GigaOM » Lisa Hoover Archives

Clonezilla Makes Quick Work of Hard Drive Data Restoration

Lisa Hoover — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:45:10 +0000

We all know the importance of backing up the data on our hard drive but, honestly, restoring all your stuff after a catastrophic hard drive failure can be a real pain. Clonezilla is a free, open-source app that burns a mirror image of your drive’s data so you can reinstall everything in just a few clicks.

Clonezilla supports Intel-based Macs and comes in two versions: Live , for a single machine and SE for managing as many as 40 computers. As if that’s not handy enough, you have your choice of storage and reinstallation methods — CD, USB flash drive, or USB hard drive.

Once you’ve shoehorned the software onto a media storage device, boot it into the machine you want to clone and let the app work its magic. Several tutorials on Clonezilla’s web site walk you through the process of saving and restoring images, creating recovery CDs, and more.

There are plenty of ways to create backups of your data, but most are complicated or prohibitively expensive. If you’re looking for a great — and cheap — way to keep your data safe, then Clonezilla might be just the ticket.

What are your tips for easy and inexpensive data backup?

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Ford Wants its Cars to Talk With Your iPhone

Lisa Hoover — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:00:49 +0000

Autoblog picked up on an interesting story about Ford Motor Company’s efforts to create middleware that will let future cars interact with mobile devices, including iPhones. Sync, developed in conjunction with Microsoft, aims to not only give you access to your phone book and playlists, but also wants to allow you to use all those third-party apps you’ve downloaded.

Think about it: hands-free access to iPhone Apps as you drive. Sign us up.

One of the biggest hurdles creating an interface like this is getting developers to start working on apps that mobile device owners would want to use in their vehicles. “So Ford has to reach out to people eager to develop apps for cars, and make the process fun for the developers. Long approval periods and heavy layers of corporate interference will just turn would-be Sync app writers off,” says Autoblog’s Jonny Lieberman.

Sync’s open API allows developers to create apps for virtually any type of phone, but Ford selected iPhones as its research model because of its popularity. Sync developers met with a group of computer science students from the University of Michigan and asked them to build a couple of iPhone Apps so researchers could test their viability as a truly mobile app.

The first, FollowMe, lets users track each other’s locations so no one gets lost traveling caravan-style from place to place. SyncCast, the other app the students came up with, allows users to play any radio station in the U.S through the car stereo via their iPhone. It only took the students three months to develop the apps and, by all accounts, working with the Sync API was a piece of cake. Ironically, it was the iPhone’s Apple-specific toolkit that gave developers the most grief.

There’s no word when this technology will be ready for the open market but when it is, will you want it on it? Would the ability to interact hands free with your iPhone influence your car-buying decisions? Let us know in the comments.

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Colloquy Brings IRC to the iPhone

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:28:02 +0000

Even though services like Skype, Gtalk, Yahoo, AOL, Twitter and Facebook make it possible to instant or direct message just about anyone online these days, some folks still swear by Internet Relay Chat (IRC). In fact, for many die-hard geeks and software development teams, IRC is the only way to fly.

There are plenty of Web-based and standalone apps that let you join IRC chat rooms (or, channels, as they’re typically called) from your desktop computer, but once you go mobile, your options dwindle. Colloquy, one of the most popular open-source IRC clients for the Mac, now has a spiffy new version for the iPhone that lets you stay connected in-channel while you’re on the road.

Once installed, Colloquy sets up easily in minutes. To add an IRC network to your preferred list, simply supply its address and your identity information. You can choose to automatically connect to the server and even individual rooms at launch.

It’s easy to remove networks from your list if you decide you no longer want to visit them.

Colloquy runs in the background to track conversations and tells you at a glance where the action is. It also alerts you when someone in the channels you’ve joined uses your nickname or keywords you’ve pre-designated.

Channel conversations are streamlined thanks to nickname and emoticon completion popups and support for all the common IRC commands you’re used to using with computer-based IRC clients.

Colloquy for the iPhone has a number of other useful features including support for landscape mode, a searchable room member list, and secure connections over SSL. Clicked links open with the built-in browser, and Colloquy even stays connected when you lock your phone.

If you use IRC for online communication, then Colloquy for the iPhone’s $1.99 price tag is well worth it. The app is easy to use, even for a novice, and has a great user-community that can help you get started or answer any questions that arise. Once you have the app up and running, be sure to come by TheAppleBlog’s IRC channel and say hi.

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iPhone Application Sketch Book Rights Sold to Apress Publishing

Lisa Hoover — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:00:59 +0000

Little more than a month after releasing the iPhone Application Sketch Book its creator, Dean Kaplan, has already sold the publishing rights to Apress Publishing House for an undisclosed amount. Kaplan says the move will allow the book to reach a broader market and free up some more time to work on “other projects that will compliment the sketchbook.”

According to Kaplan, future publications of the sketchbook will remain largely the same except for a few minor changes suggested by current users, like perforated pages or different page sizes. “Customers love the look and feel of the book, that it lays flat, and it’s one place to hold all their designs,” he says. “Future modifications will no doubt be slight.”

The opportunity to work with Apress came about after Kaplan “threw the idea out there and they jumped on it. Amazon did a great job but they don’t offer the same impact. I like the PR and advertising [opportunities] the new company offers.”

Apress announced the deal today at the 360 iDev Conference in Denver, CO, and gave out books to everyone in attendance

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Sketch Book Makes Designing iPhone Apps Easier

Lisa Hoover — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:17 +0000

There’s a new tool available that’s designed to make life easier for iPhone developers, and its surprisingly low tech. It’s called the iPhone Application Sketch Book and it looks like just the thing to keep all those notes and inspirations about a new app idea all in one place.

The spiral-bound book is around 8 1/2″ x 11″ so it won’t get lost in the bottom of a laptop bag. There are 100 pages of design templates with lines at the top for jotting the name and other important details of the app. A real-size image of an iPhone is centered on graph-style paper with ample room to make drawings and notes about every aspect of the development process.

I caught up with the sketch book’s creator, Dean Kaplan, and was surprised to discover the impetus behind the book’s creation.

“I happened to be auditing the Stanford iPhone Programming course,” says Kaplan, “and one of the guest speakers discussed how he went about creating his user interface designs. Paper was one option he mentioned. Almost instantly the notebook idea light bulb went off. Other options of various computer programs were mentioned, but it always got back to paper and pencil. Subsequently, I did my own online survey that revealed designers prefer paper 95% of the time.”

Kaplan says once he got the idea to create the book, it only took about nine weeks until it hit the shelves. Depending on its success, he may create similar sketchbooks for the Palm Pre and Android.

The sketchbook is already a hit with some application developers. David J. Hinson, creator of popular iPhone apps like Cheap Gas (iTunes link) and Amigo (iTunes link), says he sees immediate value in a tool like this. “You can keep your notes and preliminary wireframes all in one handy little notebook. I was really intrigued and I think it’s a great concept because I’m constantly writing things on the whiteboard and losing track of my notes. It’s simple in execution, but spot on.”

Interested developers can pick up the iPhone Application Sketch Book for $14.99 at Amazon.

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11 Geocaching iPhone Apps Worth Finding

Lisa Hoover — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:00:14 +0000

The proliferation of handheld GPS units has resulted in a geocaching craze. If you’re not familiar with the sport, here’s the scoop. People venture out with GPS devices and look for containers hidden in the great outdoors by other geocachers. Once found, you jot your name in the logbook, put the container back where you found it, and go find another. Think of it as a pumped-up version of the treasure hunts we used to go on as kids.

Since iPhones come equipped with GPS capabilities, it’s no surprise there’s been a recent jump in geocaching apps and tools available in the App Store, many of which nicely complement the open source geocaching apps already available for your computer. There are dozens of iPhone apps to choose from, but here are eleven good ones to get you started. Happy hunting!

Geocaching Toolkit iGCT (Free) — There’s lots of calculations involved in geocaching: from figuring out distances based on location, to translating roman numerals into normal numbers. This toolkit helps cut through some of that drudgery with calculators that help you convert degrees, minutes, seconds, geographical coordinates and more. It will also help you decrypt hint text to plain text, intersect lines and circles, and even remind you which letters correspond to which numbers on a telephone dialpad.

Geocaching With Geosphere ($7.99) — Here’s a great navigation tool for people already familiar with geocaching. Use it to import GPX or LOC files; organize, group, highlight or ignore caches; and display a compass to keep you on track. If you fire up this app while connected to the Internet you can use it to view video tutorials, access satellite images of your surroundings, and visit geocaching.com to find out what caches are nearby.

Geocaching Buddy ($9.99) — This is a great little app for participating in multi-caches or preparing them at home for other players. Make log notes, track parking as you travel, and answer questions at waypoints along the way, then use those answers to calculate new waypoints. Check out this screencast to see the app in action before you buy.

Geocaching ($9.99) — This simply-named app offers real-time access to new information in the databases at geocaching.com. You can also browse more than 800,000 worldwide geocaches, access their details, and save them for quick retrieval later. You can even use it to log into an existing geocaching.com account and check out searches you’ve already saved.

Geopher Lite ($1.99) — This app is designed for 3G/3GS phones and meant for geocaching on the fly. Use your phone’s GPS receiver to determine your location, then tell the app the latitude and longitude of where you want to go and Geopher Lite will show you how to get there.

GPS Compass ($1.99) — If you want to go on your next geocaching adventure armed with only the basics, then make sure you download this app. Toggle back and forth between your iPhone’s internal compass or the satellite-based GPS version to find out which way you’re going. Set the display to show a beautiful brass compass, or a plate with a rubber chicken as a directional needle, depending on your mood.

GPS Kit ($9.99) — Great for more than just geocaching, this app has tons of handy tools that make it perfect for everyday use. A personalized dashboard displays real-time data in metric or imperial units, manages an unlimited number of waypoints and trackpoints, integrates well with Google Earth and Maps, and keeps track of data like stopped time and average moving speed.

iGeoCacher ($14.99) — If you’ve been using the Web app iGeoCacher for paperless geocaching, then you’ll want to grab this version for your iPhone or iPod touch to view data on your device while offline.

iMarkMySpot ($0.99) — Like to take pictures while you’re geocaching? Then “snap up” this app. Use it while you’re out and about to take photos and automatically record your waypoint data, then display them all on a Google Map or email them to friends. Once you get home, iMarkMySpot makes logging and recording your expeditions a breeze since all your images will already be geotagged when you upload them to your computer.

Seek Cache ($0.99) — If you like to hit the geocaching trails without a lot of prep and hoopla, then check this out. Open the Seek Cache app on your iPhone and wait a few seconds for it to determine your GPS coordinates. A list of nearby caches pops up in a Safari browser window, and you’re off. What could be easier?

Caching ($6.99) — Seek Cache is great if you have an unlimited data plan or happen to be in a spot with a great connection, but otherwise Caching is a better option. Use it to find and load cache descriptions, hints, logs, and other information on your iPhone before you head out, then bring up the data when you’re out in the wild — no connection necessary.

If you’re a new or experienced geocacher, what apps do you use? Let us know in the comments.

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How-To: Sync an iPod Using Open-source Software

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:00:35 +0000

It’s hard to deny how handy it is to plug an iPod into a Mac, fire up iTunes, and watch your device sync with your computer automagically. Take the Mac or iTunes out of the equation, though, and syncing gets a little trickier.

If you don’t like iTunes, or you use Linux as your primary operating system, it’s still possible — easy, even — to sync your iPod’s media files. Just grab one of these three free, open-source music managers, and you’ll be up and running in no time. Like most open-source software, these projects have a strong community of users who are eager to jump in and help if you run into any glitches while installing or using these apps, so don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it.

Banshee — One of the most robust media players around, Banshee syncs podcasts, music, video and audio files with your iPod. It also snags album artwork from MusicBrainz, lets you create smart playlists, and filters your entire library by album or artist. Banshee was designed for Linux operating systems, but also works on a Mac, so it’s perfect as an iTunes replacement.

Rhythmbox — This music management app does just about everything but sing along with your tunes. Rip CDs and organize them into playlists, manage automatically downloaded podcasts, grab lyrics and album art from the Internet, and easily transfer music to your iPod. Designed to work with the GNOME desktop, many Linux distributions come already bundled with this app, so check to see if you have it before downloading.

Amarok — This app has a load of integrated Web services that help you locate, buy and manage music from Web sites like Magnatune, a terrific place to buy tracks and support indie artists. Amarok imports your existing iTunes database, creates dynamic playlists, and supports more than 45 languages. If you need to sync a jailbroken iPhone or iPod touch, then this is the app for you. Amarok was created for use with the KDE desktop, but it’s also possible to get it up and running on a Mac. There’s no official support for it yet, though.

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Shipments of Open-Source Smartphones May Hit 223M By 2014

Lisa Hoover — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:16:25 +0000

Over at OStatic yesterday, Sam Dean pointed to a study from Juniper Research that claims shipments of smartphones with open-source operating systems will double by 2014. According to Jupiter, operating systems and available applications are among the top concerns when customers shop for smartphones, and that may give the open-source community all the leverage it needs to get a foothold on the mobile device market.

Until recently, Palm, Microsoft, Apple, and Research In Motion were the four main players in the smartphone market, each with their own proprietary OS. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each appeals to different segments of the smartphone market.

When the first phone shipped with the open-source Android operating system, it was hard to ignore the impact a customizable OS could have on the market, since many smartphone owners like to tweak their devices for their own unique needs. Developers were intrigued, since designing third-party apps for an open-source platform is far less confining than Apple or RIM’s program requirements.

Although T-Mobile is set to launch its second Android phone this month, Android phones aren’t exactly flying off the shelves. But holding 6.3 percent of a crowded market is pretty good for a device that’s so new to the market. Application development isn’t quite as prolific as hoped, but it’s continuing to gain ground on Apple. The clunky design of T-Mobile’s G1 has been significantly streamlined in the second-generation myTouch, however, so that may help sagging sales, as will as many as 18 additional open-source smartphones expected to hit the market this year.

Juniper researchers say, “However, the real key is not whether the OS is open source but whether it’s easy for a developer to design an application and make money from that effort. The combined changes of Apple’s open route to the market and LiMo, OHA, and Symbian’s open-source OS approach have generated a tidal wave-like effect which even the economic downturn has been unable to reverse.”

That means app developers and end users may drive a sharp upturn in the sales of open-source smartphones. Developers may gravitate toward an easier application development environment, and consumers give a lot of weight to which devices have the best apps when making buying decisions.

That said, I’m not entirely convinced the Android smartphone market will grow that explosively in the next five years. While Android may have the advantage of an open-source community behind app development, the operating system itself is still relatively young, as is its application environment. Furthermore, consumers are having a tough time accepting Linux as a viable desktop option, so I don’t see it as a deciding factor in whether consumers from outside the open-source community buy an Android phone over an iPhone.

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All My Mail Searches Multiple Web Mail Accounts at Once

Lisa Hoover — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:30:13 +0000

There’s a lot to love about the iPhone, but its ability to manage email is, well, lacking — especially when it comes to search. All My Mail is a new app from Attassa that lets you search across your web-based email accounts, including attachments and contact lists, to quickly find what you need.

The standard version to access one email account is free, but for $4.99 users can upgrade to the premium version and access mail and data across multiple accounts, including Gmail, AOL, and Microsoft Outlook (also requires a $19.99 yearly subscription to the Attassa service).

All My Mail won’t suck down a lot of juice or cost you a ton of memory because user search requests are sent to, then processed in, the cloud. Results are kicked back in the form of threaded conversations, which makes narrowing down an elusive email really easy. Attachments are also grouped in a single list ordered by date, along with a preview of the messages to which they are attached.

The iPhone comes with a great Contact Book, but naturally interfaces with the phone’s calling features. All My Mail will comb through everyone in your email address book to find the name you need, display their contact information, then give you the option of adding the person to your iPhone contact list.

All My Mail won’t help manage the deluge of mail that’s weighing down your inbox, but it could come in handy when you need to get your hands on an important email and save the day.

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How to Market Your iPhone App: A Developer’s Guide

All Things Digital’s New App Puts Tech News On Your iPhone

Lisa Hoover — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:00:10 +0000

If you’re a fan of the popular technology news and commentary web site All Things Digital (and you should be), then you’ll be glad to know there’s a new app available from the App Store today that optimizes the site for your iPhone. Use it to access the site’s daily columns, blog posts, or videos on the fly, and stay informed of breaking tech news 24/7.

The new app sports a set of cool tools that let users post their favorite stories directly to Twitter and easily share them on Facebook. It even accesses your contacts so you can quickly email blog posts you like to others right from the address book.

The first time you download the app, it takes a couple of minutes to pull in a backlog of previous posts and stories. The next time you fire it up, however, things will go much more quickly because it only searches the web site for updates since you last logged on.

The app’s default menu bar includes direct links to individual columns written by the site’s co-editors, Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, as well as a link to a compilation of posts written by Peter Kafka and John Paczkowski. If the default icons don’t cut it for you, changing them is a simple drag-and-drop affair from the customization menu. The “More” icon takes you directly to a well-organized list of everything else the site has to offer, including reader questions, interesting links to other tech web sites, and past conference photos and video.

All Things Digital ought to be at the top of your RSS feed, and among the first places you look for insight on tech news and analysis. Now, with the site’s new app, all of that tech goodness is right at your fingertips.

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