Category Archives: Uncategorized

Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me find a WiFi stumbler app for Lion

  By Erica Sadun | February 3, 2012 - 12:00 am | Uncategorized
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Dear Aunt TUAW,

I'm a Mac IT professional, and often find myself configuring, troubleshooting, and optimizing wireless networks.

In the past I used AP Grapher to graph wireless strength and find competing Wi-Fi networks as I walk around my clients' offices. This allows me to pick the best channel to use with the least competition, troubleshoot wireless strength, and find the optimal location for my hardware.

In Lion, AP Grapher has gone from unstable to unusable. I've found that it hasn't been updated since 2007.

I have tested other Mac stumbler applications, but have yet to find one that works with Lion. Most crash on launch and others don't reliably detect wireless networks.

Can you recommend a Mac application for graphing my wireless strength and recording info about competing wireless networks?

Thanks!

Your loving nephew,

Aaron

Dear Aaron,

Auntie asked around and it looks like iStumbler will be your best bet. Note that it's currently at its 100 GM Candidate 3 beta stage of development. Another suggestion is the open source KisMAC.

You might also want to try out the Wi-Fi diagnostics app that's bundled with Lion's Core Services.

Hugs,

Auntie T.

Special thanks to Fraser Hess, Adrian Burgess, Alex Patsay, Harris Kleyman, Alex Sebenski and Julian Kussman.

Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me find a WiFi stumbler app for Lion originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Cook focuses on charity during Town Hall meeting

  By Mike Schramm | February 2, 2012 - 10:00 pm | Uncategorized
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Apple held an all-employee Town Hall meeting a little while ago after the earnings call, and The Verge is reporting that Apple CEO Tim Cook took quite a bit of time during the meeting to point out Apple's charitable contributions to the world. He said that Apple has given $50 million to Stanford hospitals, and over $50 million to the Project RED effort (to help fight AIDS in Africa), making Apple that fund's largest contributor.

It seems as if we've found one big difference between Cook and his legendary predecessor: Cook wants to make it clear that he's serious about giving, and letting people know about it. Cook has also pushed for an employee donation matching program at Apple, so he's got a history, even in his short tenure so far, of endorsing strong charitable contributions.

Of course, all of that said, $100 million is still just pocket change for a company that has almost $100 billion in the bank. But every little bit counts, we suppose.

Tim Cook focuses on charity during Town Hall meeting originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Update for February 2, 2012

  By Steven Sande | February 2, 2012 - 7:15 pm | Uncategorized
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It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.


No Flash? Click here to listen.

Daily Update for February 2, 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Safari users seeing random ’404 not found’ on valid support.apple.com pages

  By admin | February 2, 2012 - 3:45 pm | Uncategorized
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For the past few weeks, I have run into a problem with links to Apple.com coming up 404 "not found." Specifically, these have all been links to pages on http://support.apple.com/. For example, this morning I did a Google search for 10.7.3 combo. One of the first results was a link to http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1484 which came up 404.

Here's where it gets interesting: the link is only 404 in Safari. It works in Google Chrome and Firefox. If you reload the page in Safari (⌘ + R), it will load as usual. As if that wasn't strange enough, once it has loaded correctly, subsequent visits to pages at http://support.apple.com/ work fine... for a while. Then I will see the "We're sorry" page again.

Several TUAW staff members have been seeing this bug for a few weeks with Safari in 10.7.2; unfortunately, it is not fixed with 10.7.3. Fortunately the "workaround" is fairly simple: if you get a 404 page on support.apple.com, try reloading the page, or just use a different browser. You'll need to do so if you're downloading the combo update to fix install issues with 10.7.3.

Safari users seeing random '404 not found' on valid support.apple.com pages originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OS X 10.7.3 causing CUI errors for some, Combo Update recommended

  By Michael Rose | February 2, 2012 - 3:00 pm | Uncategorized
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It's not a good thing when a simple point release of Apple's desktop OS causes a flurry of error reports with a central theme of "I just installed the 10.7.3 version of Lion and now nothing works." Last night and this morning, threads began popping up on Apple's support forum and elsewhere indicating that a flaw in the 10.7.3 delta updater is resulting in app crashes with a characteristic "CUI CUI CUI" overlay on some interface elements.

While it should be noted that there are plenty of reports of users updating with no issues whatsoever, there's no denying that for those affected this is a painful and unfortunate bug. It's especially awkward for users who don't have a bootable backup or another machine to help the recovery process, because it leaves your Mac pretty much unusable.

The good news (mostly) is that it should not be necessary to resort to Time Machine or other data restores to get back into working condition. Tipsters on the Apple boards and a helpful walkthrough at OS X Daily recommend using the OS X 10.7.3 Combo Updater to resolve the problem. (If that link comes up 404, it's a Safari quirk; just reload.)

If you can boot your Mac into Safe Mode -- just hold down Shift during startup until the desktop or login window appears -- then you should be able to download and install the Combo Updater and proceed normally. If you can't get running in Safe Mode, you have a few options; with a second Mac running Lion or a visit to the Genius Bar, you can mount your machine in Target Disk Mode and install the combo update directly.

You also can take advantage of Lion's Recovery Partition, which should be present on any machine where 10.7 was installed by the conventional process. Holding down the R key at startup will boot you into Recovery, where you can then reinstall Lion. The 10.7.3 combo update should be downloaded and installed normally as part of the recovery cycle. Do not erase your drive or restore from Time Machine, it is not necessary. The only thing that you should need is a fresh install of the OS X system, which will not impact your data or applications.

While Lion is a lot more 'recoverable' than past versions of OS X thanks to the Recovery Partition and the ease of retrieving purchased apps from the Mac App Store, a self-inflicted foulup like this one reminds us all that Apple makes mistakes (sometimes really bad ones -- remember the iTunes version on Windows that ate music files?) and that the only sane pre-upgrade policy is to have solid, tested backups.

The other point that bears repeating is sometimes harder for us to internalize, but it's equally valid. If your livelihood depends on your Mac (or your iPhone, or iPad, or PC) working as expected, installing any updates in the first day of availability is just plain dumb. Production machines need to be boring, predictable and unsurprising -- so leave them alone for days, weeks or months if necessary to make sure that any patches and 'improvements' you want to make don't leave you twisting in the wind on a deadline, or tearing your hair out over data loss.

Thanks to Matthew and everyone who sent this in.

OS X 10.7.3 causing CUI errors for some, Combo Update recommended originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Store customer photos become part of art exhibit

  By Kelly Hodgkins | February 2, 2012 - 1:00 pm | Uncategorized
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Image: Shutterstock.com

The next time you go to an Apple store, you should resist the urge to fire up Photo Booth and snap a photo of yourself gazing into that MacBook Pro. If you don't, you may find yourself part of an art exhibit like the one created by Irby Pace. According to a Wired article, Pace is a Master of Fine Arts student at the University of North Texas who created an Apple store-inspired gallery exhibit called Unintended Consequences.

The art work includes images Pace retrieved from display devices in a handful of Texas and New York City Apple stores. Pace began his project by visiting Apple stores, locating images left on a device and manually emailing the pictures to himself. Eventually, he figured out a way to dump a large number of them, over 1,000 pictures total, directly to his iPad. After combing through the images, he picked several striking snapshots, enlarged them and compiled them into an exhibit.

While his method may make some people uncomfortable, Pace doesn't think he did anything wrong. He argues, "the people [in the images] consciously left the images behind for anyone to see, or to take." He also did it under the noses of Apple employees who didn't seem to notice what Pace was doing. "None of them seemed interested at all in what I was doing," says Pace, "One employee in New York questioned what I was doing but I told him that I was merely comparing the products."

Pace's actions are similar to those of Kyle McDonald who used spyware to capture images of people looking at Apple computers in NYC retail stores. Unlike McDonald who took images without people's consent, Pace only took the files. The customer snapped the pictures and left them behind for someone like Pace to see and, as he would argue, take. Whether Pace has the right to these abandoned photos is questionable, but that's not stopping him from showing the exhibit. His work, Unintended Consequences, is slated to be shown next week at the Cora Stafford Gallery in Denton, TX.

Apple Store customer photos become part of art exhibit originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple features ‘communication to protect consumers’ in Italy

  By Mike Schramm | February 2, 2012 - 12:00 am | Uncategorized
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Apple has apparently complied with a recent ruling by the Italian government that the company did not do enough, when selling its extended one-year warranties in stores, to let customers know that its products already came with a two-year warranty, as per consumer laws there. The company has posted an official message on its website in Italy, designated a "Communication to Protect Customers," that outlines exactly what rights customers have to that two-year warranty, and that the Apple Store pushed its paid warranty onto customers anyway.

It's unknown, however, whether Apple will pay the around $1.2 million fine that Italian authorities have levied against the company for this behavior. This notice could be Apple trying to get out of paying the actual money. So far there's no indication that fines have been paid, or even that the company has changed its tactics in Italian stores. We'll have to see what actions the government takes after this.

Of course, if the government does pursue fines against Apple, $1.2 million is about as "drop in the bucket" as it gets for a company with $98 billion in the bank. If Italian authorities do pursue this further, it might be easier for Apple to just write a check than worry about it for too long.

Apple features 'communication to protect consumers' in Italy originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Cook defends Senior VP of Retail appointment

  By Mike Schramm | February 1, 2012 - 11:30 pm | Uncategorized
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Apple announced earlier this week that the former CEO of UK electronics chain Dixons, John Browett, was being appointed to the head of retail in Cupertino, but since then, there's been some rumbling among those interested that Browett might not have been the best man for the job. Dixons hasn't exactly been a huge hit in the UK lately, and the pick of an old school retail head for Apple's very progressive retail division seems like it might have been a mistake.

But Tim Cook doesn't believe so. The new Apple CEO says as much in an email sent to blogger and photographer Tony Hart. In the email, published in a post about why Hart loves Apple, Cook says "John was the best by far." To answer the critics claiming that Apple went backwards hiring an old electronics retailer head for their stores, Cook says plainly that Browett's "role isn't to bring Dixons to Apple, [it's] to bring Apple to an even higher level of customer service and satisfaction."

Well now. Aside from the actual news about the appointment, that certainly sounds like a CEO who's making decisions and standing behind them. Obviously that might backfire in the future, but if the most recent releases are any indication, Apple's future in Tim Cook's hands looks very secure.

Tim Cook defends Senior VP of Retail appointment originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Store in Pasadena reopening this weekend

  By Mike Schramm | February 1, 2012 - 11:00 pm | Uncategorized
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I just got notice from Apple that the store in the Old Pasadena retail district is re-opening this weekend, after an almost yearlong expansion project. The company even opened a temporary store a little bit down the street from the location, as it worked to expand the main store, adding a second level and lots more space for showing off Apple's products.

But apparently the work is all done: The store will reopen this Saturday at 10 a.m., and the public will be able to enter and see what changes were made. Apple also says that the first 1000 customers to the revamped location will pick up a commemorative t-shirt, so come out early if you want one of those.

The original Pasadena store dates back to 2003, and given the fact that it's so old and out here in California, it could be considered one of Apple's most important locations. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new store is like this weekend.

Apple Store in Pasadena reopening this weekend originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW TV Live: Macworld | iWorld post-event episode

  By Steven Sande | February 1, 2012 - 9:55 pm | Uncategorized
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It's the Wednesday after Macworld | iWorld 2012, I've finally unpacked my suitcase, and now it's time to talk about the event. This year's event was a blur for me, probably because I had a nasty cold that coincided with the busiest days of the show. But now I've had the time to sit back and ponder what I saw, and this afternoon I'll go over the highs and lows of the premier Apple fan event.

Below, you'll find a Ustream livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments.

If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream App. It's a universal app and is wonderful on an iPad, both for viewing and participating in the chat.

We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.

TUAW TV Live: Macworld | iWorld post-event episode originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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