Archive for the ‘Apple’ Category
As some of you may know Apple announced a recall of it’s iPhone 3G power adapters.
Now this is no big deal, they’ve had to deal with other recalls before. This is the first one I have experienced first hand.
The process was simple I filled out an online form a couple of weeks ago. Since my wife also has an iPhone 3G I filled out the form twice since that was the instructions given by Apple.
Fast forward to today, and while at work I get an IM from my wife asking me if I was expecting a package from DHL, I said no because I forgot about the new power adapter. I told her to go ahead and open it up, and she then informed me it was the power adapter. I said cool, and asked if there was two, to which she replied no. I figured OK, no big deal maybe they are shipping them by serial number, not the most environmentally friendly way to do it, but OK. So I was shocked when two hours later it was like déjà vu when my wife informed me that FedEx had arrived with another package, and it looked exactly like the other. She proceeded to open it up and confirm that it was indeed the other power adapter.

Packages

Packages
Now let’s rewind a second. They shipped the power adapters at the same time, by two different carriers? This does not make financial, or environmental sense. Especially since Apple is trying to focus more on their environmentalism.
In my opinion Apple should have shipped the adapters together since I had to use my Apple ID to sign in and order them, and they were both going to the same address. They could have also shipped them via the same carrier as to not have to use the extra fuel.
This is just my little rant, it’s not like I’m a big environmentalist myself. I just figured that a company who is trying to be a friend to the environment could make a little bit of a more responsible decision with this large scale recall.
Packages
Packages
Technorati Tags: Apple, Environment, Fail, iPhone 3G, Packing, Power Adapter, Recall
Tags: Apple, Environment, Fail, iPhone 3G, Packing, Power Adapter, Recall
Last week I was looking for an app to make my grocery shopping a lot easier. I had read an article on TUAW taking a look at Grocery IQ
(Opens in iTunes).
After reading the review I decided that it was worth the $4.99 and purchased the app. If you are reading this review on Thursday October 9th you can get the app on-sale for only $1.99 that’s 60% off.
I decided to check out all the options, and see how the app worked. I found that it’s quite simple really. You search the database of 130,000 items to find the one you want, then click a button to add it to your list. You can also add the items to your favorites for easy retrieval later.

Grocery IQ Search

Grocery IQ Search

Grocery IQ List

Grocery IQ Favorites
The program will also give you a history of what you’ve purchased just in case you don’t remember if you bought something recently.

Grocery IQ History
You can also arrange the aisles list to represent the way your store is laid out. This helps you to make sure you get everything on your list in the most efficient manor.

Grocery IQ Aisles
You can also e-mail your list to someone in the settings menu. I think this feature is a little hidden, but I was able to uncover it after doing a little searching.

Grocery IQ Settings
Now I’m not saying this app is perfect. It is missing a few features that I would like to see. For all I know they could be working on a new version with these features.
Multiple Stores
Ability to enter prices and keep an average, so you know an approximate cost of your list.
A way for someone else to add an item to your list. Say my wife realizes we need milk and I’m at work, she could text or call me. But imagine if she could send an e-mail to a special address and add items to my list, kind of like how you can email photos to Flickr or twitpic with a special e-mail address.
I’m sure there are more things I will think of in the future, but so far I have to say that I am loving this program and use it daily. It has even taken a place on the coveted iPhone home screen.
Grocery IQ Search
Grocery IQ Search
Grocery IQ List
Grocery IQ Favorites
Grocery IQ History
Grocery IQ Aisles
Grocery IQ Settings
Today is the day that all my packages arrive. I am very exited. I broke down and ordered a Black MacBook
with AppleCare and a MobileMe - Family Pack. I figured I didn’t need the power of the MacBook Pro yet, and I can wait until after MacWorld to get one if I decide that I need the power. I also wanted to save the extra money I would of spent on the MacBook Pro and use it toward the best package of them all.
The baby is coming home today. The 5 day long hospital stay is finally coming to an end, and little Juliana will finally get to come home and see her room and all of her toys and clothes. I can’t believe how much more stuff we have gotten since the baby was born. It seemed that everyday I came home I had another car full of stuff to bring into the house.
Technorati Tags: Apple, apple care, Family, MacBook, MacBookPro, mobileme
Tags: Apple, apple care, Family, MacBook, MacBookPro, mobileme
I first saw this posted via twitter by Cali Lewis. She posted it on Geek Brief TV. The picture is from a French Blog. Now I don’t speak French, but I do speed geek and the picture is lust worthy.
Now this is just another “leaked” picture which will more then likely turn out to be fake, but it has sealed my decision to wait for the 14th to purchase my new MacBook Pro. Just in case it’s real. From what you can see in the image below, is a new beveled edge and black keyboard which makes it look a lot more like the MacBook Air. Also is the much rumored glass trackpad with multi-touch. I’m not too sure I would like for the dock to be part of the multi-touch trackpad. I believe it would get in the way of normal use.

New MacBook Pro?
New MacBook Pro?
Technorati Tags: Apple, Leak, MacBookPro, Rumor
Tags: Apple, Leak, MacBookPro, Rumor
One thing that I rely heavily on is my Google Calendar and I was none too happy when I couldn’t easily sync it with my iPhone or iPhone 3G.
So I stumbled across a nice site called nuevasync. The site says it’s in Beta, but I signed up and was granted immediate access. So it’s not the web 2.0 beta I was expecting where I would need an invite code.
Once I was signed up and read through the privacy policy I gave the access to my Google Calendar and proceeded to setup my iPhone via their instructions.
I then disabled my calendar syncing to Mobile Me and within seconds had all my information from Google Calendar in the native iPhone calendar app.
Now it is very basic syncing, I don’t have all the different colored calendars like I have in my Google Calendar so I can identify what everything is with a quick glance, but at least all the information is synced up with the iPhone so I don’t have to rely on Edge, 3G, or WiFi to check my calendar online.
It also looks like you should be able to setup this sync with any phone that supports Exchange.
Technorati Tags: Calendar, Google, HowTo, iPhone, Sync
Tags: Calendar, Google, HowTo, iPhone, Sync
The folks over at Gizmodo have posted that 6 placeholder SKUs have shown up in the Inventory System of Future Shop a division of Best Buy.

Future Shop Mac SKU Place Holders
The fact that there are 6 place holder SKUS would lead one to believe that new MacBook’s and MacBook Pro’s are on the way for the much rumored October 14th announcement.
I have made it two days so far without ordering my new MacBook Pro. I want to order it now, but am trying very hard to wait to see if there are any truth’s to all these rumors I keep posting about. It’s almost like I’ve become an Apple Rumor blog.
If you have any ideas of want to weigh in on the possibility of new MacBook & MacBook Pros feel free to do so in the comments.
Future Shop Mac SKU Place Holders
Technorati Tags: Apple, Future Shop, MacBook, MacBookPro, Placeholder, Rumor
Tags: Apple, Future Shop, MacBook, MacBookPro, Placeholder, Rumor
I wrote two weeks ago about my troubles with Apple’s Genius. not being able to work with my vast music collection.
I am happy to now say that the problem seems to have been fixed on Apple’s end. I have submitted my Genius report on both my Media Center PC and my wife’s laptop and they were both able to go through. I am going to chalk this one up to network congestion on Apple’s servers. If anybody else is still having the problem, feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Technorati Tags: Apple, Fail, Genius, iTunes, Network Timeout
Tags: Apple, Fail, Genius, iTunes, Network Timeout
Mac Soda claims to have knowledge of the new video card Apple will use in the new MacBooks. nVIDIA’s MCP7A-U is an integrated chipset, but don’t let that turn you off. It packs features such as low-power consumption, and HDMI-Out.
read more | digg story
Technorati Tags: Apple, Graphics, MacBook, MacBookAir, MacBookPro, Nvidia, Rumor
Tags: Apple, Graphics, MacBook, MacBookAir, MacBookPro, Nvidia, Rumor
According to tuaw the German retailer T-Systems (a division of Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile) which sells Apple computers posted a few new items for sale today which were then taken down shortly after everybody started talking about them. The new systems they posted may possibly be the new MacBook Pros based on the specs, and the picture posted.

Possible new MacBook Pro
The specs were listed as having either a 2.5GHz or 2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard disk, and an nVidia GF 8600M GT video card. The interesting thing is that the prices listed when the item was still visible showed the prices being much cheaper then the current models. The Apple store starts with 1799 € for the MacBookPro while T-Com has systems for 1402€ (15″ - 2.4GHz-models). Larger systems are also much cheaper (1973€ vs. 2499€ for 17″).
I’m personally hoping that they announce new MacBook Pro’s soon. I am holding off on buying one, because I don’t want to buy it, and then have a new one come out a few weeks later. The other rumor’s I’ve heard point to an October 14th announcement.
Possible new MacBook Pro
iPhone 2.1 Software Update
iPhone version 2.1 contains many bug fixes and improvements, including the following:
• decrease in call set-up failures and call drops
• significantly improved battery life for most users
• dramatically reduced time to backup to iTunes
• improved email reliability, notably fetching email from POP and Exchange accounts
• faster installation of 3rd party applications
• fixed bugs causing hangs and crashes if you have lots of 3rd party applications
• improved performance in text messaging
• faster loading and searching of contacts
• improved accuracy of the 3G signal strength display
• repeat alert up to two additional times for incoming text messages
• option to wipe data after ten failed passcode attempts
• Genius playlist creation
For feature descriptions and complete instructions, see the user guide for your iPhone at:
http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/iphone
For more information about iPhone, go to:
http://www.apple.com/iphone
To troubleshoot your iPhone, or to view additional support information go to:
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone
For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
I am downloading it right now, and will report back anything significant. I just can’t wait for my phone to be responsive again.
Technorati Tags: Apple, Firmware 2.1, iPhone
Tags: Apple, Firmware 2.1, iPhone