Very interesting design and usability analysis of the new MobileMe interface over at Graphicpeel, covering pretty much every aspect of it. I like the use of popovers and the new toolbar, for instance.
McCartney on Beatles and iTunes: “One Day It’s Going to Happen”
In case you still haven’t listened to the Beatles in your entire life and you’re hoping their catalogue will be available someday on iTunes, perhaps you should stop hoping and go buy a compilation out there.
As Sir Paul McCartney reports: “To tell you the truth I don’t actually understand how it’s got so crazy. I know iTunes would like to do it, so one day it’s going to happen. It’s been business hassles. Not with us, or iTunes. It’s the people in the middle, the record label. There have been all sorts of reasons why they don’t want to do it.”
As usual, record labels are the problem in this matter. Maybe they don’t understand Apple’s system and policies, or maybe they just don’t want to. EMI also joins the debate:
“Discussions are ongoing. We would love to see The Beatles’ music available for sale digitally.”
Sure, ongoing. I won’t hold my breath.
[9to5mac via DistortedLoop]
Get 49% Off Pixelmator
MacUpdate is offering Pixelmator at only $29.99, just follow this link. Pixelmator is one of the best alternatives to Adobe’s Photoshop currently available on the Mac, allowing you to retouch your photos and create rich digital compositions in a beautiful and usable user interface. At 30 bucks it’s a steal, and you shouldn’t miss it for any reason.
To learn more about Pixelmator, I suggest you taking a look at the excellent “Pixelmator Learn” page on the official website.
We Love You, We Hate You - We Even Send Emails About You
Here’s a story for you. You have to think as Adobe and Apple as two lovers who chose to slept in two separate beds. They argue, they fight - but in the end they still love each other. Even if money - a lot of money - is between them, they don’t forget about where they come from.
So Steve Jobs wrote a letter against Flash, and Adobe run an ad campaign in Flash to tell the whole world they love Apple. Oh yeah, the founders also wrote an open letter with lots of trademark symbols and such. Steve attacked, Adobe spreads love. Unusual, isn’t it?
The point is, Apple loves Adobe too. And as MG Siegler over at TechCrunch notices, Apple this morning has started emailing customers that “Adobe CS5 is here”. A coincidence? Maybe. Good timing? For sure.
Until your next thoughts, Steve. Adobe loves you.
Sorted, Beautiful To-do App for iPad
So I decided to stick with Things from Cultured Code as my GTD iPad app of choice. In the long run, I think Things is going to be the best I can have on all the devices I’m running it on (iPad, Mac, iPhone) and as soon as Cultured Code will introduce support for OTA sync, it will be just perfect. Read my review of Things for iPad here.
But what about those of you who bought an iPad, want to be productive on it but can’t really stand the whole GTD method? Well I’m afraid to tell you that there aren’t many alternatives right now into the App Store. Whether you want a simple checklist app or just another note taking software that you can use as todo solution, really - the choice is limited. You have to give a spin to this app though: Sorted by Savage Interactive.
Adding HTML5 Video to iBooks
It turns out that it’s pretty simple to add media to your .epub iBooks, and by “pretty simple” I mean the HTML5 <video> tag.
Things Winners Announced
Thanks everyone for entering our huge giveaway of Things for Mac, iPad and iPhone. A big special thanks goes also to Cultured Code, who offered these tree licenses of Things to MacStories readers.
Here are the lucky winners:
Mac: Zac Harmany
iPad: Abraham Vegh
iPhone: Dan Palmer
Congratulations folks, you’ll receive your copy of Things soon. Until the next giveaway, take care!
iBookstore Could Face Legal Hurdles in the UK
The iPad is coming out in the UK in two weeks and publishers are worried that Apple’s iBookstore model may be illegal. The Bookseller reports that various publishers are wondering whether what Apple did in the US for iBooks could work in the same way in the UK, considering the market differences and different laws.
Historic Apple Prototypes
People love when a big company such as Apple lose something as important as a next generation iPhone prototype. It’s the feeling of taking a look at something that shouldn’t be seen yet that make people love this stuff, and that’s the same reason why Gizmodo had millions of hits back in those Redwood days. People love to take a look at leaked products.
It’s not like Apple hadn’t lost anything before they lost the 4G prototype. Call them “controlled leaks” or just “leaks”, Apple’s labs are always working on new “gadgets” - 80% of which we’ll never see as actual consumer products. Macrumors has put together a brief gallery of “historic prototypes”, stuff that never officially left Cupertino’s secret caveau’s and that some brave people dared to post on Flickr. You can find the original post here.
Take a look at the pictures after the break. And the Mac tablet was so awesome.