Our iPhones and other portable gadgets require a lot of power to keep them running. The iPhone’s legendary battery life could still use a good boost if you’re consistently uploading Twitter pics and recording audio for those Macworld Expo interviews, and even that old BlackBerry you still keep around could use a lift. Back in the hotel, wouldn’t it be nice if you and a friend could share an outlet to charge your USB powered gadgets while cameras and other recording tools create a rat’s nest of wires to your Mac? XtremeMac’s InCharge Portable provides a duo of USB ports that are ready to charge your gadgets, but even better is the trick up its sleeve.
MacStories Product Review: XtremeMac InCharge Portable
iPad 2 and iMovie Enable “Citizen Journalism” For Breaking News
Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens was driving to work yesterday when he witnessed a large gas explosion a couple of blocks away. To see if someone had called 911 yet, he drove with his car near to the explosion site and started recording a video with his iPhone 4. A couple of minutes later, the video was edited and uploaded to the Internet to become the first semi-professional footage used by media organizations to break the news of the Minneapolis explosion.
How did the video end up on TV if it was simply shot with an iPhone? People shoot videos with their smartphones every day, but they’re not chosen to be broadcasted. It turns out, Stephens quickly transferred the video file over to his iPad 2 through the Apple Camera Connection Kit, and started editing it. He added a map, subtitles, and cleaner voice over. All of this using iMovie for iPad in a parking lot while he could still feel the heat of the explosion on his face. Once done editing, he sent the video to Youtube and CNN iReport over 3G and was one of the first eye-witnesses to tweet about the explosion and post footage. He also tweeted permission to use the video, which ended up on MSNBC and CNN coverage in a matter of minutes.
The story here is a great example of “citizen journalism”, with an Apple twist. Everyday devices like an iPhone and an iPad become indispensable tools when it comes to quickly capturing a particular scene, and uploading the results on to the Internet so everyone can see it. Furthermore, semi-professional videos edited in software like iMovie can be used by major news organizations without looking like “yet another amateur Youtube video”.
Something is also very clear: Apple needs a better way to transfer files between iOS devices without the need of hardware. Perhaps AirDrop for iOS. Check out the video below. [TwinCities via TUAW] Read more
Panic Raises $56,224 For Charity In 24-Hours→
Panic Raises $56,224 For Charity In 24-Hours
The results: together, in 24 hours, we raised $56,224.00 (¥4562015) for Japan. We’re amazed. Thank you so much. It’s donation time!
Yesterday, Panic began a charitable drive where 100% of the proceeds from all software purchased within a 24-hour period would be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society and Portland’s Mercy Corps. On Twitter, Panic just announced that they raised $56,224 (¥4562015) towards the relief effort in Japan. What the Mac community can pull off in a relatively short period of time is simply amazing, and even more money is being raised in concurrent software charities.
Here Come The Angry Birds iPad 2 Cases
In a trip to the Apple Store back in December I noticed something really curious (and colored) on the shelves: official Angry Birds cases for the iPhone were heavily featured by Apple inside the retail space like no other case. The accessory section in the Apple Store is trafficked all day by customers willing to enhance their iOS or Mac experience, and especially with the iPhone 4 third-party cases of all kinds saw an explosion in demand and popularity. But the promotion reserved to these Angry Birds cases was unprecedented.
Now the same is about to happen all over again with the iPad 2, which doesn’t need a case according to Apple but still it’s going to experience the invasion of third-party accessories like the iPhone 4 did. Whilst most manufacturers are ramping up production for their cases, folios and stands now that the iPad 2 is available, Gear4 has once again signed Rovio over to release official Angry Birds hard-plastic cases for the iPad 2. Available in three different flavors at $49.99, the cases feature holes to let you access all the buttons and hardware cutouts of the iPad 2: camera, speaker, dock connector, and so forth. You can check them out here. And , of course, they have your beloved pigs and birds.
The iPad 2 is a beautiful piece of hardware and Steve Jobs wants you to use the elegant Smart Cover to carry it around, without actually covering the device’s beauty. But trust me: your wife kids are going to love the Angry Birds case. [via iPadevice]
Courier Updated With Facebook Support: We’re Giving Away 3 Copies
Courier is a smashing Mac app to have if you’re uploading files to Flickr, Youtube, or MobileMe, and some big changes have come along recently to those begging for Facebook support. With the latest update to version 1.1.2, Courier is bringing the ability to upload pictures to your Facebook Pages, and video to your Facebook accounts. With a simple drag and drop after adding your Facebook account, you can deliver files over the Internet in style. Right from the envelope’s stamp, you can easily select which album you’d like to upload photos to, then drag in a bundle of photos right before delivering them straight to your Facebook profile. Courier keeps getting better and better, and it was the first app I purchased on the Mac App Store. For $9.99, Courier is a beautiful app that allows you upload media to your favorite websites. To celebrate the latest inclusion for Facebook albums and video, we’re giving away three copies – just follow the rules below for your chance to win.
How to Use An iPhone and a DIY IR Trigger to Control Your DSLR
Camera junkies rejoice! The iPhone Guru has a neat little DIY post on how to create a homemade IR trigger capable of firing your DSLR camera from a couple dollars worth of parts. He also shows you how to use DSLR.bot (an iPhone app) to trigger your camera, record GPS locations, and shoot time lapse sequences.
Matthew makes note that the reason he’s doing this and not buying a branded IR or cabled remote is this:
DSLR.bot app has some pretty compelling features that allow you to do GPS tagging with a Map Log and synchronized timing that you can then merge with your image data to create Geo-located images shot with your DSLR among some other nice features like HDR bracketing, time lapse shooting and an Intervalometer. It will do far more than even Canon’s $120 timer remote will do and the whole thing will cost you less than $20.
Video and more pictures after the break… Read more
Google Launches Google TV Remote for iPhone
For the few of you who may own a Google TV enabled device (or a TV such as the Sony Internet TV), your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad can now power your futuristic format thanks to the new Google TV Remote app. It’s chock full of glorious soft buttons that could take the Logitech Harmony to task, and includes Voice Search so you can quickly search for content using your iPhone’s microphone. Multiple Google TV Remotes can work over the same network as well, meaning anyone who has an iOS (or Android) enabled device can browse the television right from their lap. The app is free to download from the App Store, and we’ve included a quick video of the Android version below: the experiences are very similar (the iPhone can’t push webpages to their Google TV, however).
AT&T Slashes Price Of Original iPad 3G by $100→
AT&T Slashes Price Of Original iPad 3G by $100
The press release isn’t available yet in AT&T’s news room, but Jim Dalrymple at The Loop reports:
AT&T on Friday slashed the price of the original iPad 3G by $100 throughout its U.S. retail stores.
The iPad 3G now costs $429, $529 and $629 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, respectively.
The change is only for AT&T retail stores for now as the Apple online store still reports the old (already slashed) prices for the iPad 1. This sounds like a clever move for AT&T to get rid of stock now that the iPad 2 is available, and very hard to find this week. Perhaps some users will settle with an original iPad 3G at the lower price point.
Earlier this week, we reported several original iPad owners on AT&T experienced issues when trying to migrate their data plan to the iPad 2.
