It might not be the smartest way of giving a zero-weeks notice at work, but you’ve gotta give this guy some credit for doing extra work and making a custom Mac OS X app just for the purpose of quitting.

Supposedly the pop up prompt (which apparently doesn’t do anything) was seen by the fellow’s coworker who explained the situation:

He believed he was in a temp-to-hire position, and after three months of extra hours and butt-kissing, turns out it’s just a temp position. He was a good worker too. I’d have recommended him. Too bad he burned his bridges… Obviously he had contemplated quitting long enough to make this thing, but still refused to speak to anyone about his feelings. Ironically, he complained about the ‘divas’ at his last job.

Well, who’d want to keep him if he makes an app with prompts that don’t even have functional buttons? If nothing, one of the buttons should’ve opened an email app with a pre-written apology note. [Method Shop via Cult of Mac]

Continue reading from the original source:
This is How a Pissed Off Designer Quits His Job [Image Cache]

First driving, now even walking: The combination of cellphone use and motion seems to be the most dangerous threat facing Americans today.

Two new studies have shown that pedestrians using cellphones are significantly more likely to get smacked by a car than anybody else. A simulation indicated that older people are especially likely to be distracted, even more so if they’re unsteady on their feet to begin with (so maybe think about getting Grandma a nice large-print novel for Christmas instead of a Droid).

Interestingly, listening to music was found to have no effect on pedestrian safety, which I’d like to personally refute. I can say without a doubt that while listening to certain music (Spank Rock, I’m looking at you), I am noticeably more cocky and likely to get hit by a car while strutting across a busy street. But then, I’m not a scientist; thus, I trust the results of these studies and will continue to blare loud, filthy rap music while disregarding all pedestrian laws and guidelines. [LabSpaces]

Continue reading from the original source:
Cellphone-Using Pedestrians at Higher Risk of "Getting Run Over" [Danger]

Maybe I’m just not a good pet owner, but I never understood the original Pet Rock. Mine just sat there holding down papers on my desk and refused to eat. Looks like this USB-powered one doesn’t do much either.

Like the tauntaun sleeping bag, the USB Pet Rock is another case of an April Fools Day joke turning into a real product. This is the joke video from earlier in the year:

You can order your own USB Pet Rock for $10 at ThinkGeek. Just don’t ask me to tell you what to do with it. I still try to feed Fido without success. [ThinkGeek via OhGizmo!]

Continue reading from the original source:
Second Generation Pet Rock is USB-Powered, Still Does Nothing [USB]

Well, well. Apple’s won its copyright infringement claim against Psystar in California. Anyone surprised? As we’ve been saying all along, the key argument wasn’t the OS X EULA or Psystar’s failed monopoly claims, but pure, simple copyright infringement, since Psystar was illegally copying, modifying, and distributing Apple’s code. Psystar was also dinged for circumventing Apple’s kernel encryption in violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, but that’s just another nail in the coffin, really. There’s still some legal fireworks to come, as Apple’s various other claims like breach of contract, trademark infringement, and unfair competition weren’t addressed in this ruling, but those are all secondary issues now — and we’d expect this decision to have quite an impact on the other case currently ongoing in Florida. We’ve broken down the highlights after the break, hit up the read link for the PDF and follow along.

[Via Groklaw]

Continue reading Apple wins copyright infringement case against Psystar in California

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Apple wins copyright infringement case against Psystar in California originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading from the original source:
Apple wins copyright infringement case against Psystar in California

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

As much as I like the idea of an Apple tablet—and even with the surprising XL tablet rumors—I have to dismiss Leander Kahney’s thoughts on Snow Leopard as a step toward a full Mac OS X tablet.

Kahney argues that the “new” virtual keyboard, and Exposé in the Dock are signs of preparation for an Apple tablet:

The more I play with Snow Leopard, the more it looks like it’s designed to run Apple’s upcoming tablet.

However, there are simpler explanations than these conspiracy theories (without even entering into the debate of iPhone OS—the most likely candidate for a 10-inch tablet—vs Mac OS X. Clumsy desktop operating systems don’t translate well to slates, as Windows has demonstrated many times).

The virtual keyboard has been in Mac OS X forever, as part of the input system. In fact, it was part of the old Mac OS as well, and was incorporated as part of the input menu system in Mac OS X. In Snow Leopard, you can activate it using the Keyboard panel in System Preferences. Go there and check “Show Keyboard & Character Viewer in menu bar.”

Before, the keyboard window used to be so tiny—as you can see in the top image—that it even made people whine about it in Apple support forums. Fortunately, Apple changed this, and now you can resize the window as much as you want.

There’s no magic here. It’s just a vector-based app that can be scaled at any size you want. The same happens with the Character Viewer.

So, if this is not a sign of the tablet, what could it be? Apple has been working on a fully resolution independent display model since Mac OS X 10.4. During every Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has been preparing developers to ready their apps for the jump. Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard implemented a system wide resolution independent model (unfortunately, it was systemwide, and not on a per-screen basis).

The objective: To be able to use ultra-dense resolution displays without making everything on the screen tiny. As a user, if Apple decided to turn on this feature, you would see that menus, icons, and buttons use the same physical space now matter what display you use. Things would have the same size but would look sharper on a display with more pixels per inch. Example: A button will be one inch wide in a 24-inch 1080 pixel-wide display, and a 24-inch 2160 pixel-wide display. However, it will look a lot sharper on the 2160 pixel-wide display because it will be made of more dots.

If you have the developer tools installed in your Mac, you can check the scalability of the user interface using Quartz Debug. This tool allows you to zoom in and out the user interface, seeing how everything—except bitmap elements—scales in real time, with no pixelation.

What about Exposé on the Dock? I’m a believer in Occam’s razor theory: The simpler theory is always the better. In this case, Exposé on the Dock is just a more convenient way to see your open application’s windows. More intuitive and easier to use for the normal user than hot corners or function keys.

Bottom line: I’ve no doubt that touch interfaces will come to Apple devices, but these two functions are not any indication of it.

Continue reading from the original source:
Mac OS X’s Scalable Keyboard Is Probably Not a Sign of the Apple Tablet [Apple]

This Line2 app was just approved after a 3 month delay, partially caused by the Google Voice shenanigans Apple pulled back in July when they pulled out all the Google Voice apps from the App Store. This is really similar.

Toktumi works similarly to Google Voice, letting you use one virtual number to forward to your real numbers. It doesn’t support SMS, and it costs $15, but it supports business features like phone trees and other filtering options. The Line2 app is by Sean Kovacs, the guy who made “GV Mobile“, the Google Voice app we still use on our iPhones now.

It’s strange that there’s a double standard for these apps in the app store when they’re so similar, but it could be the missing SMS functionality that makes Toktumi more appetizing for Apple/AT&T when compared to Google Voice. [Tech Crunch]

Continue reading from the original source:
Apple Approves Line2, a Google Voice-esque Program For Toktumi [IPhone Apps]

This Line2 app was just approved after a 3 month delay, partially caused by the Google Voice shenanigans Apple pulled back in July when they pulled out all the Google Voice apps from the App Store. This is really similar.

Toktumi works similarly to Google Voice, letting you use one virtual number to forward to your real numbers. It doesn’t support SMS, and it costs $15, but it supports business features like phone trees and other filtering options. The Line2 app is by Sean Kovacs, the guy who made “GV Mobile“, the Google Voice app we still use on our iPhones now.

It’s strange that there’s a double standard for these apps in the app store when they’re so similar, but it could be the missing SMS functionality that makes Toktumi more appetizing for Apple/AT&T when compared to Google Voice. [Tech Crunch]

Continue reading from the original source:
Apple Approves Line2, a Google Voice-esque Program For Toktumi [IPhone Apps]

Apple recently published a small Mac OS X Snow Leopard application blacklist. Now, some users have set up wiki with an exhaustive directory of Mac OS X 10.6 software, each with their compatibility status. [Snow Leopard Compatibility—Thanks Traviscat]

Continue reading from the original source:
Most Complete Snow Leopard Compatibility List Yet [Apple]

Alan Turing, who is said to be the father of modern computer science, was a WWII code-breaker until he was prosecuted by the British government for having homosexual relations. Thousands have now signed a petition calling for a government apology.

Turing committed suicide two years after his prosecution in 1954, but was before given experimental chemical castration as a “treatment.” He is most well known for his Nazi enigma code breaking work for the British during the second World War and his helping establish a test to measure the intelligence of a machine which is now known as a Turing Test.

So far more than 5,500 signatures have been collected on the Downing Street petition started by computer scientist John Graham-Cumming. Author Ian McEwan put his John Hancock on the petition. I’d sign up but it looks like you need a UK address. [BBC]

Continue reading from the original source:
Thousands Calling for Apology to Founder of Computer Science Alan Turing [Apology]

I was surprised by one line in Walt Mossberg’s otherwise predictable review of Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard:

“But here’s a tip: Apple concedes that the $29 Snow Leopard upgrade will work properly on these Tiger-equipped Macs, so you can save the extra $140.”

I know Apple’s PR people are having a heart attack right now reading that. They don’t like it when influential journalists suggest violations of the EULA. In fact, they generally label that stuff as “illegal,” and I am sure many lawyers would agree that it is.

So, is this Mossberg ripping open his shirt, tying a bandana around his head and saying, “Ahoy mateys, the rules were meant to be keel-hauled!” Or is this a slip-up he’s going to have to apologize for—or at least qualify with an explanation—in the morning? Is it a great tip, or is he telling every Tiger user to steal $140 out of the mouth of Steve Jobs? We’ll keep an eye out for the answer. [AllThingsD]

Update: Apparently NYT’s David Pogue also supports this breach of EULA (or is perhaps using a funny way to report EULA crashers to Apple?):

Don’t forget to read our Snow Leopard review!!!!

Continue reading from the original source:
Mossberg Recommends Illegal Use of Snow Leopard Install Disc [Apple]