Where is Klaus?

Front Row - the missing media center piece for the rest of us

It didn't take long for a software hack to be posted on the web to allow Frontrow, the genial software that works with the new Apple Remote device to put all digital media at your fingertips - until now an exclusive application for the new iMac G5 - to be used on all Macs running OSX 10.4.3 (Tiger). Of course, software hacks are not for the fainthearted, but after having seen a quicktime video of Frontrow being used on a Mini - potentially the perfect multimedia machine - I took all my courage in hand and downloaded the hack from mcmac.com. If you have upgraded to 10.4.3 all it takes is to put the software into the Application folder, put a copy into the Dock, double click it and press "Escape" for a few seconds and off you go.

Those of you who have seen the Special Event Webcast of the "One more thing" presentation in  San Jose last month during which Steve Jobs ran Frontrow through its paces on the new iMac G5 will agree that this software really rocks and should be made available by Apple more broadly.  The hack worked well enough on my 1.2 GHz G4 Cube to show the potential of the Mac as a great media center.  The only other missing piece to complete it would be a tivo-like set up to schedule, view and record TV shows, something which can easily be acquiered from El Gato with EyeTv. Hence, why not give Apple a little nudge to distribute Frontrow to "the rest of us" by subscribing to the "Apple Front Row Software Petition" launched recently?

However, let's not forget: software hacks are not for the fainthearted!

Paparazzi 0.23 - Webpage Screenshot Facility

All of you know how to take a screen shot on your Mac. However, taking a screen shot of an entire website is a bit more complex. Safari lets you do it by letting you archive a web page. And, or course OSX allows you to save a web page as a .pdf document. The problem is, the output on the former is truncated into several pages each with its own header and can be sent and viewed only by another OSX Tiger user. And the latter sometimes looks quite different than on the screen.

Enter the freeware Paparazzi 0.23 from Nate Weaver and Johan SØrensen which lets you take a snapshot of the entire website. Great if you are working on a website and want to see how it looks on screens of different sizes or want to get comments on the new website you are working on from a friend or customer.

Inquisitor 2.0 - Instant search for Safari

If you like how Tiger's Spotlight  immediately starts showing results as you type in the dialog box then Inquisitor 2.0 should be great for you. This Google Search enhancement for Safari not only shows instant results as you type but it also allows you to add your other favorite search engines, such as technorati.com, blogsearch google.com, amazon.com, flickr.com, gada.be to the Google search window as you wish. I have blogged about some of these in my recent posts. Its "donation ware" with a twist - you have to donate first (any amount you see fit) before you can download Inquisitor 2.0. A great time saver and Google enhancer.

Where is my book?

If traveling light is as much an obsession to you as it is to me but you never depart home without loading your bag with a minimum of  three books to survive that never-ending transatlantic flight, I have got the perfect solution for easing your "schlepping" experience and starting an exciting book hunt: bookcrossing.com. Next time you arrive jet-lagged and bleary eyed at JFK airport, lighten your baggage on the spot and set your read books free to be picked up by the next reader. But not without registering it beforehand at "bookcrossing.com" and labeling it so that you will later be able to follow the adventures of your "message in the bottle". Ron Hornbaker from Lake Winnebago, Missouri designed and launched this website in 2001 which today has 400'000+ members and over 2m books registered, a seemingly happy community of bookworms all asking the question: "where is my book"? The "raison-d'etre" and philosophy of this fun site is best described by its authors below. Why then "schlepping" your books around once you have finished reading them? Start Bookcrossing today! And who knows, if you are lucky you might pick up another "abandoned" BookCrossing specie in the arrival lounge at JFK.....

                                                            

Keeping Tabs on the Net

Haven't you been looking for a tool to help you in keep tags or labels on interesting on-line articles or websites. Of course, you have bookmarked your favorite sites bringing some order into your web information universe. And, by subscribing to RSS feeds of you preferred sites and using an aggregator of your choice (e.g. Ranchero software's Netnewswire or Safari for Mac users) you get regular updates from your favorite sites. Wouldn't it be great if in addition to bringing order into your own bookmarks you could benefit from bookmarks or tags created by other users in the net. Check out del.icio.us and you won't have to look any further.

Del.icio.us not only manages your bookmarks on their server for free (accessible from any computer on the net) but it also lets you track and share the tags of 200'000+ subscribers of  Del.icio.us. Thus the power  of  del.icio.us  stems from  the clicking keyboards of  its  many members. This can provide interesting insights for business, particularly for advertiser in analyzing trends. And, doesn't it solve the problem of most voracious web-readers who regularly can't find again the interesting stuff they discovered on the net? Time to get your bookmarks on-line!

 

Google launches blog search tool

One of my recent posts reported on  the blog search engine Technorati which is a most useful tool to find quickly relevant information on your favorite topic out there in vast blogosphere. Not to be outdone by its competitors, Google has entered a beta version of its blog searching engine recently.To get the basics of what Google's Blog Search team has done, take a look at the FAQ list. I presume it would be blasphemous to even consider that Google would not also beat the competition in this field with their hands tied behind their back. You can search in any of 35 languages or perform a "SafeSearch" filtering out objectionable content. What is Google up to? If its trying to find out what consumers are really interested in and thus be able to predict consumer buying habits they may well be on their way to finding the holy grail of advertising. Keep watching.

As you would expect from Google, their blogsearchers are trawling the blogosphere 24/7. A new blog/website I put up yesterday on our rental home in Costa Smeralda Sardinia - Casa la Maddalena - made it right to the top of the list when I searched this morning. Chapeau, Google Blog Search!

ShowMacster - Improve iChat Video

iChat (Apple's video chat with the iSight camera) aficionados will love ShowMacster   . It takes iChat to the next dimension by adding the ability to share pictures, movies, sound and even a whiteboard to your iChat counterpart(s). And he (she) doesn't even need to have ShowMacster on the computer. Say you are back from your vacations and want to share your snapshots with a far away friend: just drag your photos to a drawer attached to the iChat window to start a slideshow. Do you want to stream a short movie clip to your customer to better explain a proposal? ShowMacster is your solution. Or you would like to explain to your grandmother how to find System Prefs on her Mac? Just drag a frame on your screen with the mouse. ShowMacster will present it to her on her iChat screen. While ShowMacster sends the slideshow, movie or picture your audio is still activated, so you can comment on what your counterparty sees on his/her screen. Great as a training tool.

A fully functional trial version of ShowMacster, which stops after 15 minutes until the next time you launch iChat, can be downloaded at the site. Separate versions for OSX 10.3 and 10.4. The license is $20. Check it out. The productivity of your iChat conversations will take a quantum leap.

Navigating the Blogosphere

Technorati Inc., started less than 3 years ago as one of several sites trying to put order into the burgeoning blogosphere of tens of million sites doubling about every six month with a search function, on September 2 launched a new search function by subject matters. I believe this offers an important step forward to make the blogging universe more accessible to clueless advertisers and the rest of us trawling for gems. The Blog Finder is Technorati's directory of blogs organized by subjects from "Apple" to "Nanotechnology" to "Venture Capital". My first impressions are that this approach offers superior results to simply "googlng" or using other blog specific search sites. Technorati recently upped its profile as its links to relevant blog posts now appear alongside articles on Newsweek and the Washington Post's sites. Want to add your blog to Technorati's Blog Finder? Here it is described how it's done.

New iPod nano - incredibly cool

Steven Jobs, Apple's charismatic chairman, introduced last night at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco the iPod nano, the "biggest revolution since the original iPod" (watch the video on demand event here).   The nano - which replaces the iPod mini - comes with a color screen and the iPod typical click-wheel navigation feature. It measures only 4 by 9 cm, is 0.6 cm thick and weighs a mere 40 grams - small enough to put into the inside "change pocket" of your faded jeans.

Instead of a harddrive, it has a 2 or 4 GB flashdrive holding 500 or a 1000 songs and will sell starting today for $199 and $249, respectively.  Like it's  larger and older siblings, in addition to songs, podcasts, audiobooks it also stores your foto album, address book, calendar and has a built in stop watch and alarm. It comes in 2 colors, the traditional ipod white and  a stunning black. Can you think of any excuses for not having your music, fotos and key info with you all the time - 24/7! Have a look at this beautiful baby at Apple's website. And the $249 question for yours truly: will I buy one? Got to talk to Santa first!
 

Urban tools - a must read before take off

About to take off for Berlin, Paris, London, Hongkong, New York or Tokyo? Then you should check out kitchener's legendary City Guide. It reveals the authors' preferred travel gems - hotels, restaurants, museums or bookstores -  off the beaten track. This guide is the result of many years of recurrent travel to the world's capitals to re-stock their trendsetting clothing boutique in Berne, Switzerland. And, should you need to complement your travel outfit before checking in, go to their e-shop and let yourself be inspired. If your are not up to the latest fashion trends - a look at Fashion will make you an instant expert.