one digital life

MILK… The Ultimate Mac Desk?

A couple of designers, Soren Kjaer and Holmris Hansen A/S, have teamed up to create MILK. It’s a desk, said to be made specifically for the Mac.

“To say we’re compatible is an understatement. This is love. Inspired by the same desire for simple form and smart function, our design is a perfect match for Macs and monitors”

Although the desk does look cool, the price is no where to be found on the site. I have a sneaky feeling this one will probably be a bit out of my budget.

via core77

Tangle-Free Headphone Wrap

Nice little trick for wrapping your headphones around your iPod. The example uses a first generation shuffle, but it should work for full-size models and nanos too.

YouTube Link | via the second press

OhMiBod

What is it? Hint: It’s an iPod accessory, but that’s all I’m willing to say. Go here for more information (may not be safe for work).

The Ultimate Mac Basement

The ultimate Mac Basement.

found via NotCot

Quick iPhone Demo and Details

OK, this will probably be my last iPhone post for a while, as we’ve all heard all about it by now.

For those of you who’ve head about the iPhone, but haven’t actually seen it in action, and don’t want to spend 1-2 hours watching the keynote… here’s a very quick demo (above) given by Apple VP, Phil Schiller. It doesn’t show everything, but it will give you the gist. (direct YouTube Link).

Also, New York Times technology columnist David Pogue has delivered some additional details on iPhone features, including dialing, synchronization, and web browsing. Here’s the link to his article, or you can read the summery over at AppleInsider.

NO 3rd Party Apps for iPhone?

There’s been a rumor flying around that Apple will NOT be allowing 3rd party applications to be installed on the new iPhone. After a conversation with Apple’s VP of Applications, Eddie Cue, and Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, the guys over at Gizmado have apparently confirmed this. Apple will NOT be allowing 3rd party developers to make software for the iPhone.

This is a HUGE disappointment for me. Some of the best software available is made by independent developers. Why would you do this, Apple?

Unfortunately, the same article goes on to say that Apple has no plans to provide direct iTunes store access from the iPhone. You still need to go through iTunes on your computer.

It’s also looking like you won’t be able to sync your iPhone with your computer wirelessly, you’ll have to use a doc (like the iPod). But, this hasn’t been totally confirmed yet.

Of course, all this being said… I’ll probably still buy one.

found via TUAW

Update (1.12.07): TUAW has a followup that has some quotes from Steve Jobs confirming the iPhone will be a closed platform. Interestingly, Jobs’ also implies that we’ll be seeing additional software from Apple, and others, available for purchase.

tv

The other big announcement today was the tv (Apple TV), formerly known as the iTV. It’s available for pre-order (US $299), and will ship in February. Along with it Apple quietly introduced a new version of their airport extreme base station (US $179), also available in February. With the new base station, Apple has dropped the UFO form factor, in favor of a box that looks just like the Apple TV box. It also supports the new 802.11n network protocol.

The Apple TV allows you to wirelessly (or wired) stream music, video, and photos from your computer (Mac or PC) to your home entertainment system. You can also directly access movie trailers from the Apple site.

Now, before you go order one of these, make sure to check the requirements. I don’t know a lot about TVs, but it doesn’t look like you can hook this thing up to that 10 year old Sanyo you have in your bedroom.

“Apple TV works with most widescreen, enhanced-definition or high-definition TV…

…Enhanced-definition or high-definition widescreen TVs capable of 1080i 60/50Hz, 720p 60/50Hz, 576p 50Hz (PAL format), or 480p 60Hz”

Maybe someone with a little more knowledge of TVs can shed some light on this.

Also, the specs for wirelessly streaming video are listed as 802.11g or 802.11n (not ‘b’). I personally wonder how well it will work under ‘g’. I’m betting that you’ll need ‘n’ for optimal performance.

So, if you actually have a TV that this will hook into, you may also need to buy some new network gear as well.

Unfortunately, we don’t have a fancy TV, so I don’t think we’ll be able to get one of these just yet. Bummer!

The iPhone at Macworld

At the Macworld Expo they didn’t have iPhones you could actually touch, but they did have two units on display (under glass, with a guard). It really is a beautiful device. Pictures just don’t do it justice.

People tended to huddle around the cases as if to feel the warmth of a campfire. The iPhone even had the ability to mezmerize people.