Macgasm » Podcast

Creating video animations on the cheap with keynote.

Joshua Schnell — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:30:59 +0000

Who needs motion? For most of us, motion is a little overkill. Sure it creates pretty little animations for your videos, but so does keynote. Yup, you heard me right. Keynote lets you create an animation and export it as a .mov file, so you can use it in your home videos, podcasts, screencasts, and every other ‘cast under the sun. The video below illustrates just how simple the process is, so let your imagination run wild, and create some kick ass animations!

[Download the file here]

Awaken - Waking up in style.

Joshua Schnell — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 23:20:17 +0000

I’ve had quite the time with this weeks screencast. I put together two other versions, and both times my video files got corrupted. Our own Corey Harris came through with this excellent walkthrough of Awaken. In the future each episode will have 2-3 segments each. We’re looking to expand our podcasting/screencasting/vidcasting output.

Anyway, Awaken is an awesome alarm clock for your Mac. I’ll let Corey explain the rest for ya!

[Downloaded it here]

Shovebox hits 1.5

Joshua Schnell — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:11:33 +0000

One of my favourite indie developers has released an update to his shovebox application, so I thought it would be cool to talk about it this week. If you’re anything like me, you probably struggle with keeping your desktop clean, and have a bajillion text documents all over the place with a line of text. For me it’s usually php, or css code.

This application is a clipboard on crack. It keeps all these snippets of information in one place, and lets you categorize them as well as annotate them for further perusal. It’s a genius concept, and something I use frequently.

Download it here.

250K in Two Months.

Joshua Schnell — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:45:50 +0000

All the talk about the 30 percent that Apple takes off the top of iPhone applications is now looking like a bit of a moot point. Alley Insider has an article about a guy named Steve Demeter. Don’t know who that is? Neither did I, but apparently he just made 250,000 dollars over the span of two months because of an application he has on the AppStore.

“he says, he’s so pleased with Apple, that he’s going to work exclusively with them, and will pass on the chance to work on other platforms, like Google’s Android.”

Looks like the old “if you build it, they will come” argument. Much like the Internet, where content is king, a quality application or game on the AppStore will make you rich. Just ask Steve Demeter. I think you’ll be hearing a lot about him over the next two weeks on all of your podcasts. So, enough with the flashlight applications. Go create something new.

Random Posts

Sync Google Calendar and iCal without any other application

Joshua Schnell — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:00:34 +0000

We don’t need 3rd party applications in order to sync our calendars any more. Finally Google has given us the tools we need in order to do this. It’s not easy, but it’s not overly difficult either. Follow the steps in the video and you’ll be happy you didn’t waste $50 on an application to do this for you.

Download the show directly here, or subscribe to our feed.

Macgasm #042 - Don of a new age

Joshua Schnell — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:44:24 +0000

Hosted by: Jeremy Pihl & Joshua Schnell
Guest: Don Reisinger

Download the show, or subscribe to the podcast.

Show Notes

Did Don wait in line like most of us did for the new iPhone?
We talk GPS on the iPhone, apparently it’s dead on accurate for Jeremy, not so much for Josh.
We get Don’s opinion on the Firmware and AppStore.
Free Apps Vs. Paid For Apps on the iPhone.
I Am Rich. What a Joke! We talk about ways to eliminate stupid applications like I Am Rich.
The Case of the Missing Applications: Box Office, and NetShare.
If we pay for something don’t we own it, and if we do, does Apple have the right to remove it?
Should Apple be responsible for filtering the crap on their AppStore, and should their process be more transparent?
Has Apple Inc. gotten in over their heads, by working on so many new products at once? Does anyone really care?
Does Apple care? Has it become okay to ship half done products and fix them with updates? See “Snow Leopard“, “iPhone 3G Launch“, “Mobile Me“. Don thinks that Apple Doesn’t really care about what its consumers think!
“Dude, Do You Like My Zune?” (© Jeremy Pihl 2008).
Is the Health of Steve Job something that shareholders need to know?
It’s the lack of a No. 2 that’s the problem (hehehe).
What about consumers? Do we have the right to know about his health?
Don’s take on the iPhone as a gaming device. Here’s my take.
Is there really a cost difference between a Mac and a PC with similar specs?
Is the frustration worth the cost?
App picks.
Don’s Pick: Pandora for the iPhone, Josh’s Pick: Where and Shazam, Jeremy’s Pick: Qik (must have an hacked phone… Boooooo.!), and Palringo (don’t have to hack your phone).

If you want to find more of Don’s work, and get his opinions on everything in your digital lifestyle you can check out the rest of his work at CNET’s Digital Home, IT World, ComputerWorld, Information Week, ArsTechnica, and Mashable.

I’ll give you a tethering deal. I have it right here in my pocket…

Joshua Schnell — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:00:44 +0000

If I get charged, again, to tether my iPhone to my laptop, I’m going to be pissed. Where does it end? I’m serious. Why don’t consumers actually get what’s advertised to them, instead of getting fake ads that promise the entire world, but ultimately are only based on half truths? Unlimited bandwith, unlimited cellphone data usage, iPhone 2.0 being 2 times faster than iPhone 1.0.

Now, we’re hearing talk of an iPhone tethering deal with AT&T being in the works. Are you kidding me?

That’s like when you buy a car, but when your car salesman finds out you want to park it in the garage instead of on the street, he hits you up for another–higher–payment.

Or better yet, that’s like buying a CD and trying to put it on your iPod, then you get a letter from some agency telling you that you don’t have that right…oh, wait a minute. I’ve seen this somewhere before.

Here’s the thing. We ‘buy’ a product or a service under the assumption that it’s ours to do what we want with it. It’s how the world works. You pay, you own. I don’t see CD ads with the word lease in it, I don’t see iPhone applications being advertised as leaseable, and I certainly did not see a huge terms and conditions listing of what I can do with my iPhone or data plan.

The last time I checked we “purchase” cd’s, we “purchase” that special iPhone application, and we “purchase” a data plan.

Purchase: “to acquire by the payment of money or its equivalent; buy.”

Lease: “a contract renting land, buildings, etc., to another; a contract or instrument conveying property to another for a specified period or for a period determinable at the will of either lessor or lessee in consideration of rent or other compensation.”

Does Apple have the right to “not” provide applications to consumers that they feel don’t promote their brand properly? Certainly. Does Apple have the right to remove things from our devices after we have purchased them from us? No way in hell.

Does AT&T have the right to charge for their services? Certainly. Does AT&T have the right to require us to pay another fee because we attached a device that we are currently paying for to another device that we have paid for? Hell no! That’s the end of the line for me.

I pay the service to get data. I pay the fee to own the phone. Now, I have to pay a fee to connect the two services? Could you imagine ordering high speed internet, renting a cable modem and plugging it into your Xbox. But, the moment you unplug it from your xbox and plug it into your laptop you are not allowed? You have to pay an “additional” fee for that. That’s just plain corporate greed.

So, I guess the point of this post is to call for clarity. Am I purchasing something or leasing it. If I’m leasing something you better tell me, and chances are if it turns out that I am leasing instead of ‘buying,’ I won’t be walking out of your store with your product in my hand. Catch my drift?

Do they think we’re stupid? I bought an iPhone and 6 gb of data usage to use whenever I see fit (I’m in Canada). If I want to get that usage from my iPhone, my toaster, my toothbrush, or even my laptop, is it not within my rights to do so?

I’m tired of corporate interests telling me what the hell I can and can’t do with devices. I paid for it. Possession is nine tenths of the law right? I’ll tether this iPhone to whatever the hell I feel like, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Just because old men sitting around the boardrooms, house of commons, or the house of representatives can’t tell you what Qik is or likely how it works, and instead see it as another way to make consumers pay more money, instead of realizing that consumers are just using the “bandwidth” that was promised to them. And because the best metaphor some of them have come up with for the internet is a “series of tubes,” should we allow them to form policy that prevents future technology and future innovation? They stymie innovation. They’re clueless. Their time has expired. They have no idea what technology today does. When they think of technology they probably think about that shiny new 8 track that they got in their first car. It’s time we tell them that it’s inappropriate; it’s time we tell them they don’t speak for us. It’s time we force them to have a backbone and stand up to corporate interest, because we all know that they don’t have the balls to do it on their own.

Convert Your Music Quickly, and Effectively

Joshua Schnell — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:55:47 +0000

Tired of going through a ton of steps to convert your aac files to mp3, or how about those annoying WMA files that are still kicking around on your machine from your Windows days? AudialHub lets you do it quick and clean. Here’s how.

Download it Here

Managing multiple iPhoto libraries

Joshua Schnell — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:00:59 +0000

In the “early” days we had to use third party applications to maintain multiple iPhoto libraries. With iPhoto 08 Apple has given us the tools we need to do it in iPhoto.

In this screencast, we’ll show you how to manage multiple libraries.

Download it here

Change any icon (mostly) that you want in Leopard

Joshua Schnell — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:00:06 +0000

A couple quick tips and you’re well on your way to customizing leopard beyond the dock location. You have the ability to switch the icons all over the place. You finally have all the control you need with native applications.

download it here

PS. You can change the finder Icon by following these steps

Macgasm » Podcast

Creating video animations on the cheap with keynote.

Related Posts

Awaken - Waking up in style.

Related Posts

Shovebox hits 1.5

Related Posts

250K in Two Months.

Random Posts

Sync Google Calendar and iCal without any other application

Related Posts

Macgasm #042 - Don of a new age

Show Notes

Related Posts

I’ll give you a tethering deal. I have it right here in my pocket…

Related Posts

Convert Your Music Quickly, and Effectively

Related Posts

Managing multiple iPhoto libraries

Related Posts

Change any icon (mostly) that you want in Leopard

Related Posts