World of Apple

It doesn’t often take much persuading for me to purchase a new Apple product, especially one with such interest and potential as the iPad. But when pre-orders opened late last week I didn’t whip out the plastic and checkout my basket. Issues of being in the UK aside there appear to be reasons why I don’t think the iPad will suit my needs.

As far as I see it the times I would need the iPad are when I’m away from my desk, whether that be travelling, round a friends or simply lying in bed too lazy to hobble over to my desk. In all of those situations I use my MacBook Pro and it offers me a no limits solution, not so with the iPad.

So let me get into it, let’s start with why I feel an iPad will complete my workflow and make my life easier (and cooler).

For

Portability

The iPad weighs just over half a kilogram (1.5 pounds for the imperial lovers) compare that to my couple of year old MacBook Pro and you have a very compelling reason why the iPad can be thrown into a bag without much thought. In fact the iPad weighs a little under five times less than my MacBook Pro, perfect.

Media

Like it or not the iPad spawned from the iPhone which inevitable spawned from the success of the iPod and the iPod is all about media. In terms of the iPad the idea of media has expanded somewhat, we’re no longer just talking photos, movies, TV, music and podcasts add into the mix newspapers, magazines and books.

I read lots of newspapers, I read the ones I can’t buy in paper online and the ones I can buy in paper form, pile up by my desk until I have a four foot tall tower of untidy paper.

I’m hoping that the delivery of media such as newspapers and magazines and to the same extent books becomes as easy as it is now with movies and TV shows. A month long subscription to the New York Times or Guardian via the iTunes Store will hopefully see the papers turn up on my iPad with no effort on my part. Details of how this will work are yet to be revealed but I can see it working that way if pre-ordered music and subscriptions to TV shows is anything to go by.

Ease of Use

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that using Mac OS X on my MacBook Pro is a hardship but creating documents, editing photos and sorting email will be easier when using all of my fingers not just a pointer on the end of a mouse. I already experience this with the iPhone and it has its disadvantages, some websites are difficult to navigate and typing long emails is daunting but hopefully the iPads large display will conquer these issues.

Anything to save me time and effort is a winner in my book.

Price

It doesn’t matter how much money you have, it’s natural to seek out the best priced solution for what you need. My MacBook Pro is feeling long in the tooth, I can’t survive solely with a desktop machine so a solution is required; the iPad is certainly a cheaper solution than a new MacBook Pro. Sure it lacks expandability, storage and some functions but do I really need all this when away from my desk (that question is exactly why I’m writing this).

Apple Factor

Stick with me here, I’m not stretching for reasons in favour of the iPad. In my eyes and many eyes I imagine this is a genuine reason, the cool factor of owning an iPhone in the first few months of release was eye opening. The iPad has as much avid interested outside of the usual geek circles, nothing like leading a trend.

Against

Display

Apple rarely makes questionable choices with hardware, the company led the pack with LED backlit displays and always pushes out the old for new but the iPad’s display is interesting to say the least. The iPad if you didn’t know packs a 9.7-inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 768. That’s a display with a ratio of 4:3, far from the norm of 16:9 displays. I can see Apple’s thought process – good for the web, books, newspapers; bad for movies.

I have to say that my use of the iPad for movies and TV would be high, this display ratio would certainly be a pain. The only solutions are cropping or large black bars top and bottom.

Multitasking

Now we get to the real crux of the negatives, How am I meant to operate a workflow like I do now if I can only run one application at a time? As I write this post I’m running several other applications, I have my email, Tweetie, iTunes, NetNewsWire and Adium. On the iPad I would be writing this and running this application alone, sure I can play some music and sure my email is still working but I have to quit what I’m doing to read my email, rather than just pausing what I’m doing.

This leads me nicely onto my next negative…

On-Device Storage

Browse the iPad website and you’ll find no mention of on-device storage, the iWork productivity apps are featured prominently but no mention of where documents created are saved. “On the cloud” I hear you say, well this is all well and good but what if I’m not connected to the cloud?

Let’s say I’ve created 15 slides in Keynote and I want to source an image from the web, I quit Keynote open Safari find my image. Where do I save my image, does the iPad have a camera roll, it doesn’t have a camera!? Where did I save my Keynote presentation?

I’ll admit that this issue will become clear, but the issue at hand is the issue of whether I should pre-order a device that I’m not entirely sure how it’ll work.

Apps

There are 150,000 apps in the App Store according to Apple, that’s a staggering number but they’re all built for the iPhone. iPad apps will flow thick and fast I’m sure of it but I’m left wondering whether holes in my productivity will go unfulfilled.

Photoshop is available in the App Store, but will a more comprehensive version be available for the iPad, Reeder is great for the iPhone but will a version be made to take advantage of the iPads significant screen real estate? These questions go on and I realise it’s early days but once again this is the question of pre-ordering or not.

The Final Issue

Truth is I don’t have a fifth negative; I’m not bothered by the lack of Flash, limited expandability, closed ecosystem or even the fact that the Wi-Fi + 3G version uses a micro SIM. None of that bothers me.

Why don’t you tell me what is holding you back from buying an iPad?

As more and more of my friends and colleagues move from their PCs to the world of Macs; I am often asked what programs they should install on their new machines. Apple usually includes the latest version of iLife with most computer purchases, so I feel comfortable telling these people, you should have all you need on your shiny new Mac right out of the box.

The folks at Cupertino provide plenty of options with just the base OS. Apple Mail gives access to your email, iCal helps manage one’s calendar, iPhoto organizes your cherished memories, there’s even iMovie – for those Cameron wanna bes and much more. There is plenty of good stuff to keep the neophyte Mac user busy.

One program not included that some people may require is an office suite. That can be easily addressed by downloading and installing the always free OpenOffice.org package. This suite includes a word processor, spreadsheet and presentation program and also features a database management program, vector graphic editor and a math equation editor. It is compatible with Microsoft Office files except for the newest proprietary save format used by Microsoft Office 2007 for PC and 2008 for Mac.

With all this being said, most people don’t just run OS X by itself, they want to do other things. Today we will discuss some applications that will make life even easier and possibly more productive for the Mac user. The following are the five OS X applications that I tell people they shouldn’t live without.

Dropbox

The first program I like to recommend is Dropbox which is actually a service that is a cross-platform cloud-based storage system. With it you are able to store and sync locally housed files online between computers.

Basically Dropbox creates a designated folder, which syncs with the Dropbox servers and any other Dropbox clients registered to that account. Save a file on your MacBook Pro and it will show up in your iMac’s Dropbox hard drive within seconds as long as you have Internet access.

Files in a Dropbox folder can also be shared with other Dropbox users through invitations making it a great collaborative tool. If this sounds similar to Apple MobileMe’s iDisk then you understand the concept. From my experience Dropbox works must faster than the buggy iDisk.

It is a free service for up to 2 GB of storage and if you refer enough people you can get an additional 1 GB. Each referral get both the referrer and referee an additional 250 MB. Here is my referral link if anyone is interested. If you wish to have a larger storage capacity of up to 50 or 100GB then Dropbox becomes a pay service with a monthly fee.

Dropbox offers numerous “hacks” for syncing program data across all your machines such as the ones described here or listed here. For instance, if you wish to sync your Firefox bookmarks using Dropbox that can be easily done. Programs such as one password, things, iCal, address book can all share one database file across multiple Macs using Dropbox. The beauty of this is changes made on one machine are reflected along other almost instantly.

What makes Dropbox especially handy is its ability to sync a program’s database file so that it can be used across multiple machines. This allows the settings and any changes made on one machine to be reflected on all others. In fact there are numerous Dropbox “hacks”

More details about Dropbox can be found in this review.

1Password3

My next recommended program works particularly well when used in conjunction with Dropbox. For those of us who have trouble-maintaining track of all their logins and passwords, then a program created by Agile Web Solutions called 1Password3 is what you need to get.

1Password3 is a password manager that lets the user control their Logins, Identities, Secure Notes, generate passwords, manage software licenses and use a virtual wallet. Agile Web Solutions recently updated 1Password3 to version 3 and add some exciting new features such as 1Password Anywhere which allows the user to access all this information within any web browser, even on a Windows PC, cough, cough. In addition they added tags, a new Vault type dubbed Accounts for AirPort routers, Mail and Entourage accounts, FTP apps, Instant Messaging, and the iTunes Store.

By storing your 1Password keychain in your Dropbox folder and directing your 1Password preferences on all your machines to that folder location you will have all 1Password data synced across all your Macs. I wrote more about this terrific program in my review.

Things

For those who have trouble keeping track of tasks, to dos and various lists then this next program is exactly what you need. Things is a program from the folks at Cultured Code and is a task management software solution.

Most task management solutions are arduous to use, the beauty of Things is that it feels like you are using any other Apple program. It is laid out like iTunes or Apple Mail and is easy to navigate and work in. A review of Things written by myself can be viewed here.

What adds to the power of Things is that it works in conjunction with its own iPhone app. If you need to add an entry to your Things categories or check off a completed task while out and about this can be done on your iPhone. Once you get home, you can wirelessly sync these entries between your Mac and iPhone. Naturally, Things can also be synced across Macs using what else; Dropbox of course.

Quicksilver

Next on my must install queue is a program called Quicksilver, which is a freeware launcher for OS X. This simple looking program is immensely powerful as it allows the performance of such tasks such as starting applications searching for files, opening websites and running scripts. It uses keyboard combinations, mouse gestures or menu selections to perform actions on your Mac.

Quicksilver is a very powerful program and is dependent on the user to unleash its maximum potential by learning all its nuances. I primarily use Quicksilver for launching applications instead of scrolling down lists to find the desired program. A wonderful detailed write up of Quicksilver can be seen here.

Evernote

The latest program to join my must install cadre is Evernote. This is another online service, which allows users to collect notes, thoughts and ideas and then sort and tag them.

This information can then be organized with tags and placed into virtual notebooks for easy indexing and searches. Evernote uploads this information on to their server and then shares it with whatever device is running an Evernote application such as a Mac, PC, Windows Mobile smart phone, Blackberry or iPhone.

Notes can be edited on your Mac and then viewed on any of the devices I just listed. When used with an iPhone Evernote supports image captured from the built-in camera and the recording of voice notes.

Evernote comes as a free service with basic options such as 40 MB monthly upload allowance. The Premium account costs five dollars per month or $45 for the year and allows 500 MB to be uploaded monthly as well as searches within PDFs, offline notebooks and lack of advertisements.

For more info on Evernote and an in depth review check out this write up.

There are numerous great Mac programs on the market and these five are just a few of the great ones. They are the five OS X applications that I can’t live without and recommend to all my friends and colleagues.

What are your favorite Mac applications that you would immediately install on your brand new Apple machine? Please feel free to leave your comments below. If we get enough input we will do a readers Mac OS X applications must install article.

This is a guest post from Tomas Ratas over at TestFreaks.

This review makes a comparison of what are considered to five of the best and most popular iPhone Instant Messaging (IM) applications around today.

I will be looking at three of the more expensive applications such as IM+ With PUSH, BeejiveIM and Agile. I will also compare two of the most popular lower priced applications and see how these compare to the higher priced applications. These applications are eBuddy and Palringo.

One of the best features of the iPhone that puts it above other smart phones is the push notification service. This service allows applications to update you in real time using badges, sounds or custom text alerts without having to be running in the background. This service was made by Apple but is ran by the third party applications so the quality can vary. This is quite an important feature for IM applications as it allows people to keep in touch with their friends and colleagues, whenever and wherever they are. All of these applications include push notifications, so it is worth seeing how the quality varies between these applications.

Developer – Shape Services

IM+ with Push – £5.99($9.99) – iTunes

IM+ with Push covers an excellent choice of IM services, which includes Skype, AOL, MSN, Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Jabber, ICQ and MySpace. This IM client is laid out appropriately, with the sort of tabs that you would expect for efficient movement around a well designed application.

The application is open for easy management of your accounts where you can set your status, delete or add contacts, and even allows you to update your status with a GPS location link, so people know where abouts you are at the time. If you have a large amount of friends then you can order them into groups or even put your best friends into a favourite tab. Along with this there is landscape view and the inbox stores all your past conversation threads for easy access. When reading through conversation threads you can hide the keyboard by simply tapping the conversation thread.

This application has the largest array of emoticons that I have ever seen. It has a category for all the emoticons that you could ever need for use in MSN etc, but then it has a lot more for use when chatting to another person with IM+.

Something you may have noticed about this application is that it includes twitter within it’s list of services. Now if you use twitter you may think this would be quite a useful idea to have everything under one roof. But to be honest, this application is clearly designed for IM services, which twitter is not. Saying that it does have its upside. It allows you to check twitter whilst you’re amidst conversations with your friends. It’s not as intuitive to twitter as applications that are made for twitter but it makes it easier to check if you are using this application at the time. It also allows you to have your twitter @replies and DMs pushed to your phone. So although not useful as a primary application to check twitter, it does come in handy when needed along with the push notifications.

The application also includes an In-app web browser, which means that you can easily check links that people send you or just browse the web, without having to leave the application.

Pros

• Easily manage your accounts
• Well designed layout
• In app web browser
• Large choice of services
• Push notification for Twitter

Cons

• Push has been somewhat unreliable
• Not ideal as primary twitter client

Developer – Beejive

Beejive – £5.99($9.99) – iTunes

Beejive allows you to receive push notifications for up to seven days after you close the application, which means your not going to be losing contact to anyone anytime soon. It stores your conversations so you can continue from where you left off. Beejive integrates all of your favourite IM services including AIM/MobileMe, Google Talk ICQ, Jabber, MSN Messenger, Myspace IM, Yahoo! Messenger and Facebook IM.

There’s room for customisation with a choice of aesthetically pleasing backgrounds or anything from your own library. Beejive also allows you to manage your accounts such as adding and removing contacts, changing your nicknames, accepting friend requests and blocking contacts. You can also put your friends into groups, if you have a lot of friends to make it easier to find those that you speak to more often.

The application comes with standard features such as landscape mode and a large panoply of emoticons. You can also add friends to a favourites list similar to that of the phone book favourites. Push notifications last for up to 7 days after you close the application, which is longer than any of the other applications that I have tested.

Not only does this application give you everything most necessary for an IM client but it also has sharp interface that feels smooth to use and the application has logical settings and menu layouts. If you have some friends with multiple IM accounts then meta chat allows you to put all of the chats into one thread so it is easier to look through past conversations. With the in built web browser it is possible to browse the web and go to links that people send you without having to keep opening and closing the application.

Pros

• Push notifications for up to 7 days
• Saves chat history
• Smooth interface
• Meta chats between different accounts
• In built web browser

Cons

• None

Developer – Agilemobile

Agile – £5.99($9.99) – iTunes

Agile is probably one of my least favourite premium IM applications. It does a good job but I feel that when it was designed, there wasn’t much thought in to what the most important features for an IM client would require. It does have some brilliant quirky features such as the ability to use the cameras live footage as the background so that you can chat and browse through the application on the move. I have tested this out and it does work quite well.

the applications interface and design seems unintuitive and the application feels limited when compared to what other premium iPhone applications have to offer. It is limited on the number of services that it offers, which are ICQ, MSN, AIM, Yahoo!, Jabber and Google. The application only allows for up to 12 hours after closing for push notifications.

Agile mobile for the iPhone is known for its push notifications being a bit hit or miss at times. I found that sometimes I just wasn’t receiving any push notifications at some point, which is not what you want from an application that claims to have this ability.

On the up side the application runs very smoothly and does do its job as an IM client. It even includes Unicode support for chatting to people in any language, which is more than the applications feature.

Pros

• Camera Footage for on the go
• Support for all languages
• Application tends to lag

Cons

• Only 12 hours of push notifications after close
• Small selection of IM services
• Push quality unreliable
• No inclusion of an in-built browser

Developer – eBuddy

eBuddy Pro – £2.99($4.99) – iTunes

This application comes as half the price of the premium applications and for that reason I expected to let myself in for disappointment. This application does its job but it doesn’t give you any of the perks that the more expensive applications have to offer, which is fair enough.

You are required to set up an eBuddy account to use this application but that is all very quick and simple to do. Once you do this you are away, with the ability to easily chat to your friends or colleagues, All integrated into one list. Push notification services last for up to three days after you have exited the application, so you won’t miss any important gossip.

The application also includes some common features nowadays such as landscape mode for the keyboard and all the regular emoticons. You can send pictures to friends and send a buzzer by shaking your phone. You can also change your display picture from your camera or from your photo library. The application saves your chat history and allows for support for many services such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, AIM, GTalk, Facebook, ICQ, MySpace and Hyves.

I was disappointed to find that the application only included the most basic emoticons and also didn’t correct any of my spelling mistakes, which I thought was odd considering that spell correction is common in nearly all applications today. This meant that my messages were very hard to read at times. I also found that when people would contact me through Facebook chat, the application would give me their user number instead of a name, so I wouldn’t actually know who it was. This is a basic error that is one of many small reasons why I would pay more for one of the premium applications, which don’t have this problem.

This is a great application but I can now see after reviewing why it is  down there in the lower price bracket. It does everything that I expect an iPhone IM client to do but at the same time, it is missing a lot of features that would put it up there with the premium rate clients. It also didn’t feel as fluid to use as Beejive and IM+ with Push. I found that scrolling through chats sometimes you would end up moving into a different chat by mistake. The way the application allows you to simply flick between chat logs could have been set up better. I imagine it to have a flow somewhat like the home screen and how you flick between pages of applications.

Pros

• Wide range of services
• Includes push notifications
• Reasonable price for what it offers

Cons

• Small amount of Emoticons
• No inclusion of names with Facebook chat
• No in-built web browser

Developer – Palringo

Palringo £2.99($4.99 ) – iTunes

Palringo is another company that has been making IM applications for various platforms other than the iPhone. It prices up as half that of some of the premium apps but does it meet up to the same expectations?

It allows a wide choice of services such as Windows Live Messenger, AOL Instant Messenger, Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, IChat/MobileMe and Gadu-Gadu. This application actually offers little more than an IM client. It doesn’t include spelling correction, which I thought was common to all third party applications nowadays. It does keep a record of chat history and does include basic features such as themes and landscape mode. The application has a terrible layout that is very confusing to get around and uses pinch zoom in the most unnecessary places.

The application allows for you to send picture messages to friends and share your location with friends. You can create groups so that you can easily send messages to multiple people at the same time.

This application is by far my least favourite and I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody. If you are really wanting a cheap application then definitely choose eBuddy over this.

Pros

• Low priced
• Push notification

Cons

• Poor quality design

Verdict

Truth be told, these applications vary in quality a lot more than I expected, which means that deciding on the best app isn’t too difficult for me. IM+ with push and Beejive are definitely the best two and really choice depends on what you are looking for in an IM client. IM+ had a lot of room for personalisation and included the largest variety of IM clients. IM+ offers push for twitter, which could be pretty handy if you’re a heavy IM and Twitter user. Beejive just felt a step better in terms of speed, reliability and intuitive design. Beejive also allows you to get push notifications for the longest period of time, which is very useful. AgileMobile was close behind these two because it met up to most standards and included some clever extra features such as the background camera screen and the large selection of UNICODE. Agile failed on the interface and the general ease of movement around the application didn’t feel as comfortable to use as with the others along with a lack of a web browser.

Overall Beejive is the winner for me as it is my favourite IM client and I am more of a casual user. I hope that you have found this review useful but if you feel that there is anything I have missed out then feel free to mention it as I have spent a lot of time with these applications so I should be able to answer most queries.

To be able to use Facebook chat with these applications, Facebook will require you to verify your date of birth. Each application deal with this in different ways and isn’t difficult to sort out, but it did have me confused at first so I thought it was worth a mention.

Many of us have been waiting for the Apple iTablet, iSlate, iPad for some time. Some thought the announcement would come a year ago but were left disappointed. Fast forward a year to 27th, January 2010 and Steve Jobs announces the iPad to the world. This has been overhyped almost as much as the iPhone but without the ingenuity and innovation that came on the iPhone.

In the run up to the event, speculation was rife that one of the main target groups was education and that it was a ‘game changer’ that would revolutionise the classroom. Now having watched the blogs and video on the Apple iPad page, I think that it probably won’t (in its current incarnation).

It’s certainly a sexy product, 0.5 inch thick, 9.7 inch display, 1.5 lb in weight and a great 10 hour battery life (depending on usage) but to me it looked more like a leisure device (lounging on the sofa) and less of a business/education computer.

Web browsing is apparently a dream on the iPad but still no Flash … that missing plugin icon is still there on Flash enabled websites. That means no animated demos or online educational games (such as Content Generator on your VLE).

School budgets are increasingly constrained and with the Apple exchange rate the iPad will probably be too expensive for a school to justify purchasing. Steve announced the entry price was $499 for the 16GB model (with no 3G) but the Apple exchange rate will probably give us a price of £400 (at least) IMHO. International pricing will be announced later.

With a £12000 budget would you buy 30 iPads or spend it in a different way? I think that schools will struggle to see the educational value in a class set. Of course it does run the 140,000 apps on the App Store so it is a truly multifunctional device, but will the multitude of brain training apps and mini-games justify this spend?

For an additional $30 you can run the iWork suite but could the class type an essay on Pages, or will they have the patience to work with graphs on Numbers?
It could change the eBook in the classroom and make reading cool again for students but unless you give the class their own iPad to take home and curl up in bed with the latest eBook will it make a difference?

As I write, I am left with many questions but not many answers! Of course, I think the school should purchase one for me to ‘try out’ as part of our ongoing research and development into ICT in education but I can’t see it making it in the classroom yet.

So, given £12000 … how would you spend it?

Guest post by Stuart Ridout. Stuart is an Assistant Headteacher and Head of ICT at Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes. He is interested in ICT in education to improve teaching and learning using technology. Stuart maintains a blog at http://www.stuartridout.com (and of course uses a MacBook Pro).

Photos of the new iPod nano, touch and shuffle introduced at today’s media event.

View gallery.

• Apple Unleashes New iPod Touch
• iPod Nano Debuts With Video Recording
• iTunes 9 Brings Improved Syncing and Genius Mixes, iPhone OS 3.1 Available

Apple is set to hold its annual media related event tomorrow and over the last few months speculation of what products are expected to be released have been in steady supply. Apple’s “It’s Only Rock and Roll, but we like it” event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for Arts in San Francisco and be attended by invited media only, a satellite stream will be available in London for European based media.

New iPods with built-in Cameras

Rumours date back to May stating that at least the iPod touch and iPod nano would receive a camera. Reports following this also noted that the iPod nano would move to a 1.5:1 ratio display and a smaller click wheel.

Last month multiple images were revealed that depicted an iPod touch with a camera in the top centre, the photos concurred with previous reports about the positioning of the camera. Photos of third-party cases for the iPod nano and touch also added credence to rumours of built-in cameras.

A last minute report revealed yesterday states that Apple has had production issues with the new iPod models but it is unknown whether Apple will keep the iPod models out of the event completely or simply delay shipping.

Speculation by World of Apple suggests that the third generation iPod touch will be upgraded to similar hardware as the new iPhone 3GS, increasing CPU speed and doubling the internal RAM, adding GPS and having the new oleophobic display coating. Apple may also remove the 8GB iPod touch and add a higher capacity 64GB model.

The iPod classic has been missing from much of the circulating rumours leading to speculation by some that Apple may remove the only hard drive based iPod from its lineup.

Availability of iPhone OS 3.1

In testing since June iPhone OS 3.1 brings several enhancements to the iPhone and iPod touch. The latest beta was released in late July, a significant time ago.

World of Apple believes that the release of iPhone OS 3.1 is very likely.

Cocktail

Cocktail refers to an internal Apple codename which is said to enhance iTunes store album purchases and will include interactive lyric sheets, photos and more. The enhancement is aimed at increasing the sales of complete albums.

Most sources suggest that Cocktail will be introduced onto the iTunes store at tomorrows event.

Beatles on iTunes

Based most on speculation some sources suggested that after years of rumours that famous British band will re-release its discography on September 9th, the date of Apple’s event. The band will indeed re-release its entire discography on Wednesday and will also begin selling a Rockband themed game but the FT.com reports that talks between EMI and Apple have stalled, again.

“Conversations between Apple and EMI are ongoing and we look forward to the day when we can make the music available digitally. But it’s not tomorrow,” Ernesto Schmitt, EMI’s global catalog president, told the FT’s Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson.

iTunes 9/Pre-cut Ringtones

A report from early in August pointed towards an update to iTunes which would see the integration of popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Additionally the report suggested that iTunes 9 will have the ability to play Blu-Ray discs and make organisation of apps on the iPhone/iPod touch easier.

Recently a report stated that Apple could be looking to offer “pre-cut” ringtones for sale on the iTunes store. Few details were offered but pricing is said to be “far less than $3″.

Apple TV Update

An analyst report late last month suggested that the Apple TV could be due for an update at Apple’s media event. Sources have indicated since then that such an update will not be unveiled on September 9th.

Apple Touchscreen Tablet

Apple’s heavily rumoured touchscreen tablet has been explicity outlined as not being a subject of tomorrows media event. Almost all sources point towards an early 2010 release.

Event Coverage

World of Apple will offer detailed coverage of Apple’s event including news updates, photos and behind the scenes Twitter coverage.

To compliment the publication of World of Apple’s review of Welcome to Macintosh we have also released an exclusive video containing footage filmed after the screening of Welcome to Macintosh at Macworld 2009.

The video features stars of not only the movie but the Apple world including Steve Wozniak, Jim Reekes, Andy Hertzfeld, Guy Kawasaki and many more.

You can view the 30 minute question and answer session here.

At this year’s Macworld the Apple faithful had a real treat in store, but little did I know just how good the treat would be. Ahead of Macworld I had invites to two new movies that were out to cover Apple as a company and the cult following: Welcome to Macintosh and MacHEADS. Unfortunately I was only able to attend one of these events. MacHEADS is not currently available for me to pick up and watch, so this review is not a comparison.
(more…)

Removed at request of Apple.

Other sites you might enjoy:

• AppleInsider
• Mac Rumors
• Neowin
• Wired.com
• YouTube

World of Apple is seeking writers to fill several voluntary positions on our team. As a writer for World of Apple you will receive excellent exposure and although you will not be paid it is not uncommon to receive perks from time to time.

For all of the following positions previous experience writing is sought but is not necessarily a must. The applicant should have some experience with Wordpress and be technically minded.

The following positions are available for filling:

iPhone/iPod touch Application Reviewer

Everyday World of Apple receives dozens of requests from developers to review iPhone and iPod touch applications. The current team is unable to deal with these requests so we’re looking to take on at least two writers to help review iPhone and iPod touch applications.

Those interested MUST own an iPhone and preferably an iPod touch as well, those with just an iPod touch will be limited in what applications they can review so please only apply if you have an iPhone. Developers often give out free licenses and a small budget will be available from World of Apple but some applications may have to be purchased out of your own pocket.

Requirements: iPhone and preferably an iPod touch but not necessarily required.

How to apply: Send an email to us with a 300 word minimum review of your current favourite iPhone or iPod touch application.

Mac Software Reviewer

World of Apple is looking to take on a reviewer of software for the Mac. The reviewer will be expected to seek out products they wish to review themselves but every so often the team will delegate out products for review.

You should have a passion for Mac software and be an experienced Mac user who can pick out times when Apple’s user interface guidelines are not being used causing a bad experience within an application.

Requirements: A Mac.

How to apply: Send an email to us with a 500 word minimum review of your current favourite Mac application.

Opinion Articles

Ever wanted to rant about the latest Apple release? Fancy stirring up a little attention about Steve Jobs’ recent health issues?

If so then this position could be for you, World of Apple is looking to expand into some opinion articles to add a little interest that differs from the mainstream news and rumours and opinion articles are just one of these aspects we’re looking into.

Requirements: Previous experience with op-ed writing, a passionate watcher of the Apple web and Apple as a company.

How to apply: Send an email to us with a 500 word op-ed about a recent Apple release or news story.