FaceTime video conferencing coming to the iPhone
Filed under: WWDC At today’s WWDC keynote , a new feature of the iOS 4 operating system called FaceTime was announced and demonstrated, bringing iChat like video conferencing to the iPhone. FaceTime requires no set up or configuration and will work with either the front or back facing camera on the iPhone 4 , but the front facing camera has been “tuned” for FaceTime allowing you to hold the camera at arm’s length to get a perfect picture. It works in both landscape and portrait orientation, and allows anyone running iOS 4, if the hardware supports it, to seamlessly video chat with anyone also running iOS 4 on another iPhone. There will be a FaceTime button in the Contacts app and on on the Phone screen. Tapping it is all you need to do to initiate a video chat, even if you’re already on a voice call
Apple has countersued Kodak
Filed under: Apple Financial Apple filed suit against Kodak on April 15th, 2010, claiming that it has infringed on two of Apple’s granted patents. This comes after Kodak filed suits against both Apple and RiM in January. The suit targets Kodak’s C, M and Z series EasyShare cameras as well as the popular Zi8 . Apple claims that Kodak is guilty of copying technology relating to image processing, energy management and memory design. Additionally, Apple has listed a formal ITC complaint that would prevent sales of all effected cameras if the claim is validated. This is a response to claims Kodak made in against Apple and RIM in January. Specifically, Kodak claims that Apple and RIM infringed upon Kodak’s method of previewing images with the iPhone and Blackberry
Experiencing the iChat woes? Try the Connection Doctor
Filed under: Software , Tips and tricks , Troubleshooting Now in its fifth iteration, iChat has gained a host of features as it has matured. However, the addition of new features has brought on new complexities and requirements, including both hardware and bandwidth issues. For instance, at the time of its release, iChat 3 users needed a minimum of a Dual 1 GHz G4 and a 384 Kbps Internet connection to initiate a four-way video conference on iChat 3. Photobooth and Backdrop effects, which came along in iChat 4, call for a minimum an Intel Core Duo processor.
Daily Deals: $1,299 MacBook Pro Laptops, Star Trek Communicator, USB Gloves
We start the week with a grab-bag of gadgets, including more refurbished MacBook Pros from Apple. The computers, starting at $1,299, a 2.53 GHz processors and 13-inch screens. Next up is a Star Trek Internet Communicator that works with your iChat, Skype, MSN or AIM account. Finally, if you get chilly while using your MacBook
iMac Light Makes Perfect Bedside Companion
Cult of Mac reader Tiago Piccini from Brazil wrote in with yet another idea — following our posts on cat beds and hackintosh holders – for recycling the shell of a dear, departed iMac. He spent under an hour gutting his non-working iMac, then adding a lamp socket and switch device, powering it with a 40w
Study: Apple Beats Assus As Most Reliable
Remember when Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook described netbooks as ‘junky’ at a time PC makers were flooding the market with the low-cost computers? A new reliability survey seems to defend Apple’s decision to avoid entering the netbook arms race. Apple has earned the top spot as most reliable computer maker, dethroning ASUS, creator
Tintin Movie: Co-Directed from New Zealand, Via iChat
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is bringing cartoon icon Tintin to life in a movie he is calling the shots for via iChat. Jackson was unable to trade his native New Zealand for the California set where flesh and blood actors are filming Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. So he told them what to
Getting in shape with iChat Theater
Filed under: Software , How-tos , Odds and ends Whether it’s because you’re at school or work all day, finding the time and energy to workout is difficult. So, why not make it easier on yourself and find a partner to workout with via iChat Theater ? When iChat went Leopard , it included a series of features and enhancements. One of these enhancements was iChat Theater. iChat Theater allows you to share documents, photos and videos with your buddies in an easy and oh-so-Apple elegant way. With Snow Leopard, iChat Theater gained the capability of displaying content at a higher resolution: up to 640 by 480 pixels. While photos and presentations translate well over iChat Theater, I’ve found that sharing videos is not without its hiccups unless you have an extremely fast and consistent Internet connection with robust upload speed
Mac 101: Auto-join rooms in iChat
Filed under: Software , Internet Tools , Mac 101 Welcome back to Mac 101 , our series of tips for new and novice Mac users. Earlier today we saw a tweet that inspired this post. Patrick Burleson asked how he can stop iChat from automatically joining chat rooms he visited during an earlier session. It’s possible, but you won’t find the fix in the preferences. First, I’ll describe how to join a room automatically whenever iChat is launched. From the File menu, select Go To Chat Room…. A window appears
