Category Archives: OS X

Dec 3 2012

Developer Explains New Camera Code Redeemer in iTunes 11

Redeem CodeRedeem Code 2

Geppy Parziale, a developer who worked on the new camera Code Redeemer in iTunes 11, explains a little about how it works. The feature lets you hold up your iTunes Gift Card to your computer’s camera to redeem it.

A very sophisticated set of image processing and computer vision algorithms extracts the 16-digit code from the iTunes Card and converts it into a string in few milliseconds. Core Animation, Accelerate, Core Graphics, GCD, AVFoundation and other frameworks were combined together to meet some very strict performance and usability requirements.

When you present the redeem code to the camera, the surrounding rectangle of the code is immediately localized within the camera scene and highlighted with a white rectangle. If you move the card in front of the camera, this white rectangle follows the card movements. After few milliseconds, the redeem code is converted in a string and then, of course, in money credit, so you can buy songs or apps.

Interestingly, the camera Code Redeemer can also be used by the blind. VoiceOver is utilized to help the user position the card in front of the camera.

Vis CultofMac

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Nov 27 2012

Apple Seeds Developers With Pre-Release Version of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3

Apple has seeded developers with a pre-release version of Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.3.

Known Issues
- Safari 6.0.2 will not be offered to systems with 10.8.3 installed. Before installing 10.8.3 12D32, update to the latest Safari. – Software Update Preference contents may be shifted, especially with non-English localizations.
- After waking from sleep, some background graphics may draw in black or transparently.
- When switching between applications using Command+Tab, the icons may draw in black.

Focus Areas
- AirPlay
- AirPort
- Game Center
- Graphics Drivers

You can download the pre-release update from this link.

Nov 21 2012

Apple Releases OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Supplemental Update 2.0

Apple has released OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Supplemental Update 2.0 for those experiencing issues with Keychain.

About OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2 Supplemental Update 2.0
This update addresses an issue with Keychain that can affect 2012 Mac systems.
This update is recommended for all Mac systems introduced in 2012.

You can download the update from this link.

Nov 20 2012

Early Builds of OS X 10.9 Include Siri, Maps

Early builds of Apple’s next operating system include Siri and Maps, according to 9to5Mac sources.

It is currently uncertain if Siri will be available, if it goes past the early testing stages, in OS X 10.9 for all users. Siri on iOS devices is tied specifically to certain, newer iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches, so it is possible that Apple will make a similar decision for Siri on the Mac. However, Dictation, which uses a similar infrastructure and hardware resources as Siri, is available on all Macs capable of running Mountain Lion, the current Mac operating system that introduced Dictation.

Notably, Maps is being included as a framework for developers (ie. MapKit) which means developers will be able to utilize the service for applications submitted to the Mac App Store. It’s unclear if Apple will be including a standalone Maps application in the new OS.

OS X 10.9 is expected to launch around July of next year.

Nov 11 2012

2Do Task Management App Released for Mac OS X

2Do, a popular task management app, has been released for Mac OS X.

2Do lets you take a completely different approach to managing your tasks. With its extremely simple-to-use interface and a comprehensive and flexible set of powerful features, it lets you focus on what’s most important to you: your life. There is no wrong way of using 2Do, and unlike other to-do apps, it won’t force you to use a particular task management methodology. 2Do will simply amaze you, from start to finish.

SIMPLE TASKS, CHECKLISTS & PROJECTS
• Create simple tasks, or checklists and projects with sub-tasks. Tasks can have notes, attachments and multiple alarms.
• Set any task to repeat using a flexible set of options.

LISTS & SMART LISTS
• In addition to built-in Focus lists that allow you to conveniently view upcoming, starred or scheduled tasks, you can create multiple lists to manage and organize your tasks.
• Smart lists let you harness the true potential of 2Do using a number of search options, filters and search pre-sets. Using Smart Lists, you can create custom views of your tasks and use them to focus-in or find frequently managed tasks.

TAGS
• Manage tags within Tag Groups.
• Easily assign tags to tasks and vice versa.
• Leverage the easy to use yet powerful integration of Tags & Smart Lists to filter on frequently managed tasks.
• Find Used vs. Unused tags with a click.

SYNC
• Stay in sync with multiple Macs and mobile devices running 2Do using your favorite sync method: iCloud Reminders (CalDAV), Dropbox, Toodledo or CalDAV.
• Using iCloud CalDAV sync you can keep 2Do and Reminders in sync as well as create tasks using Siri.
• Unobtrusive automatic background sync supported for iCloud Reminders (CalDAV), Dropbox and CalDAV.

QUICK LOOK
• Works just the way Quick Look does in Finder or other built-in OS X apps. Use the spacebar to zoom in and out of a task to preview notes, multi-line titles or other details attached to your tasks.

QUICK ENTRY
• Save your thoughts as they come to you. Using a global hotkey, Quick Entry allows you to add tasks from any app or any Space.
• 2Do does it right. Quick Entry works even if 2Do was not launched or is not running in the background.

ALARMS & NOTIFICATIONS
• Stay on top of your tasks with alarms and notifications. Supports Notification Center on Mountain Lion as well as a built-in notification system which works even when 2Do is not running.
• Add multiple alarms to a single task.
• Set up automatic alarms for tasks with due dates and due times.

PASSWORD PROTECTION
• Your life is a private affair. Manage it by locking out individual lists or the whole app with a single click.

THEMES
• Personalize 2Do by picking from a variety of handmade, retina-crisp themes.

AUTOMATIC BACKUPS
• 2Do values your tasks. Periodic automatic backups are created for you which can be transferred from one machine to another or from the iOS version of 2Do to the Mac and vice versa.
• Save backups to external disks and restore from previously saved backups.

FAST
• Adding and editing tasks is blazing fast using in-place editors and popovers
• 2Do supports both mouse users, by offering them numerous little shortcuts, as well as keyboard power-users by supporting dozens of keyboard shortcuts
• 2Do has been optimized for hundreds of lists and thousands tasks, and won’t slow down over time

USER MANUAL
• 2Do comes with a fully illustrated user manual consisting of easy-to-follow step-by-step guides.

Pricing & Availability:
You can download 2Do from the Mac App Store for $29.99.