you another
phone at below its cost. In the release, AT&T says that subscribers
who spent $99 or more per line per month are the people who are
eligible between 12 and 18 months in a 2-year contract.
While this change still doesn't explain some of the scenarios Rich
explored, it's a welcome change for early iPhone 3G buyers who
already pay AT&T a lot of money per month. Such customers felt that
AT&T had already recouped the difference between what AT&T pays
Apple and what the subscriber paid for the phone, and that the
telecom giant was losing a lot of good will, along with another
2-year commitment, from its most dedicated customers.
iPhone 3GS Sells One Million Units in Its First Weekend
-------------------------------------------------------
by Doug McLean <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10369>
Apple has announced that one million iPhone 3GS units were sold
during the phone's first three days of availability. Interestingly,
this is the exact amount of time it took the iPhone 3G, released on
11-Jul-08, to clear one million units. The iPhone 3GS also launched
in just eight countries, compared to 24 countries for the iPhone 3G
launch. Despite the incredible anticipation and memorable images of
lines spilling out of Apple retail stores, the original iPhone
didn't hit the one million mark until 74 days after its release on
29-Jun-07.
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/22iphone.html>
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2008/07/14iphone.html>
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/09/10iphone.html>
Although it's interesting to compare these numbers, we have to take
a number of factors into account, especially when considering the
time it took the original iPhone to hit the one million mark. While
the subsidized prices for the iPhone 3G 8 GB and 16 GB models were
the same as for the iPhone 3GS 16 GB and 32 GB models - $199 and
$299 respectively - the original iPhone's 4 GB and 8 GB models were
priced at $499 and $599 (without subsidies). Selling at roughly
double the cost and under first-generation scrutiny and skepticism,
the original iPhone's 74-day wait to sell one million units is
easily understandable.
It's also worth considering that since the original iPhone's debut,
Apple has opened more retail stores, and a wider population has
caught on to the iPhone phenomenon and even the concept of owning a
smartphone. Additional years of marketing, positive reviews, and
awards should also be acknowledged when considering the tremendous
reduction in time it took both the iPhone 3G and 3GS to hit the one
million milestone.
But how should we think about the apparently identical sales
statistic for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS? Some factors point to
lowered expectations, such as the dour economy (the major bank
failures that signaled the most serious phase of the economic crisis
came after the release of the iPhone 3G in July 2008). Plus, at
least in the United States, AT&T's fumbling of the iPhone 3GS
upgrade pricing must have caused some people to hold off on
upgrading (see "Call AT&T for the Best iPhone Upgrade Price",
2009-06-15, and "AT&T Improves and Clarifies iPhone Upgrade
Eligibility", 2009-06-17). While AT&T eventually improved its
wayward upgrade policy to be more friendly to loyal customers,
initial reporting may still have negatively affected the first
weekend of sales.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10350>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10357>
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the iPhone 3GS could have
exceeded the sales of its predecessor, given the additional year of
marketing and press, and an improved list of specs for the same
price points. This year's model also had the benefit of online
pre-orders, with devices shipped free for arrival or available for
pickup at an Apple Store on launch day. The iPhone 3G required
in-person sales and activation at the beginning of its run.
Which generation's one-million-sold mark is the greater
accomplishment is thus a difficult question to answer - but quite
the enjoyable problem to have if you're Apple. Meanwhile, the
demographics of who partook in this first weekend's shopping spree
will likely remain unknown, though this year it likely contained a
slew of generation-jumping owners of the original iPhone, a healthy
dash of iPhone 3G upgraders, and likely some wide-eyed newcomers
too.
Security Experts Urge Google to Secure All Sessions
---------------------------------------------------
by Glenn Fleishman <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10364>
Google has been name-checked on security. A letter sent on 16-Jun-09
to Google CEO Eric Schmidt strongly urges the company to make a
secure connection the default method for Web applications. Among the
38 signatories to the letter are a host of well-known security
experts, researchers, and advocates, including Ronald Rivest (the R
of RSA), Bruce Schneier, Jon Callas, Eugene Spafford, Peter G.
Neumann, William Cheswick, and Steven Bellovin.
<http://www.cloudprivacy.net/letter/>
Two years ago, Google's use of unsecured connections came to the
fore with the discovery of sidejacking, a technique for grabbing the
authentication cookies that Google uses to identify users during an
unsecured session and inserting them into a browser under the
sidejacker's control. Sidejacking can be performed anywhere there's
an open Wi-Fi hotspot or an untrusted Ethernet network in which
traffic is mingled and sniffable. (See "Sidejack Attack Jimmies Open
Gmail, Other Services," 2007-08-27.)
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9129>
Google has taken some steps to derail sidejacking, including marking
the Gmail authentication cookie with a secure flag that should keep
it from being sent without encryption even if https isn't used.
Google also added an option to require https (SSL/TLS secured)
connections for Gmail. (See "Google Gmail Adds Secure Session
Option," 2008-07-28.) The researchers noted that other services,
like Google Docs and Google Calendar, support https as well,
although there's no way to set that level of security as a default.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9710>
The letter sent to Google claims that acquiring a Google
authentication cookie from Docs or Calendar would allow access to
Gmail, but one of Google's security team members, Alma Whitten, said
in a blog entry that it wouldn't be possible for such a cookie to
be intercepted.
<http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2009/06/https-security-for-web-applications.html>
The security experts urge that https sessions become the default for
all Web-based services. The letter acknowledges that this lack is a
widespread problem, and is even worse at Microsoft Hotmail, Yahoo
Mail, Facebook, and MySpace because those services don't offer a
secure option. We expect that the security experts are starting with
Google because of Google's existing optional support for secure
connections, and if they can convince Google to make the switch,
they'll move on to these other companies.
They note that because Google apps are designed to work
asynchronously, queuing and performing tasks at the server and then
updating the browser without a page reload, any latency introduced
by the additional user or server computational load for encryption
won't make the experience of using these applications worse.
Google's response, in Whitten's blog entry, is that Google remains
concerned that there's not enough known about whether specific
computer configurations, networks, or parts of the world would
suffer far worse performance in an all-https world. Whitten also
said that Google is planning a trial that moves small sets of Gmail
customers who haven't explicitly requested https-only sessions to
that option.
"Take Control of Safari 4" Guides Readers Beyond Basic Browsing
---------------------------------------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10345>
We've just released "Take Control of Safari 4," a new book by
long-time Mac author Sharon Zardetto. We've had many requests for a
thorough explanation of Apple's Safari Web browser, and the beta of
Safari 4 inspired Sharon to comb through the program, documenting
exactly how it works for those who would like to learn a few
non-obvious features so they can get more out of the program. If, to
pick just a few of the topics covered, you've been slacking off on
learning how to organize your bookmarks into a highly useful
bookmarks bar, if you've never bothered to learn the keyboard
shortcuts for working with tabs efficiently, or if you've always
wanted to read RSS feeds but never quite figured them out, this
92-page book is for you. It's available in both PDF ($10) and print
($19.99) formats.
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/safari?pt=TB983>
In "Take Control of Safari 4," you'll learn about new features like
Top Sites and searching the page content of your bookmarks and
history, and you'll get answers to questions like these:
* How do I load six Web pages at once?
* Now that I've loaded six pages, how do I best work with them?
* What are all the keyboard shortcuts for working with tabs?
* How do I bookmark a page I want to return to?
* How do I import Firefox bookmarks?
* I have 1,042 bookmarks. Is there a sensible way to search or
organize them?
* What are the default keyboard shortcuts for the bookmarks bar?
* Can I search for text on the currently active Web page?
* How do I erase my history to prevent someone from snooping through
it?
* Where does Safari store Web site user names and passwords?
* Help! However Safari stored my password, it doesn't work any more!
* How do I use Safari to read RSS headlines from different sites?
* How do I "snip" a Web page to make it into a Dashboard widget?
Needless to say, if you already consider yourself sufficiently
expert in Safari and other Web browsers, you probably won't learn
that much from the book, but you might consider picking up a copy,
skimming it for new tips and tricks, and then giving it to a friend
or relative whose Web browsing techniques drive you crazy (you know,
your buddy who insists on typing out every URL in its entirety, or
your family member who hasn't picked up the utility of
Command-clicking links).
DealBITS Drawing: Win a Copy of DiscLabel 6
-------------------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10367>
Whenever I'm making Take Control Library CDs as door prizes for Mac
user group meetings (which is, honestly, the main reason I burn CDs
of any sort), I've taken to using the Dymo DiscPainter to label
them, in conjunction with DiscLabel from SmileOnMyMac (see "Print
Classy Discs with the Dymo DiscPainter," 2008-12-01). There are
other disc labeling programs out there, several of which I have, but
DiscLabel floated to the top when I needed to label a CD.
<http://www.smileonmymac.com/DiscLabel/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9892>
The recently released DiscLabel 6 makes creating labels easier than
before, thanks to a streamlined interface for creating new designs
and an inspector that simplifies editing object, image, and text
properties. Image importing has been improved, so imported images
can now be added to all label and packaging design elements
simultaneously, and a new montage tool lets you create montages from
multiple photos. SmileOnMyMac also added 80 professionally designed
template sets for those who just want to add some text or import
track lists from iTunes, iPhoto, iDVD, the Finder, or Toast.
All entrants (and only entrants!) will receive a discount on
DiscLabel 6, so be sure to enter at the DealBITS page. All
information gathered is covered by our comprehensive privacy policy.
Remember too, that if someone you refer to this drawing wins, you'll
receive the same prize as a reward for spreading the word.
<http://www.tidbits.com/dealbits/disclabel/>
<http://www.tidbits.com/about/privacy.html>
Ding, Dong, the iPhone 3GS Space Is Dead
----------------------------------------
by Adam C. Engst <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10370>
Call me obsessive, call me retentive, but just don't call me on an
"iPhone 3G S," since Apple has quietly started changing the new
iPhone's name to "iPhone 3GS," removing the space before the
trailing S.
As I said in "New iPhone 3GS Boosts Power, Performance, and More"
(2009-06-08), "Technically, it's 'iPhone 3G S' - with a space before
the S - but those of us who spend our lives writing about these
products have to draw the line somewhere, and a standalone S is
untenable in running prose." Aside from just looking awkward, a
standalone S makes it even harder to form plurals and possessives
than it would be with an S at the end of the word.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10333>
(One person on Twitter pointed out that "Mac OS X" should also
suffer from the same problems, but it never set off my warning bells
because X is such an unusual character, because it's pronounced
"ten," and because the entire name is short enough to be read as a
single unit.)
Although I subsequently caved to staff concerns about our articles
looking incorrect in comparison with those from other publications,
and we wrote around the awkward "iPhone 3G S" construction all last
week, I was ecstatic to see this morning that not only had Apple
started following my construction in the press release announcing
the iPhone 3GS's excellent initial sales, but that the company had
also retroactively edited the press release announcing the iPhone
3GS to avoid the spaced-out name. For a few hours, that initial
release's headline link on the main Apple PR page still used the old
name, but I now see that even that headline has been fixed.
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/22iphone.html>
<http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/06/08iphone.html>
<http://www.apple.com/pr/>
I expect it will take some time before Apple can make this name
change consistent across the entire site. For instance, a useful
KnowledgeBase page that calls out which iPhone OS 3.0 features work
on which iPhone models still uses the old name. That's OK - I was
mostly interested in guidance from Apple for those of us who are
likely to be writing about the iPhone 3GS on a regular basis for the
next few years. Plus, losing that space will make Ted Landau's next
edition of "Take Control of Your iPhone" shorter and less prone to
awkward orphans.
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3630>
<http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/iphone?pt=TB983>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orphan_(typesetting)>
I also don't see Apple changing the graphical branding of the iPhone
3GS, which actually has the S using a different font style and in a
box. It's also wroth noting that on the iPhone 3GS itself, the only
identifying text at all says simply "iPhone". I'm fine with that.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-06/iPhone-3G-boxS.png>
Find Your Lost iPhone or iPod touch with iPhone OS 3.0
------------------------------------------------------
by Glenn Fleishman <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10359>
Darn it - where's my iPhone? My iPod touch? My keys? Okay, my keys
are in my hand, but I have no idea where the other two are. Ow! Now
I remember where I left the barbells. I'd better find my Mac - I
know where that is, at least - and fire up MobileMe.
Let's see, go to me.com, enter username and password, click the
Account icon at the top, re-enter my password (for what reason is
beyond me), and then click Find My iPhone. Ah ha! It's in my house
according to the map. I'll click Display a Message, and have a sound
play, too.
Under the couch cushions. How typical.
**Pairing Location with MobileMe** -- Find My iPhone, which works with
both the iPhone and the iPod touch, is a nifty feature that Apple
added to iPhone OS 3.0. It requires a MobileMe account to work
(accounts start at $99 per year), but has no other cost attached.
The service is intended to help with both misplaced and stolen
phones; it lets you trigger a message on the device or erase all the
data on it.
<http://www.apple.com/mobileme/whats-new/>
With location services built into the iPhone, it's trivial for an
iPhone to send its current coordinates at any given time. The
original iPhone uses a combination of Wi-Fi and cell tower
locations; the iPhone 3G and 3GS add GPS to the mix (see "iPhone and
iPod touch Become Self-Aware," 2008-01-15). The iPod touch must
connect to a Wi-Fi network to both find and update its location. An
iPhone needs a connection to either a Wi-Fi network or a cell data
network to send the small amount of data necessary.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/9404>
You enable Find My iPhone via the Settings application on the iPhone
or iPod touch. It's hidden in the Mail, Contacts, Calendars section
under your MobileMe account. You don't have to sync calendars and
contacts if you don't want to, as those options can be turned off.
The Find My iPhone/iPod touch item is at the bottom; merely slide
the switch to On.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-06/findmy_iphone_enable.jpg>
After enabling the option, use a browser to log into MobileMe, as I
describe in my bumbling steps at the start of this article. The
Account tab in MobileMe has added ever more options since launch,
with Find My iPhone being the latest. (Apple inconsistently calls
this Find My iPhone for both the iPhone and the iPod touch in some
places, and in others uses the specific device type.)
The Find My iPhone page shows one entry for each device. I have both
an iPhone and an iPod touch, both of which are set to be found, and
I can scroll to see both. When the page first comes up, the last
known position is shown, along with the date and time the device
last checked in. MobileMe then - I presume - sends a push message to
the phone to update that data. An Update Location button appears
after MobileMe is satisfied that it has the best location.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-06/findmy_general_overview.jpg>
As long as the device is online - indicated by a green dot and the
text "Online" - you have the option to send a message, a beeping
alert, or both to the device. Any message you send to the device is
also sent to you via your MobileMe mail account.
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-06/findmy_message.jpg>
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-06/findmy_message_appears.jpg>
If you use the Display a Message dialog's Play a Sound for 2 Minutes
option, your iPhone or iPod touch will sound an alarm even if you
have turned off all audio notifications. That's a nifty option both
to freak out a thief and to find your phone when it's hidden away in
a car or your home.
When I described Find My iPhone to my wife, the owner of an original
iPhone, she was initially slightly appalled. She thought this would
become known as the cheating-spouse or stalker feature, because
anyone with access to someone's MobileMe account - which could be a
spouse or partner or an ex - would also have live access to
someone's position.
That's worth considering, references to current and prior
relationships aside, if you're not the only person with your
MobileMe account password. MobileMe partitions multiple accounts
with separate passwords and account features in a family pack ($149
per year), so that shouldn't be a concern.
<http://www.apple.com/mobileme/pricing/>
**When Your Phone Goes Missing** -- As someone who has become rather
aware lately of laptop theft - see my friend David Blatner's account
of his PowerBook being ripped off in "What I Learned from Having My
Laptop Stolen" (2009-03-24) - I had wondered how recovery software
companies might work around the "one program runs at a time" limit
in iPhone software.
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/10165>
Apple skirted that issue by building in such a feature at the system
level and bundling it with its own service. Laptop recovery software
costs run from about $40 as a one-time fee to $40 to $60 per year,
depending on the firm. The addition of Find My iPhone improves
MobileMe's value and utility more than just a little for me.
Find My iPhone isn't designed just for dealing with the possibility
of theft, but the Remote Wipe feature certainly is. Click the Remote
Wipe button in MobileMe to reset the device to its factory setting,
and your iPhone or iPod touch will delete all your personal data,
files, and applications.
It will be interesting to see how this finding feature is used with
a stolen phone, because law enforcement doesn't always take an
interest in items that are worth less than a few thousand dollars,
even if you have a picture of the alleged thief and his or her
address. However, with a live map, perhaps that would improve your
odds. (For the first heart-warming story of how Find My iPhone
reunited a geek and his iPhone, read this post from the blog The
Intermittent Kevin.)
<http://happywaffle.livejournal.com/5890.html>
Ken Westin, the head of GadgetTrak, which makes recovery software
for laptops and smartphones, said he was pleased that Apple has
added this feature, especially the remote data wipe option; he calls
it a "greatly needed service." But, he noted, a lot more than a pin
on a map could be done.
Westin's firm gives away GadgetTrak for iPhone that, when active,
looks just like a Safari window. This requires that you launch and
leave the app up whenever you're not using your phone. GadgetTrak
can't do more because that would require having a constantly running
monitor program.
<http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/iphone/>
Westin said that in his experience with smartphone theft, thieves
typically remove SIM cards - the authentication module used on GSM
networks worldwide - as soon as possible. Although the iPhone and
iPod touch can connect to Wi-Fi networks to report location, thieves
might be clever enough to prevent that, and to turn off the Find My
iPhone switch.
He also pointed out the double-edged sword of pairing a MobileMe
account with Find My iPhone's service: if you don't wipe your phone,
a thief has access to anything on the phone provided by MobileMe,
possibly including your calendar and address book, and the
capability to send and receive email. (Setting a passcode
significantly improves your odds of keeping your data safe.) The
moment you wipe the phone, you're secure, but your ability to locate
the phone disappears.
Westin also noted that even with a map in hand, Apple isn't
providing assistance to go to law enforcement, something GadgetTrak
and other laptop recovery software developers offer.
**A Base on Which to Grow** -- Apple has certainly provided a baseline
here for both misplaced and stolen devices, but the company usually
then relies on third parties to fill in the missing pieces in its
own offerings.
That's impossible at the moment, but I would suspect that with tens
of millions of these devices out there, and the high resale value of
both iPhone and the iPod touch, Apple could allow some developers
inside the kimono eventually.
At least I know where my equipment is at the moment. Now, if I could
only find my glasses.
My Three Screens, via ViBook
----------------------------
by Jeff Carlson <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10308>
A few years ago, I finally gave in to peer pressure (namely, from
Adam Engst and Geoff Duncan) and bought a secondary display to
attach to my laptop. Although I was skeptical at first, having
drastically more screen real estate does make a big difference in
productivity. (See our series of articles about multiple monitors;
or, take a different tack and see how Jeff Porten uses two laptops
to accomplish the same thing in "Build Your Own 23-inch MacBook,"
2007-02-05.)
<http://db.tidbits.com/series/1033>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/8849>
Now, when I'm working in my office, I use a 20-inch Dell display as
my main monitor and my MacBook Pro's 15-inch built-in screen as a
secondary monitor. I typically put iChat, Tweetie, and Skype on the
laptop's screen, along with Screen Sharing, Activity Monitor, and
other applications that I need to reference occasionally. The Dell
display handles applications I use more actively, like Web browsers,
word processors, and email.
Even so, I still end up with lots of window overlap. Wouldn't it be
great to add a third display to the mix and spread out more? I
already own another 20-inch Dell (formerly attached to an old Power
Mac), but my main computer is a laptop with just one video-out port,
not a tower that accommodates multiple graphics cards.
However, a pesky port shortage was no reason to give up. Village
Tronic clearly buys into the advantages of using multiple monitors.
The company's $499 ViDock Gfx is essentially an external PCI Express
graphics card that connects to a MacBook Pro via an ExpressCard/34
card. (I looked at the ViDock Gfx for Macworld as part of an
overview of ExpressCard/34 devices.) While that's a fine solution
for owners of the supported generations of the MacBook Pro who don't
mind a loud fan attached to their Macs, it doesn't help if you're
the owner of a MacBook, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac mini.
<http://www.villagetronic.com/>
<http://www.villagetronic.com/vidock/>
<http://www.macworld.com/article/134707/2008/08/expresscard34.html>
Instead, I've been testing Village Tronic's ViBook, a small $129
device with a DVI port on one end that plugs into the computer via
USB. It supports up to 1680 by 1050 pixel resolution widescreen, or
1600 by 1200 resolution for a conventional display at the 4:3 aspect
ratio. You can connect up to four external displays using one ViBook
for each monitor (and a USB hub, depending on the number of open USB
ports on your Mac); under Windows, you can connect up to six ViBooks
and monitors.
<http://www.vibook.it/eng/>
<http://www.tidbits.com/resources/2009-05/vibook.jpg>
The ViBook includes a DVI-to-VGA cable if you want to connect a VGA
display, a DVI adapter for connecting via DVI, and a mounting
bracket for optionally attaching the ViBook to the back of a
monitor.
After I installed an included video driver, the ViBook was ready to
go. (The ViBook driver software requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or Mac OS
X 10.5.5 or higher running on an Intel-based Mac.)
Plugging the USB cable into my MacBook Pro made Mac OS X see the new
monitor and let me begin using it; I didn't need to restart the
computer. The most work on my part was going into the Displays
preference pane and configuring the arrangement of my three screens.
In no time, I had nearly 2 million more pixels at my disposal.
**Stutters and Limitations** -- Whether those pixels are actually
helpful depends on how you plan to use them.
The Read Me file included with the driver software (version 1.1, the
most recent available at the time of this writing) notes two
significant issues:
* No 3D (OpenGL/Quartz) acceleration, which means you'll run into
problems if you try to do something that relies on graphics
hardware, such as playing an iPhoto slideshow or a Keynote
presentation. This limitation didn't prevent me from running iPhoto
on that monitor, but starting a slideshow made the monitor
unresponsive. I also discovered that iMovie '08 and iMovie '09,
which rely heavily on graphics hardware, refused to launch at all,
even if I didn't plan on using the application on the
ViBook-connected display.
* A ViBook-enabled display can't be color-managed or calibrated, which
rules out that screen for use as a photo or video monitor, or for
doing serious work in an image editor such as Photoshop. The ViBook
doesn't distort colors, but if you've already adjusted your other
monitors, the colors likely won't match among the displays.
As a result of these limitations, you need to remember which
applications need to be quarantined away from the ViBook screen.
The Read Me file also includes a list of nearly two dozen known
issues, many of which boil down to problems running the ViBook
display as the Mac's main display.
(An aside: I applaud Village Tronic for including this level of
detail in its release notes, but I don't like that the two main
issues - 3D acceleration and color calibration - are listed only in
the Read Me file distributed with the driver software. A disclosure,
perhaps on the Tech Specs page of the ViBook Web site, should make
it clear the software is limited in these respects. Otherwise you
must either buy the product and install the software, or download
the software before purchase and review the release notes there,
which is unlikely to happen.)
Ignoring those issues for a moment, a ViBook-enabled display suffers
from reduced drawing performance overall. When moving a Finder
window, for example, the motion stutters as the ViBook redraws the
screen, giving the impression that it's operating at a reduced frame
rate. Playing videos in QuickTime Player and iTunes similarly
lagged, with the audio and video drifting out of sync after 30
seconds or so. (So that rules out using a ViBook display as a
dedicated screen for watching movies or TV shows.) I also can't
imagine it would work at all for fast-action gaming.
**The ViBook Upside** -- Despite the shortcomings, I think the ViBook
has a lot to offer. I mentioned earlier that its usefulness depends
on how you want to use a third (or fourth, or fifth...) display. If
you just want to stretch out and view more data, the ViBook works
quite well. For example, while doing some Web design work, it was
great to preview site iterations (ignoring the colors) and
experiment with style sheets in CSSEdit on the ViBook display while
I used BBEdit for coding and Photoshop CS4 for images on my primary
display.
I also used the extra screen to monitor remote computers using
Screen Sharing, to push iTunes off my main display, and to keep
several OmniOutliner documents open to refer to notes without having
to sort through layers of document windows belonging to various
applications.
I can imagine that people who need quick access to broad sets of
information, such as real-time stock market data, would benefit from
chaining several monitors to one machine. I was able to test just
one extra monitor on my setup (having only one ViBook at my
disposal), and it was like stepping out of a crowded room to an
adjacent courtyard. After years of working with layers of hidden
windows, spreading them out is refreshing.
Is using the ViBook the same as connecting a second or third monitor
to a hardware graphics card in a Mac Pro? No, and early this year,
Adam actually bought a Mac Pro expressly so he could run a pair of
matched 24-inch monitors at 1900 by 1200 resolution (larger than the
ViBook supports) and without worrying about Quartz-accelerated
applications, slow redraws, or color weirdness. But depending on
what you're expecting out of it, the ViBook can provide more room to
work in programs that don't require the level of performance you'd
get (and have to pay for) with a Mac Pro.
TidBITS Watchlist: Notable Software Updates for 22-Jun-09
---------------------------------------------------------
by Doug McLean <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10361>
Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0 from Apple comes with brief release
notes saying only that the update "provides bug fixes and better
compatibility with the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse and Apple
Wireless Keyboard." Apple also notes that the update should be
installed on any Macintosh system whose Bluetooth support is based
on the Broadcom chipset. To find the manufacturer of your Mac's
Bluetooth chipset, run System Profiler, click Bluetooth under
Hardware in the sidebar, and check the Manufacturer line. The update
is available via Software Update and from the Apple Support
Downloads page. (Free, 1.78 MB)
<http://support.apple.com/downloads/Bluetooth_Firmware_Update_2_0>
Sync'Em 1.30 from Derman Enterprises is an update to the
multi-platform syncing utility. Changes include a new setup
assistant with a simplified interface, the capability to relaunch
the Sync'Em Engine if it fails, improved handling of corrupt SQLite
database files, and the capability to handle contact notes that are
too large for Google to accept. Also, several issues have been
resolved, including one that prevented Exchange from accepting
certain iCal alarm conditions, and one that prevented Sync'Em from
recovering from lost Exchange EWS IDs.
<http://www.syncem.com/>
DiscLabel 6.0.1 from SmileOnMyMac is a bug fix update following a
major upgrade of the CD and DVD label design software. Changes in
DiscLabel 6.0 include 80 new template sets, a redesigned interface,
an improved image import palette, a new inspector palette, a new
montage tool that enables users to create montages and add them to
design elements, an enhanced random design generator, and support
for automatic software updating via Sparkle. ($35.95 new, free
update, 12.7 MB)
<http://smileonmymac.com/DiscLabel/>
Safari 4.0.1 from Apple is a maintenance update to the recently
updated browser which "...addresses incompatibilities between Safari
4.0 and certain features in iPhoto '09, including Places and
Facebook publishing." The update is available via Software Update or
from the Safari download page. (Free, 43.5 MB)
<http://www.apple.com/safari/download/>
ExtraBITS for 22-Jun-09
-----------------------
by TidBITS Staff <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10365>
**John Gruber Opines about WSJ Liver Transplant Article Sourcing** --
Late on 19-Jun-09, The Wall Street Journal published a surprising
article about Steve Jobs having a liver transplant, but even more
surprisingly, cited no sources for the information. John Gruber of
Daring Fireball follows the threads to suggest that perhaps the
source was a member of Apple's Board of Directors. (Posted
2009-06-22)
<http://daringfireball.net/2009/06/wsj_steve_jobs_liver_transplant>
**New Hotspot Handling in iPhone 3.0** -- The new iPhone 3.0 software
includes a better way of handling recurring hotspot logins by
capturing the gateway login page information that you enter and
re-joining the network automatically. This new method also
introduced some bugs in existing Wi-Fi connection managers. Glenn
Fleishman explains all at Macworld. (Posted 2009-06-18)
<http://www.macworld.com/article/141219/2009/06/iphone_3_wifi_hot_spots.html>
**Apple Kills Q&A at WWDC App Store Session** -- Marco Arment is
reporting a surprisingly dismissive gesture by Apple at WWDC. After
the final developer session about publishing on the App Store, Apple
cut, without notice or explanation, the standard Q&A segment that
provides developers a crucial opportunity to go beyond the presented
content. Apple's refusal to allow questions raises another one: What
is Apple afraid of hearing from iPhone developers? (Posted
2009-06-16)
<http://www.marco.org/122990476>
**Adam Looks More at WWDC on the Tech Night Owl Live** -- If you just
can't get enough WWDC coverage, don't miss Adam's recent podcast
appearance on the Tech Night Owl Live to discuss all of Apple's
announcements with Gene Steinberg. (Posted 2009-06-16)
<http://www.techbroadcasting.com/podcast/june-10-2009-adam-engst-lance-ulanoff-justin-sanderson-and-lee-givens/>
Hot Topics in TidBITS Talk for 22-Jun-09
----------------------------------------
by Jeff Carlson <[email protected]>
article link: <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10371>
**Click to Flash and YouTube** -- Click to Flash can automatically
display the H.264 QuickTime version of YouTube videos, as can some
other utilities. (5 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2711>
**iPhone running software** -- Readers discuss which iPod and iPhone
models include support for the Nike+ software and hardware. (8
messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2712>
**Upgrade to iPod Touch** -- With the iPhone updated, readers turn to
speculation about what the next revision of the iPod touch will
bring, as well as a discussion of getting Internet access at Wi-Fi
hotspots. (24 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2714>
**The Art of iPhone Photography** -- The iPhone's built-in camera gets
the TidBITS Talk scrutiny. (8 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2716>
**Unable to upgrade RAM in dual G5** -- After repeated failure to
upgrade RAM in a Power Mac G5, the question of that model's
durability comes up. (9 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2718>
**Java update** -- Readers report problems when installing the recent
Java update that fixes a security vulnerability. (9 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2719>
**Call AT&T for the Best iPhone Upgrade Price** -- The $99 iPhone 3G
is somewhat misleading when you factor the cost of ongoing cellular
service. (7 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2720>
**Clever address field parsing in Web browsers** -- Adam likes
Firefox's smart suggestions based on what's typed in the address
field, although LaunchBar can bring some of the same capabilities to
other browsers. (2 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2722>
**Some observations about the new iPhone/iPod Touch OS** -- Readers
start sharing their impressions of the iPhone OS 3.0 software. (4
messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2723>
**Upgrading from iPod Touch to iPhone** -- What's the best way to move
one's data from an iPod touch to an iPhone? Is it just a matter of
plugging in the new device? (1 message)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2725>
**AirPort Express Query** -- Can you access more than one printer from
an AirPort Express if you attach a USB hub? (2 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2726>
**Switching to Safari 4: plugins?** After switching to Safari 4, a
reader looks for utilities that replicate the functionality of many
Firefox plug-ins. (4 messages)
<http://emperor.tidbits.com/TidBITS/Talk/2727>
$$
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