Macgasm

GitHub, the ever popular hosted source management service, dropped version 1.2 of its client for Mac. Dubbed Snow Octocat, which for the most part makes no sense to me and almost stopped me from writing this article at all, GitHub for Mac 1.2 is said to be worlds faster and more reliable than the previous version, though their stats seem just a tad bloated: “Tests have proven that 1.2 is approximately 3.29 quadrillion times faster than 1.1 and 4293% less likely to crash. It’s science.”

The release isn’t only about speed and reliability though. GitHub touts that the branch browser has been completely redesigned, making traversal a snap directly from the keyboard. There is even a popover that allows you to create branches on the fly.

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You may not be old enough to remember the popular ghetto blaster, which could be described as one of the most recognizable icons of the 80s, and if that’s true, iHome would like to introduce you to their version of the boombox, the glorious iP4. This over the top (in every way that is awesome) contraption is a mashup of new school technology and old school styling.

Having actually had the priviledge to carry around a ghetto blaster back in the day, the iHome iP4 is a welcome throwback to a simpler time, clad in zebra print and head spins.  The unit is deceptively lightweight, ringing in at 7.5 pounds, and is clad in a rubber material that has a truly unique “give” feel to it.  The iP4 also comes with a handy shoulder strap for when your arm gets tired of holding it next to your head! Oh and of course, you can keep the jams going when you’re on the move via 6 D-sized batteries.

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The FBI has just dropped a slightly censored 191 page copy of their file on Steve Jobs. The file includes quite a few interesting trails of paper including background screenings for a position in the White House.

The file, which you can peruse yourself here, contains several uncensored bits of information that I found a bit odd. Steve’s social security number is found all over that file, and while it’d be hard to steal the identity of such a recognized figure, it leads me to wonder why they wouldn’t censor it just to be safe.

Among other interesting findings are details of an FBI investigation regarding a bomb threat made against the Steve, with the crazy man trying to solicit funds from the late Apple founder in 1985. The would-be extortionist made his threats from a phone booth in the parking garage of the San Francisco International Airport and demanded 1 million dollars.

Outside of those couple of things, the file is fairly lackluster. It would have been interesting to read about a “pre-Apple” Jobs and his exploits as seen through the eyes of a government agency. This really got my gears turning, as I hope my FBI file is way more impressive by the time I kick the bucket. Any suggestions?

Source: FBI <–Who’d a thunk?

In the west, New Year’s Day represents a tradition of hangover remedies and Tylenol as we reflect more on where we left our pants than what the last year meant for our lives. In Japan however, a tradition has emerged that has me pretty jealous: Lucky Bags.

Apple has been offering Lucky Bags since 2005, and basically it’s a mystery bag. These bags are bought sight unseen and the contents can really be anything, though the retail value typically far exceeds the dismal price, which this year rings in at 33,000 YEN (approx $428 USD).

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Most companies opt to charge you for expedited shipping, taking advantage of your slacker attitude. Apple, though, continues to take a stance that benefits its customer base.

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Making utilitarian use of iOS’ Notification Center has previously been reserved for those who brave the jailbreaking process. Now though, a new app, Quickpick, available in the App Store, allows you to create shortcuts for a number of useful tasks, right from the Notification Center.

Quickpick takes advantage of the availability of custom URLs in iOS, making the app virtually endless with regards to possibilites. Things like tweeting or making phone calls are just the tip of the iceberg.

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Hosain Rahman, CEO of Jawbone, announced a generous no questions asked refund program for anyone who has purchased a Jawbone UP. The product is slated to be pulled from shelves and is no longer for sale, though a few retailers haven’t gotten that message down to the store level yet, so if you hurry, you may be able to snatch one.

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Twitter has just dropped a new update for the iPhone, which is a complete redesign of the app. Twitter 4.0 for iPhone uses a new quadrant system, with the four divisions including Timeline, Connect, Discover, and Me.

Overall, the new version is extremely easy on the eyes. The clean styling really gives it a fresh new feel, like you’re running a completely new app as opposed to an update to the legacy version of Twitter for iPhone. I particularly like how they structured the Tweets so that they are set atop a background rather than take up the full width of the screen. As a geeky developer, I always love when a company customizes their UITableView cells.

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