Palm-Mac

Apple site - most popular downloads & online services

Just taking a look the other night at the "most popular downloads" section on the Apple site, just to check that I'm not missing out on any little gems. Noticed this for the iPhone although I'm not sure it is something I would ever use myself.

About iGet Mobile
A personal server application that runs on your Mac, and allows you to easily and securely access your Mac’s documents and files from your favorite mobile device. It works with any decently web-capable device (including Windows PCs), but has—naturally—been designed with a special emphasis on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

I started writing a post a couple of weeks back about the proliferation of web based services springing up. This is an area I know a lot of people are starting to take advantage of, accessing and storing their pics, contacts, Outlook stuff, files, music etc etc but again I haven't embraced it yet. The point of my original post was that I didn't know how to use the service and also had a fear of not being able to access it should there be serious downtimes. I started the post but sort of abandoned it halfway through as I felt like a luddite writing it. Oddly, over the next couple of weeks I kept reading on other sites about the services being down and people complaining they couldn't access the info they needed and I was thinking...that's my concern with that sort of thing...and security too. I'm not sure I want a whole lot of important docs and files floating around cyberspace.

Going back to the mac thing, I tend to prefer recommendations from people or sites I trust with regard to "must haves" on the software front. Hence, I go on the advice of the guys from Morning Paper as Sheldon always seems to uncover a gem or two...the sort of small app, usually freeware, that can make a big difference.

Shortcuts on the mac and buttons on smartphones

There are some things that I just don't do on my imac at home, using keyboard shortcuts is one of them. The only one I tend to use is "command and Q" to quickly quit active applications and even then I sometimes forget to use it, I just seem to find it easier to use the mouse to head the short distance to the Menu Bar and hit Quit instead.
I remember reading about a mac application, I think it might be called QuickKeys or something (??) and from it you can assign a whole load of "shortcuts" to do things. I was looking at it and I was just thinking...you'd have to be a contortionist or SpiderMan to be able to hit some of those key combos and in the first place, how you would be able to remember half of them...some were like "command-control-F6-W" to try and do something, or so it seemed. I just find it easier to mouse it.

What about buttons on devices? I'm suspicious of devices like the HTC Touch that are buttonly-challenged, as I like to call it. For me, I wouldn't be unhappy to see 20 buttons on a device in addition to the keyboard...keep em' comin', the more the merrier. Buttons mean shortcuts, proper shortcuts mind, where you can just press a single button to open an application or something equally useful.

Yes, I know what you're saying...what about that iPhone you've just bought, it's only got the one button and you'd be right. I was apprehensive about being button-short but I have to say...the iPhone doesn't need any more front buttons as everything, at the moment, is accessible from the front (and only) screen. This of course may change when all those 3rd party apps appear next year and if so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

iMate models now available online

We seem to have waited an absolute age for these things to appear and they don't look so "hi-tec" as they did 11 months or so ago. Specs wise too, they have been caught up and possibly overtaken by more recent other win mob devices. When they first appeared, in that cream sort of colour, they looked sort of Space 1999ish but now...almost bland and very generic. Nevertheless, here they are finally almost available at expansys. I'm still right off Windows Mobile at the moment and it will take something very special to tempt me back...I thought for a long time that the TyTn11 would be the one but 4 months on nearly and it still hasn't tempted me 100%, 90% yes but 100% no.

There are two, the 6150 and 8150, the latter has a phone like keypad and smaller screen, the former has no keypad at all. Looking at the 6150 specs it has most of the boxes ticked for heavy duty users inclduing VGA screen, HSDPA, 520 processor should ensure it nips along quite nicely and wifi. They are both expensive though at well over £400. Would they be a better option than the likes of the TyTn11?

Dimensions wise they are both quite tall at 118mm too.

Vaja debuts new cases for iPhone, iPod touch, classic, nano 3G

Link: Vaja debuts new cases for iPhone, iPod touch, classic, nano 3G.

Taken from iLounge which is a very good resource for all things iPhone.

SyncMate for mac and win mob

Missing Sync are the acknowledged leaders in the area of syncing your windows mobile 5 & 6 devices with a mac. Now there is a new player in town and this one may have the edge, certainly price wise anyway at the moment as it is free. If all you are after is some basic PIM, stickies and bookmark syncing then you may want to take a look at this first.

Judging by the desktop screenshot it also seems to sync pictures and music from iPhoto and iTunes which would be very useful.

Dashboard Widgets - Halo

Link: Apple - Downloads - Dashboard Widgets - Halo.

I suppose it had to happen...a Halo widget for the mac, sometimes I think people forget that Halo is not actually real.

About Halo
This Widget is attached to the Halo Blog where you find advise, Tip and Tricks, wallpaper and so much more…

or what about this fascinating looking widget...yes, everything you wanted to know about Chuck Norris....ahem...and look, it's been updated!!

About Chuck Norris Facts

It Displays funny and sometimes random facts about Chuck Norris!

What’s New in this Version
-  Complete rewrite of widget
- Facts are now download from a server
- Check for Updates function
- New Back Layout
- Bug Fix - Widget would get stuck on flip around animation(10.4.2)

The Land of the Rising Leopard Sales

I have read and heard that last month, in Japan, sales of the new Mac OS outsold sales of Vista. How amazing is that? Fair enough, Leopard had just been launched which would be a big reason for this but...it is still surprising. Mind you, I don't think the Japanese are huge Mircrosoft fans. Sales of xbox consoles over there have been generally patchy down the years in comparison to PS and Nintendo. They don't seem to like the style of games that us sophisticated Westerners enjoy...like Halo3 for example...ahem.

They seem to like the sort of games that I personally run a mile from, anything with magic spells in it is a no go for me and I hate the way they make the main characters look like pretty boy and pretty girl crosses of Japanese and Western stereotypes....all pointy chins, boobs and jaggy hairstyles.

PDA 247 smartphone of the year

PDA247 have been asking various smartphone users this week what is their smartphone of the year. Shaun, for some reason, asked me (probably because I have used so many this year) and I have plumped for the treo 680. He seemed to think I wasn't being serious!

I was glad to see that on Wednesday's news page, which is always one of my first ports of call amongst websites, the guy from GX5 software also listed a treo as being his smartphone of the year. My reasoning behind my choice was simple...I've used a hell of a lot of pda's this year and the vast majority of them have not lasted beyond 2 months whereas I've had my 680 now for a whole year and am still using it on virtually a daily basis. Sure, other smartphones get their chance now and again but I always seem to fall back to the 680 as it just does the things that I need it to do quickest, most reliably (hard to believe I know) and I have all the apps on it that I need. The smartphones that I have kept the longest have all been palm devices, the 650, 680, TX and 750v which I pulled off ebay late on as I had severe pangs of regret....sorry to anyone who was bidding on it. My HTC devices have been many over the past year but have lasted on average 2 months tops. I think it would be a different story however were HTC to be making palm based devices, I think they would be able to outdo palm on that front quite easily.

I just know too that in another year's time, if the Centro does not make it over here, that I will be still using it on a regular basis although I wouldn't expect to be using it ahead of the 3rd party laden iPhone. I'm very pleased with the iPhone so far, it's easy to use, extremely stable, nice to own and it does stuff like browsing, music, video and email really well. All I really need to add on is a full time native RSS reader. an ebook application, some sort of Docstogo style Office application and then it will be my full time smartphone of choice. I'm sure that soem of the mac apps that I sue at home will be coming to the iPhone and that is hugely appealing to me. It's very exciting to think that we are probably only about 3/4 months away from making that happen.

Case dilemna

I hate this when it happens. You know those two cases for the iPhone I ordered up last week? Well, they arrived on the same day and I was hoping I'd find a clear winner but no, what happens is that they both have good and bad points and if one had the other's good points it would be really ideal when added to its won good stuff and vice versa. Drat.

First up is the Seido rubberised hard case. This is the better fit of the two and the nicer material, it reminds me of the treo 750 casing, slightly rubbery but not wet and slimy feeling like most silicon cases I have tried. Nope, it feels good to hold, sticky without being...sticky. It hardly adds any girth or depth to the iPhone and has the advanatge, in my view, of hiding the silver/black combo on the back of it. It comes in two bits, a top and a bottom which just clip together. It feels sturdy to the extent where it's a bummer to get off. There is a bit of slack though on the left hand side, if you push down on it ever so slightly you can feel it flex. That's the trouble with cases that come in bits as opposed to all in one jobs, there is always the risk that when put together it won't fit as well as a one-piecer.

What I don't like about it and this is an entirely personal thing is that it covers the top 1cm off the screen and the bottom 1cm although obviously it has cutouts for the home button and grill thing. I just think it looks a bit odd although accessing the home button is no problem at all. Another bad thing, with the case on it cannot be docked even in the universal dock...sure it will sit there looking nice but it won't charge.

As for the Agent 18 case...it is made from recycled materials which is great but the case feels quite plasticky and is not as nice to hold in the hand as the Seido effort. This one comes in two bits as well but differently, you slide them together from the top and bottom of the iphone. They sort of click together in the middle. Mine feels slightly loose at the bottom left hand corner and where they join there is slight movement. This is irritating and leaves me thinking it's not a well made case. Another irritation is that on the back they have printed "Agent 18" in less than discrete lettering and have covered over the apple logo with their own tree logo. I don't like doing free advertising for firms, I've paid the money, full price, and I don't see why I should walk around being basically a free advert for them.

So the Seido case is a better overall fit (lesser of two evils here though) and nicer to hold but......the Agent 18 one comes with a black dock adaptor for the universal one which, when inserted, enables the iPhone to be docked and charged. The case is also slightly thinner all round and has no cover on the front at all. I think it looks better on the iPhone than the Seido one but it does not feel as well made. Interestingly, the Seido case also docks and charges using the Agent18 dock adaptor. The Seido case is harder to get off whilst the Agent18, mostly due to the fact it feels looser, is the easier to get on and off.

I've used them now for a few days and have swopped them about. I can't decide which one is the better of the two and to be honest, I'm thinking of just going back to the au naturel look of the iPhone. That's the problem I find with cases...I see them advertised and think they look great and then when I get them I just end up quickly disappointed. The only case I have ever stuck with is the PDAir metal case I bought for the TX nearly two years ago. I always leave the TX in there and that is probably because it is not a phone and thus it doesn't need to be pulled out every hour or so, if it did I probably would not use a case in the first place.

"Disappointed"

Edinburgh

Half Life 2 Episode 2 - The Orange Box

I finished this about a week or so ago and ended up slightly disappointed. I didn't think it was as good as Half Life 2. It was certainly shorter, I remember reading interviews with the developers and they were talking about doing more "episodes", in other words shorter games that would come out more regularly. It took me just over 10 hours to finish, not a long time really. Not to worry though as it also comes bundled with 4 other games, Half Life the original game, Half Life Episode 1, Portal and Team Fortress.

The latter is an online game so is of little use to me while Portal has been described as a "puzzler". I've only really started playing it over the past couple of nights so I haven't had time to get a feel for it yet. It is odd though, all about "portals" which are holes that appear through which you can travel to different locations to help you solve some conundrums.

After finishing Episode 2 I played the original Half Life game. To be honest, I sort of lost interest about half way through as I felt kinda Half Life'd out and overkilled by that time but I will go back and finish it. It was too similar to Half Life 2 which is being unkind as it was in fact out a long time before the latter so if anything, it should be the other way around.

So, back to Episode 2. This, unlike the previous games, is not set in the city but instead out and about in the forests and valleys. It follows the usual successful Half Life formula of straight shoot em up mixed with more sedate puzzling levels and a small ocassional bit of near platforming escapades. I can't put my finger on it but it just didn't stack up compared to the previous xbox game, the story seemed a bit cobbled together and you just knew it would end up with a less than satisfactory ending...one that was basically a trailer for the next inevitable episode. Graphically it seemed a bit edgy too and it doesn't really look like a 360 game when compared to BioShock or the newer Assassins Creed. Still, the game is challenging and tactical awareness is going to help rather than blasting in and shooting wildly. I just didn't think it advanced the series at all in terms of anything new gameplay wise.

It's still very good in parts and I'd give it an overall 7/10. The overall package, with the extra games is very good value for your dosh and will keep you playing for a while so has to be recommended.