Billings 3.5 paves the way for Billings Touch

Filed under: Software, Productivity

Billings, my personal favorite time-tracking, estimating and invoicing application has just updated to version 3.5. The developers, Marketcircle, are labeling it the “Trojan” release due to its mostly-under-the-hood improvements. Under the hood, but not insignificant. The major changes are related to a database engine overhaul (subtly continuing the car metaphor for your reading pleasure) and improvements to the way Billings interfaces with Address Book. Rest assured that “Trojan” refers only to the nature of the updates, not to any kind of malicious software).

I’m certain that those covert improvements, while exciting for current users, probably won’t be enough to stir the passions of others. The fact that Billings 3.5 is now able to sync over WiFi with your iPhone might be cause for celebration… if only we had a version of Billings on those clever devices. Fear not, Billings Touch has been submitted to the App Store and is nearing availability as you read this. As a beta tester, I can’t talk about the features of Billings Touch, but I think it’s all right to tell you that it’s everything I’d hoped it would be when AJ first mentioned it.

Billings is $39.99US, and Billings 3.5 (free upgrade for 3.0 users) will be required to sync with Billings Touch. Check out a free trial at billingsapp.com.

Billings 3.5 paves the way for Billings Touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Billings 3.5 paves the way for Billings Touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source:[tuaw]

Fieldrunners updated to 1.3, offers two new maps as in-app purchases

Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch

Touch Arcade has word that one of 2008’s best iPhone games (our 2009 list is coming out this week), Fieldrunners [iTunes link, $2.99], has released an update (1.3), in which they’ve released two new maps available as in-app purchases, and they’ve included OpenFeint 2.4 functionality, with messaging, chat, and everything else the in-game social network portends.

The two new maps are called Skyway and Frostbite. Skyway boasts a metal floor with a few holes in it, which limit where you can place your units in the tower defense classic. Frostbite is a snowfield with a base in the middle to defend from attackers on all sides. Seems like both offer up some interesting twists on the gameplay — they’re 99 cents each (a fact that has the most recent iTunes reviews up in arms), but if you ask us, two bucks for new content is cheap, especially if you’re a big Fieldrunners fan already.

The update itself is a free download for paid users, though, so if you want that OpenFeint functionality, hit up the App Store and load the game up yet again.

Fieldrunners updated to 1.3, offers two new maps as in-app purchases originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fieldrunners updated to 1.3, offers two new maps as in-app purchases originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source:[tuaw]

Logos Software Takes a Leap of Faith to the Mac

Source:[tuaw]

Apple Misses Deadline For Windows 7 Support

Anyone recall as far back as October, when Apple promised it would update Boot Camp by year’s end to support Windows 7? Turns out, they might have been fibbing.

According to AppleInsider, Apple is likely to miss their self-imposed year-end deadline for officially supporting Microsoft’s Windows 7 under Boot Camp, pending any last-minute, New Year’s Eve updates that seem unlikely at best.

Back in October, Apple wrote in a support document: “Apple will support Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate) with Boot Camp in Mac OS X Snow Leopard before the end of the year. This support will require a software update to Boot Camp.”

As it turns out, Windows 7 already runs quite well under Boot Camp, at least on our 15” MacBook Pro 2.63 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo. We were able to wipe our former Windows XP installation and install Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade Edition) without too many hitches. The only hiccup we’ve seen for now is some occasional funkiness with the trackpad driver, but otherwise the Boot Camp drivers included with Snow Leopard work just fine.

AppleInsider queried an Apple support representative to find out if Cupertino had any last-minute Software Update surprises in store for us, but the rep said that his division — which fields Boot Camp-related questions — had received no update on the situation.

The rep also believes that the Boot Camp update is still undergoing tests, and said it was “very unlikely” that such an update would surface in the next 24 hours before the curtain falls on 2009. We’d say look for this one early next year, folks.

Source:[therawfeed]

Engadget releases iPhone app

Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch

Our sister site, Engadget, unveiled its iPhone app [iTunes link] today. The free app functions in the same way as the current TUAW app [iTunes link] by delivering a constant stream of news from the site. Engadget’s app will cover news from the main site, Engadget Mobile and Engadget HD.

Among the app’s features are sharing articles through Twitter, Facebook or e-mail, the ability to tip Engadget on breaking news, and the ability to bookmark and view articles offline. A full list of features can be found here.

Engadget releases iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Engadget releases iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source:[tuaw]

‘iGuide’ another rumored tablet/service name from Apple

Filed under: Rumors, Odds and ends, iTunes, Apple

“iSlate” isn’t the only less-than-exciting name that Apple may be considering for their rumored upcoming tablet release. MacRumors has uncovered another possible trademarked name for the new device: iGuide. They found what appears to be a shell company created by Apple a while back (December 2007, around the same time that the iSlate trademark was filed) designed to trademark the name “iGuide” for a new device or service. The purpose of said service? To browse, transmit and play many types of multimedia content, including videos, audio, movies, photos, and even electronic publications like books, magazines, and blogs.

Obviously, this is a pretty vague stab in the dark, but paired with recent rumors that the new tablet will include some Kindle or Nook-style reader functionality, iGuide could certainly be a delivery service for the new device, sort of an iTunes but for all kinds of media, designed to deliver content directly to the reader. We’re just giving out ideas here — as I said yesterday, this thing isn’t real until it is. But the possibilities are very interesting for sure.

[If you want to see more speculation and prognostication around the tablet in convenient video format, check out Mike R.'s appearance on Fox Business News earlier today.]

‘iGuide’ another rumored tablet/service name from Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

‘iGuide’ another rumored tablet/service name from Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source:[tuaw]

50 Technologies that Rocked the Decade

Over the past decade, we’ve seen technology leap beyond our wildest dreams. The Noughties took us from kilobytes to terabytes, single-core processors to octo-core, and thin laptops to pocket-sized netbooks. And regardless if you’re a member of the Apple faithful or simply a casual PC user, we can all agree that the innovations we’ve seen over the past ten years have revolutionized the way we go about our daily lives. Read on to see our 50 favorite gadgets and technologies of this modern era, and leave a comment with your favorite tech memory of the last decade!

iPod
Without the iPod we’d still be lugging around crappy MP3 players or worse, CD Walkmen. The classic iPod may be losing the limelight to the iPhone and the iPod touch, but without that original white music player that promised to put 1000 songs in your pocket, the idea for an iPhone may have never been pitched.

Broadband
If you had broadband in the 90s, you were some sort of super nerd. These days, even our grandmothers have broadband. We refuse to comment on their ability to snipe us non-stop while playing CoD: MW2 online with them.

Kindle
This is a no-brainer, but being able to read books without needing to go to the library or bookstore is awesome. Though the Kindle still needs to work out some kinks–we miss used bookstores and loaning books to friends–eBook readers are obviously here to stay.

TiVo
The dawn of Tivo and digitally recordable video meant you’d never miss a show and could skip over commercial breaks.
Netflix
The worst part about renting DVDs was having to leave the comforts of
your warm, cozy bed to drive to the video store.
Netflix took care of those inconveniences. And with the excellent
streaming available on several different devices, you no longer have to wait for the mail man.

Apple TV
Thanks to Apple TV, now we can have all of our favorite media streamed directly to our wall-mounted televisions.

Pandora
Remember all those cool Real Player radio stations in the 90s? Yeah, we can’t remember any cool ones either. Now, we have Pandora to make Internet radio actually worth listening to. There are also other music streaming sites like Last.fm and Grooveshark.

OS X

The switch from OS 9 to OS X wasn’t just a an upgrade. It was the introduction of whole new Unix-based OS infused with Apple’s powerful, yet easy-to-use philosophy. While OS X Server was released in 1999, the average Mac user got their first taste of OS X (Codenamed Cheetah) in 2002. 

Helmet Cameras
OK, so helmet cameras weren’t introduced in the ’00s, but now that they’re affordable, and movie-editing software is so much more user-friendly, anyone can attempt their own Warren Miller-style extreme sports action film.

Flat-panel iMacs
The coolest form-factor in desktop computers, hands down. Not only did it save an incredible amount of desk space, but it also made buying and hooking up a computer a much simpler endeavor.

Cloud storage
It’s what lets you never delete a Gmail message. It’s what keeps your Dropbox synced up. It’s what sends your MobileMe contacts to your iPhone. It’s like invisible technology that totally simplifies your life.

Google
At the beginning of the decade, Google was the best search engine around. Now, it’s pretty much the Borg, with its techy tentacles reaching for your mail, calendars, voicemail, documents, contacts and chats. Hey, they take photos of your house for crying out loud! But they also bring us lots of useful services for free. This is sure to be a company that will last well into the next decade.

Twitter
Twitter has completely revolutionized microblogging to the extreme. Gone are the day of 1,400 word blog posts, as the service has taught us there’s nothing you can’t say in 140 characters or less. This social platform has even caught on to celebrities, who insist on tweeting as often as they possibly can, without the filter of their PR rep.

Backlit keyboards
Because only true nerds compute in the dark.

Wikipedia
The birth of Wikipedia brought on an even greater resource for the Internet–the advent of the Wiki. Every wiki is customizable and available to any Internet user willing to lend a hand at citing and editing an article.

Online Banking and Bill Pay
Though some of our favorite banks aren’t joining us in the new decade, the wonderful invention of online banking has made it easier for us to pay our bills on time and ensure our finances are square, all without the long lines and hassle of walking inside a bank.

Xbox Live
With Xbox Live, PC gamers and LAN hoarders were no longer the only ones who could get online to play with their friends.

HDTV
What’s not to love about a crystal-clear, 16:9 HDTV in your house? Gone are the days of squinting at tiny letterboxed movies on 4:3 screens. And what could be better than watching the Mythbusters blow stuff up in high definition?

DRM-free music stores
DRM never stopped a music pirate from stealing the latest Britney Spears track. When Amazon MP3 and iTunes ditched DRM (for music at least) they did all of their paying customers a solid, making it easier to actually enjoy the music that we’ve paid for. Let’s hope the movie studios wise up eventually and let them do the same for video content.

The iPhone
It’s a computer that fits in your pocket. And if you’re lucky enough to live in a sparsely populated area, it’ll occasionally allow you to make and receive phone calls, too!

Nintendo Wii
“Serious” gamers may scoff at the Wii’s lack of hardcore titles, and weak sauce 480p resolution. But there’s no doubt that the innovative controls, and newbie-friendly attitude, have turned tons of people (back) on to videogames, and that’s good for everyone.

USB 2.0
USB 2.0 pumped up the speed of its predecessor by several orders of magnitude, up to 480 Mbit/s. Sure, it’s no FireWire speed-wise, but for sheer ubiquity, you gotta love USB.

Facebook
MySpace might have gotten to the social networking party earlier (actually, it was Friendster), but it’s Facebook that has captured the internet’s attention (for now). We’re just happy to be able to keep up with friends and acquaintances so easily.

Flash Drives
When Apple killed the floppy drive, people were horrified. But with a 32GB flash drive always in our pocket these days, that outrage seems comically short-sighted now. Not to mention, you can’t carry around a floppy shaped like your favorite food.

Dropbox
Even the most die-hard Apple fans have to admit that MobileMe’s iDisk is pretty much a bag of hurt, to borrow a phrase from The Steve. Dropbox, on the other hand, syncs to Macs, PCs and iPhones instantly and flawlessly. We have no idea how we ever lived without it.

Gmail
All your mail are belong to Gmail, or at least it should be. Anywhere access, and tons of useful features your desktop mail client doesn’t have… all for the price of some unobtrusive text ads that we’ve learned not to look at anyway.

BitTorrent
BitTorrent gets a bad rap as the preferred method for pirating music, movies, and TV on the internet. But it’s also a genius method for distributing any kind of digital goods, from Creative Commons films to free e-books and gigantic open-source software packages.

Cell phones that fit in your pocket
In the olden days, cell phones were so big that they required a shoulder bag to contain the enormous hardware—and they were super-expensive to use. The svelte phones of today are easier to carry, more convenient to use, and do way more than that giant Uniden handset could have ever dreamed of.

Text messaging
Voice calls R so 1999. Evn ur mom txts. LOL

Multi-core Processors
These days, it’s not hard to find a quadcore, or an octacore, fueling even the average computer build.

Digital Point-and-shoot Cameras
Though digital cameras were available to photographers and professionals before they hit the mainstream, the digital point-and-shoot made it easy for anyone to become a photographer and instantly share photos.

3G
The hype surrounding 3G only proves that this technology became an integral part of how we communicate today. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to access websites on our mobile browsers at lightening speeds or download applications and widgets from various app stores.

Streaming video
It was in this last decade that start-up companies like YouTube took off with a new, more socially friendly way to stream video and instantly share it with the Internet.

PDA
Where would we be without a Personal Digital Assistant? Well, we certainly wouldn’t make appointments. Or check our email. Or be able to view emali attachments on the go. Though the PDA emerged in the early 90’s, it flourished into the mainstream thanks to the ever-evolving mobile operating systems, which eventually allowed even the average person to access Internet and Email from their one tiny device. If you think about it, smartphones are simply descendants of the ancient PDA.

CSS
Also known as Cascading Style Sheets, this web language made the job easier for even the most hardcore of HTML programmers. The new CSS introduced the idea of streamlined, attractive webpages, which eventually helped the Internet crossover to web 2.0. Though development began in the mid-nineties, CSS became mainstream in 2000 when Internet Explorer 5 hit the market.

LCD television and monitors
Believe it or not, this technology has been around since 1888. However, it wasn’t until the end of 2007 that LCDs eventually surpassed the sales of CRT monitors.

LED displays
Now featured in a variety of Apple and major-brand monitors, LEDs are brighter, better and, allegedly, more energy efficient.

Fiber Optic Internet
Thanks to Verizon and AT&T bringing fiber optic internet to the average consumer household, even Americans can have lightening fast download speeds like the Scandinavians!

Touch screens
This was definitely the decade of the touch screens. Think of the Nintendo DS, the iPhone, the touch screen PC, and multi-touch touchpads on our own laptops.

Internet Anywhere
You can have Internet in your pocket, in your car, on a bus, in a plane, on a boat, on a mountain, by the sea, in a train. Yeah, Internet everywhere is pretty much everywhere.

Apple Airport
Apple didn’t invent Wi-Fi, but like USB before it, Apple lead the industry to the new wireless networking. All you need is an Airport base station and an Airport card in your machine and you’re golden.

HDMI
Okay, we’ll admit that HDMI has some quirky issues, but it’s one cable to rule them all. Instead of having up to five individual ports to plug stuff into to get sound and video, one cable does it all.

Solid State Drives
Finally, a piece of hardware that didn’t fall apart when you carried your laptop around wrong side up. Though they’re still a bit pricey, SSDs have become second choice in the computer world today, and without their inception, we wouldn’t have a way to keep our laptops moving with us without completely ruining our treasure trove of data–the drive.

Online Shopping
Next to online banking, shopping for everything and anything online has become one of our biggest vices in the past few years. Groceries, used books, antiques, and medications can all be purchased online from various retailers. The ability to simply buy something with a few clicks of a mouse button makes it difficult to avoid impulse purchases, and may be the reason some of us here at Mac|Life headquarters aren’t saving as much as we hoped to this holiday season.

Bluetooth
If you’ve got a tendency to get completely turned on by the idea of wireless computing, than Bluetooth probably warmed up your socks this last decade. This seamless technology helps us sync up our mobile phones with our computers, and our cars, and we can’t imagine a world where Bluetooth syncing isn’t available.

Photo Tagging
The fact that digital photos made a big play this decade wasn’t enough. Facebook and various social networking sites implemented photo tagging so that everyone around the world wide web would know who was doing what and when. Though this kind of photo tagging has had in benefits in cases where, say, you needed an alibi, it can get annoying when that poorly taken photo of you surfaces the web.

Open Source
Oh, open source and it’s enchanting ways have been around for decades. However, these last few years have shown an ever-increasing interest in the idea of free software for all and will definitely set the pace for how the software and Internet giants attempt to knock each other out of the ring.

Apps and the App Store
With a ton of applications, it’s no wonder that businesses everywhere are scurrying to follow Apple in the App store trend. Android already had a pretty well established marketplace, and big time competitors like RIM and Palm aren’t far behind.

Pixar animation
Pixar’s first film came out 15 years ago, but their constant technological innovation, and emphasis on evocative storytelling continues to push the envelope for movies and other forms of digital entertainment. And their CGI animation style holds up remarkably well, compared to other movie special effects.

Photoshop
Yes, Photoshop hit the stores way before we even knew we would outlast Y2K. However, there’s something to say for Adobe’s most versatile graphics editing program, as it’s undergone several incarnations since the turn of the decade, including 5, 7, and rebranded CS, which stands for Creative Suite.

Source:[therawfeed]

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