The minds over at ReadWriteWeb seem to think that with the announcement of Exchange support and the iPhone SDK, Apple has set themselves up to become the dominating force in next gen computing, and I must say that I agree.
Here’s why:
The demand for small yet functional computers has already been demonstrated with the Asus Eee PC. If you can fit an entire computer into your pocket, you open up a world of possibilities.
The demand for pocket sized gaming devices has already been demonstrated with the DS (as well as all other pocket sized Nintendo consoles) and the PSP. Throw in Wii-esque motion controls and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Windows Mobile is terrible.
Exchange support means the iPhone can do what the BlackBerry does, only it looks good doing it, and can play games, movies, music, and more while you’re waiting.
It takes an iPod and a phone (two things many people carry around with them anyways) and combines them into one device. Why carry two when just one will suffice?
It’s an Apple product, so the UI is both beautiful and functional.
Combine a full SDK with a huge desire to develop for the latest and greatest mobile platform, and you’ll have throngs of developers jumping on board to develop amazing apps out of the gate. Microsoft Office anyone?
The list goes on and on.
Basically, as long as Apple can ride its current wave of iPhone success to conclusion, it will set the bar far beyond what anyone else is even striving towards at this point. The iPhone has created a whole new game, and currently, Apple is the only player.
Does this mean Apple will surely dominate next gen computing?
Time will tell, but all signs currently point to yes.
Poolga is the place to go for all of your iPhone and iPod Touch wallpaper needs.
The site collects unique wallpapers from a selection of designers and illustrators from around the world, and each submitter is hand selected to ensure quality.
Subtraction recently noticed something interesting about Mac programs: Everything’s blue!
Apparently blue is the go-to color for icon designers, with circles being the predominant shape, and yellow and orange (blue’s complements) being the predominant accent color.
Perhaps Apple designers are just a tad on the sad side?
If you’ve had your eye on a new iPod Touch, then it’s time to pull the trigger, because Amazon is offering up a free 1GB Shuffle with the purchase of a 32GB Touch.
(It’s also a good time to note that the Shuffle is now just $49, with a $69 2GB version in the works. I used a Shuffle a lot for running, and it was the perfect player until I decided to get the Nike+ kit (which only works with the iPod Nano), so if you’re looking for a no hassle, easy to use MP3 player, then the Shuffle definitely gets my recommendation.)
Soon, the iPhone’s multi-touch interface will let you and your buddies form your very own traveling iBand.
Currently, PocketGuitar lets you fret away on the six string, and the iAno adds some ivories to the mix, which means you’re one drum solo away from a tour date.
What’s interesting is that unlike the Vans Fracture concept, these programs are ready to run and can be used on any (jailbroken) iPhone or iPod Touch.
For many, the Mac has become their alarm clock of choice, as it can provide the extra customization that your ZZZZ’s need.
To help you decide which of the popular alarm clock programs to pick, The Unofficial Apple Weblog has put together a Tabulator showdown between Alarm Clock, Alarm Clock Pro, Awaken, and Aurora to see which is the winner.
There’s not clear cut winner, so it’s up to you to decide, but whatever you go with, chances are you’ll sleep easier knowing that you’ll wake better as well.
With any computer, backups are a must, but for most, it’s a ‘one day’ sort of thing.
Thankfully, with the release of Leopard and the introduction/inclusion of Time Machine, Apple has made it easy to keep a backup of your files in case the inevitable happens.
However, Time Machine is not the end all program for backing up your computer, and Shawn Blanc has written an excellent post about why you may want to use SuperDuper in conjunction with Time Machine for bulletproof backups.
The Wiinstrument is an application that allows you to connect a Wiimote and Nunchuck to your Mac via Bluetooth, and turns your Mac into a MIDI controlling machine.
After syncing the controllers to your Mac, you make music by simply moving them around. The buttons and directional pad select instruments, and the software even taps into the Wiimote’s motion sensor to vary the sound depending on the speed of your swing.
It’s still in Beta, so there are bound to be a few bugs, but with an open source code, they should get squished quickly.
Now that the MacBook Air is out, what about the rest of the elements?
To see what Apple might have in store, DVICE has created a line of alternative MacBooks, including a MacBook Earth, a MacBook Fire, and a MacBook Water.
Shawn Blanc’s series of reviews for “some of the greatest software available for the Mac” continues, and in addition to NetNewsWire and Mint, he’s also published equally thorough reviews of Transmit and Coda.
Though Transmit is something that I use constantly to keep this site up to date, Coda is new to me, so I was definitely interested in reading Shawn’s thoughts on the two.
If you’re at all interested in the best of the best for the Mac world, then these are must reads, so get to it!
If you’ve had your eye on a new iPod Touch, then it’s time to pull the trigger, because Amazon is offering up a free 1GB Shuffle with the purchase of a 32GB Touch.
