Mike Beasley

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/52132178 w=700&h=393]

At some point, most of us are going to walk away from our computer while it’s turned on. Sometimes when that happens, family members, roommates, or even complete strangers will decide it’s OK to mess with your computer.

Keycard makes it easy to avoid that issue without having to put your machine to sleep and then wake it back up every time you walk away for a few minutes. By pairing it with your iPhone, iPod, or a host of other devices, your Mac can detect when you walk away and lock the screen, keeping others from being able to access your computer while you’re away.

So how well does it work? Check out the rest of the review after the break to find out.

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You can never be too safe with your personal information on the internet. Passwords get cracked, databases get stolen, and web services sometimes ignore good security practices when storing your login information. Most people will tell you that you need to use a strong password on every website you use, and to use a different password on each site. Remembering all of those passwords and usernames can be a hassle though.

Up until September of 2011, I used the same password, or a variation of it, on nearly every website I used. One day I realized that was pretty stupid. After a service I used had been hacked and thousands of passwords had been stolen (thankfully mine was not included), I decided it was time to get smart with my passwords. I purchased 1Password at the recommendation of several users that I knew and have not looked back since.

I initially imagined it would be difficult to deal with a browser plugin and an iPhone app for storing all of my login info, but it proved to be much easier than I thought. In fact, it was so easy that I started recommending it to everyone I know.

Today, 1Password for iOS has received a complete overhaul. The update is pricey, but is it worth the money? Dive into the full review after the break to find out.

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Back in the summer of 2008, when I first joined Twitter, there weren’t very many good Twitter apps around. I had a Mac and an iPod touch, and I wanted a way to keep up with the few people I was following on those devices.

The first app I used was Twinkle, by the makers of the Tap Tap Revenge games. I used it for a while, but it started to show its age as things started breaking and new “social” features required separate accounts on other networks. I decided it was time to move on.

That’s when I discovered Twitterrific, and I loved it. Between the Mac and iOS versions, I had an app for keeping up wherever I was. The iOS version was a power user’s dream come true. There were buttons, filters, and toggles that did everything I wanted.

I used Twitterrific for several versions until I eventually moved on again; this time to Echofon for its fancy timeline position syncing across devices. This was something no one had done at that time.

Twitterrific has always held a special place in my Twitter client list. It was easily my favorite app for several years, and even after I stopped using it, I wished for timeline syncing so that I could return to it.

When Twitterrific 4.0 launched, I was caught somewhat off guard. The app had been completely rewritten for simplicity. Most of the power features I had enjoyed were gone. The focus was now on reading and composing, and not much else. I had since moved to Tweetbot and couldn’t imagine using any other app. Tweetbot’s power features had me hooked.

Today, Twitterrific 5.0 is available. The app has once again been redesigned from the ground up, with new features and customizability. But is it enough to win back former fans who have been turned off by the lack of focus on power users? Keep reading to find out.

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Steve Jobs bit starts at 22:30

[tweet https://twitter.com/thedailybeast/status/269132903542300672]

Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter behind the upcoming Steve Jobs film, explained today that his entire movie would consist of only three scenes. Each scene will be 30 minutes long and will follow Jobs backstage just before the unveiling of the Mac, NeXT, and the original iPod.

Sorkin’s movie is backed by Sony and not much else is known about the picture. “The West Wing” writer took the job shortly after Jobs’ death, and he had been asked by Jobs personally to write for Pixar in the past.
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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL_zovUxT5k]

With most cellular carriers moving away from the beloved unlimited data plans of yore, many smartphone users now find themselves trying to cut back on data usage while still doing all of the things they want or need to get done on their phones. Unfortunately, that’s sometimes harder than it sounds. Some apps may seem simple enough, but could actually be downloading massive amounts of data in the background. Users could also be using an app much more than they realize, resulting in overages, fees, and a strong feeling of contempt for carriers.

Until now, there has been no way for iPhone users to track down which apps on their phones were using large chunks of their data plan without their knowledge. Fortunately, the good folks at Onavo have heard the cries of outraged users on limited data plans and come to our rescue.

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Today SonicoMobile, the creators of iTranslate Voice, released a brand new multi-language translation app for the iPhone. The aptly-named Languages provides translations between twelve different language combinations and sports an iBooks-like interface with a few adjustments for improved usability.

For a full review and screenshots, click here.

Pocket, the bookmarking service formerly know as Read It Later, just released a slick new Mac version of their iOS app. The new app sports most of the features you’ve come to enjoy if you’ve used the iPhone and iPad versions, and the design is similar enough to the mobile versions that you’ll feel right at home the second you start it.

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The Next Web pointed us to an interesting tidbit on Apple’s iPad mini design page that discusses changes made to iOS to compensate for the smaller display of the iPad mini.

Rethinking the screen meant we also had to rethink the software behind it. iPad mini intelligently recognizes whether your thumb is simply resting on the display or whether you’re intentionally interacting with it. It’s the kind of detail you’ll notice — by not noticing it. And it’s a great example of how Apple hardware and software work together to give you the best experience possible.

Essentially, you can hold your iPad mini just like the image on Apple’s home page without worrying about accidentally tapping the edge and changing something. This should reassure users who are worrying about their thumbs brushing the screen while reading a book or webpage.

Photo via The Verge

iMac

Engadget – At $1,299, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a sexier all-in-one…

The Verge – Here it is, the thinner new iMac.

SlashGear – To our eyes, though, it’s the colors and detail that really stand out.

13″ Retina MacBook Pro
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Apple just published the recording of today’s media event. If you missed the livestream, you can watch it now, and if you just can’t get enough of that sexy new iMac, you can watch Senior Vice President Phil Schiller unveil it again and again.

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It’s finally here. Tapbots unleashed a new member of their extremely popular Tweetbot family on the world today in the form of Tweetbot for Mac. The new bot has been eagerly awaited by Twitter users since it went into public alpha in the middle of July.

The OS X version of the popular iOS client boasts a similar feature-set, including timeline position syncing between devices via Tweet Marker, and even more syncing options through iCloud. Keep reading for all the details (and a ton of screenshots).

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Further pushing toward the idea of a plugin-free internet, Apple has issued an update to Java for OS X that removes the Java applet plugin. Attempting to use a Java applet through any OS X web browser will now prompt users to download the latest version directly from Java maker Oracle.

This is not the first time Apple has stopped shipping a specific browser plugin with their computers. With OS X Lion, users discovered that their Macs no longer came with Adobe’s oft-derided Flash Player plugin due to its instability and security issues. Apple has long held browser plugins in contempt, especially following the success of iOS, which hasn’t supported browser plugins at all in the past six years.

Just about every Mac Trojan/vulnerability over recent months and years has been related to outdated Java code. This move should close off those attack vectors.

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Right before Apple was set to launch the iPhone 5 in mid-September, the nation’s fourth-largest, iPhone-less carrier T-Mobile prepared an aggressive campaign to capture iPhone users on its network. Coincidentally launched on Sept. 21, T-Mobile promises up to $1,200 in savings over AT&T for unlocked iPhone users. T-Mobile even has a nano SIM just for those making the switch, along with trained T-Mobile salespeople who are able to instruct users on unlocking in-store. They will not physically open the devices, however. This is an unprecedented move—especially for a device that T-Mobile does not officially carry.

Today, TmoNews reported that T-Mobile has issued an internal memo that said the company would no longer use Apple or iPhone in its “Unlimited & Unlocked” campaign. It is not clear if Apple lawyers’ intervened, but we reached out to T-Mobile for clarification. T-Mobile will continue to carry iPhones for demonstration purposes and advice.

Update: A T-Mobile spokesperson told us the following:

T-Mobile’s planned efforts have not changed.  As noted in T-Mobile’s September 10^th blog — http://blog.t-mobile.com/2012/09/10/t-mobile-steps-up-bring-your-own-iphone-efforts/ — T-Mobile has stepped up its Bring your own device efforts – which include unlocked iPhones.  These efforts began in September and will continue as planned this fall.

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