Awesome Mac-based video guestbook for your wedding

This is how fast I’d like to be able to bring you the awesomeness on my constant quest for it: I literally just saw this tweet by @LelaNewYork and I had to share this very cool idea with you.

.

For $99 US, Thrilled For You sells software for a customized themed video guestbook. You install the application and run an iMac or similarly iSight equipped Mac in kiosk mode at your wedding or reception. Then, as the emotion moves them, your guests, your family, your friends, your former lovers will take turns standing in front of the camera and expressing just how happy they are for you… or how drunk they are.

It’s a brilliant idea and you can download a demo for free. [Via Lela New York Wedding Blog]

Pod à porter – neckband for iPod shuffle

In a time when it’s all about multi-touch technology and the ability to download apps, the iPod without a screen is oft forgot.

While surfing my usual haunts on these, our interwebs, I came across the Pod à Porter. It’s a neckband that attaches to the top of your iPod shuffle and channels the earbud cable around a rigid loop that you can hook around your neck.

Pod à porter is the easiest way to wear your music – even if you’re not wearing much. No more headphones dangling by your knees; no more ripping the buds from your ears when you take off your jacket.

The Pod à Porter sells for US$ 27.00¹ and is simple, but awesome.

1. € 20.72 [↩]

Kindle for iPad and iPhone adds audio and video support

I really love what Amazon is doing with its Kindle platform. It’s everywhere and available to almost everyone even if they don’t have an actual Kindle device. It’s a great and unique book reading experience no matter how you access it.

Just today, Amazon started making Kindle books available that have audio and video content. The part I find particularly interesting about this move is that so far it only benefits non-Kindle-device using iPad and iPhone users! Amazon has given the best version of their reading experience to people using a competing device.

If you haven’t already, you can download the Kindle app for iPhone or iPad for free from the iPhone App Store. If you’ve already downloaded it, you need only launch the App Store app on your iDevice to grab the new version.

I’m curious to know how many of you own an actual Kindle device? Why did you choose it? I own both a Kindle DX and an iPad and so far I’m digging them both for different reasons.

I’m curious to know what you think… leave me a comment below!

Intro to Darwinism

By
Jon
Gales

No,
this isn’t going to be a religious or scientific battle about the origin of
our universe. It’s going to be a first look at Darwin, the underlying level
of Mac OS X. Right now you are probably asking yourself why, how, or are confused
as to what Darwin really is. I can give a you a great nutshell answer for each.
Strap on your geek boots, here we go!

 

What:

Darwin
is FreeBSD for the PowerPC processor (G3 and up actually). It is open source
and can be downloaded free of charge from http://darwin.org/projects/Darwin/1.3/release.html
(an Apple site). The download is about 120 megs and the installation can’t
be easier. If you have ever tried to install Linux you will envy Darwin’s
install. It is truly drag and drop (and there’s not even any dragging!). Just
double click, select an empty partition and you are in UNIX. I said before
that Darwin is the underlying level of OS X. Here is what that means:

Aqua
Carbon	Classic	Cocoa
Open GL	Quartz	QuickTime
DARWIN

As you can
tell, Darwin is on the bottom of our chart; this means it controls all the
base level OS operations. You can access Darwin in the Terminal.app in OS
X (in the Utilities folder). That’s all good but we power users want more.
For that we move to why.

Why:

Why not? Well,
it isn’t user friendly, has no native GUI (X Windows can be installed but
isn’t part of Darwin), can’t run any of your applications, and the list gets
longer. What it does, it does well: all UNIX functions. Aqua is beautiful
but takes RAM and CPU cycles. That is a waste if you are using your box as
a server. OS X has real powerful server tools like Apache built-in, and MySQL
and PHP can be installed making OS X a powerful web server. The same server
can be run from Darwin without the wasted RAM and CPU cycles that Aqua brings.
In fact, Darwin can be your network’s NAT server (for sharing net access).
You can have an older G3 serve as your router/firewall/webserver all without
paying a dime. Even if you don’t want to use those features there is no easier
way to learn UNIX (except using it in the terminal).

How:

Once you run
the installer, go up to the startup disk control panel and select the disk
(or partition) with Darwin on it. If you don’t want to make it the default
disk, just hold Option at startup and select the boot disk at that point (instead
of using the startup disk control panel). After a few minutes you will have
a blinking cursor; type the following:

root

You will get
the following message: "Welcome to Darwin!". This signifies that
you are all logged in and are ready to do anything you choose. Here are the
commands I found most useful:

ls
= list files in current directory
cd
= change
directory (cd / takes you to the main directory)
mkdir
= make directory, creates folder
pico
= opens
up pico (a text editor). A file string followed by pico will open that file
in pico (Ex: pico /files/test.pl will open a file called test.pl located in
the /files directory)

All the OS
X directions in my Perl
tutorial apply to Darwin (since it is OS X).

To connect
to the internet I edited the /etc/iftab file in pico to read:

en0
inet 192.168.1.102 netmask 255.255.255.0 up
en0 inet -DHCP-

The IP address
is specified by my router so that will change depending on your setup. If
you aren’t on DHCP try following the directions on this site: http://www.excel.net/~clobrien/darwin/Network.html

After I was
on the net I did an FTP transfer. To connect to an FTP server type:

ftp
ftp.servername.TLD (replace TLD with the ending tld)

It will prompt
you for a username if necessary and then a password. You can use the cd and
ls commands to move around the file tree. Type: get FILENAME to download
files and: put PATH/TO/FILE.txt to upload files. Type ? for
a list of all commands.

---

That was my
experience with Darwin… I will write another article once I get PHP and
MySQL going (I am having some difficulties forwarding the right ports to my
computer at the moment).

 

If
you are having trouble or would like to ask me a question, please send me mail:
jonknee@macmerc.com

Universal Chat Clients

By: Brian Burnham

At last it’s Friday, and time for another featured download of the week.

The Joy of Chat

Back in the early days of the net when chat was born, many of us found ourselves on IRC (internet relay chat). Today the world’s chatters are broken up over several major chat networks.

The problem of interpolarity

Fortunately, there is a solution without having to simultaneously run multiple chat clients. Enter the universal chat clients:

Fire

Fire is perhaps the oldest chat client out there for OS X. It came out in the beta days. Since then it has steadily improved to a veritable bonfire of features. These include support for PGP security, limited file transfer and undocumented “smileys”.

Features and frequent updates make this my at-home chat choice. Fire, like most universal clients, supports ICQ, Yahoo, AIM and MSN

Proteus

Proteus is a newer OS X client, very similar to Fire. Though initial releases lacked Fire’s stability, current releases nearly match Fire in features and stability.

Proteus has two extra features that set it apart from Fire. First, Proteus has a corresponding menu bar icon (and you know how I love those) and its configurable windows make your chatting more subtle. This is useful if you chat at work and don’t want others to notice. Proteus supports the same chat networks as Fire.

Jabbernaut

So, “what do I do,” you ask, “if I’m still running OS 9?” Well there is hope. While I have not found a true universal chat client for the “classic” OS, there is another solution. While the above clients do the translating themselves, the Jabber network is composed of servers that do the “interpolation” of the different chat networks, similar to the way IRC works. Thus all you need is a Jabber client, like Jabbernaut. The down side? The Jabber networks can be unstable, as it is constantly being updated. However it is a solution worth investigating.

Also, if you get hooked on Jabber and upgrade to X you’ll be able to use Fore or Proteus to access your Jabber account.

So, until next week I’ll expect to see you on AIM, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo…

Brian

Browse Better

Web browsers are my kind of software: free from the beginning. The heavy hitters both have OS X versions worth trying out. However, if open-source is your style, there’s a great alternative.

Chimera Navigator

Featured on Freeloader as an alternative to Microsoft Explorer, this mozilla-based browser is lean, stable and supports tabs. That last feature will change the way you browse, allowing you to open multiple sites without multiple windows. In its latest version, 0.5, Chimera is more stable than ever and feature-rich.

GooSearch X

This little free search utility opens a small floating window. From that window you can search Google for websites and images. To maximize this little apps utility, drag it onto your Finder toolbar for easy access.

RBrowserLite

If you mourned the day Fetch went shareware, then this app is for you. RBrowserLite is a simple, straight-forward FTP application. It also supports shortcuts to recently access sites.

WebGrabber

Epicware, the group that brought us Fire, also has a great web site tool. This utility allows you to download the entire contents of a website to your disk for offline viewing. This utility can download an entire directory without FTP access and supports resumed downloads.

With these great freeware options, there’s no reason not to browse in style.

Until next week, Brian

Adobe Photoshop Tip– Acetylene Torch-cut Metal Smallville Type

What you’ll need: Adobe Photoshop 7 (you might get away with version 6, but I’m not promising anything.) MacMerc Lighting 1 Lighting Effects Style MacMerc Torch-cut Metal Layer Style (if you are attempting this effect with Photoshop 6, download this file and copy and paste the effect to your type layer when the tutorial calls for it)

The gall! The nerve! How dare I present a metallic Photoshop effect without

using Motion Blur to get that brushed aluminum look. Where do I get off presenting

a tutorial like this without using a chrome-creating Curves setting that looks

like one of the roller coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm? I know, I know…but,

fear not. There are no Blur filters used in this tutorial nor do I mess with

the Curves setting, but I think you will be pleased with this subtle weathered

metal effect and the Torch-cut

Layer Style.

I will be using a 7″ by 2″ RGB document at 300 pixels per inch. This

document size and setting is evidently a bit of a tradition in my type tutorials;

the doctor says these routines help me feel safe… but I digress. Set your

foreground color to R: 140, G: 125, B: 110 (a medium warm gray) and your background

color to R: 170, G: 160, B: 140 (a light warm gray).

Choose Render>Clouds from the Filter menu.

Select all (Command-A) and choose Free Transform from the Edit menu (or hit

Command-T). Using the Options window, enter a value of 400% into the Height

scale field. Hit Enter to apply the value and hit it again to apply the transformation.

Apply 5% Gaussian Noise by selecting Filter>Noise>Add Noise… (make

sure the check box beside “Monochromatic” is not checked). Next, choose

Filter>Sharpen>Sharpen More.

Now, we can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way. We need to

Apply the Lighting Effects filter, but there are a lot of settings to tweak.

If you’re game to tweak them, follow the screenshot below…I wish you luck.

If you just want to get on with life, download the MacMerc

Lighting 1 preset and copy it to your Photoshop 7 folder, in Plug-ins, in

Filters, in Lighting Styles. Once you’ve done that, choose Filter>Render>Lighting

Effects… and choose “MacMerc Lighting 1″ from the window’s Style

menu.

In order to add some texture to this metal, we’re going to create a channel

that we’ll use to add a little imperfection to it. Start by opening the Channels

palette if it isn’t already visible and click the “Create new channel”

icon at the bottom of that palette. Your new channel should automatically be

visible in the main window and your background color will be black and the foreground

white. If this is not the case, do what you can to make it so.

Choose Render>Clouds from the Filter menu as you did before.

Now apply the Paint Daubs filter at a Brush Size of 1, a Sharpness of 16 with

a Wide Sharp Brush Style. The Paint Daubs filter can be found among the Artistic

effects in the Filter menu.

Again we are going to Select All and Transform. This time though, we’ll set

the Width value at 200% and the Height value at 800%.

Apply the Sharpen More filter twice (found in Filters in the Sharpen category)

and the texture is done.

Command-click your finished channel in the Channels palette to active it as

a selection. Then click the RGB thumbnail in the Channels palette to bring our

metal back to the forefront.

Choose Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation… (or hit Command-U) and enter

a value of -180 for Hue, -43 for Saturation and +30 for Lightness. Once you’ve

applied this adjustment, deselect (Command-D).

Now that’s more like it! Come on… now we do the type…

Now we have to set the “Smallville” type. Have a look at this screenshot

from the show’s opening titles…

Any idea what font that is? My research leads me to conclude that

it is Font Bureau’s Agency Black Condensed. If you don’t have it, don’t worry

ó most people won’t notice the difference if you use Helvetica Extra Black

Condensed or even Impact.

I’ve set the word “SMALLVILLE” in all caps in 92pt Agency

Black Condensed with the tracking set at 20 in the Character palette.

In the screenshot from the television show, you’ll notice that

all but the first and last letters of the title have been arced. To achieve

that effect, we’ll preserve the type layer we have just created, and duplicate

it so that we can work on the arc. (Note: technically, the M in Smallville is

not arced as much as it has been cropped at its base to follow the arc of the

rest of the type. In the interest of keeping this tutorial as simple as possible,

we’re just going to arc the M)

Using the duplicate type layer, choose the Type tool and select

the whole word. Click the Warped Text button in the options menu and choose

Arc Lower and set the Bend value to -25%. Next you’ll need to select the Move

tool and hit Command-T. Click the top middle reference point in the options

window (see that 3 x 3 configuration of small squares? click the middle one

on the top row) and enter a value of 110% in the Height field and apply the

transformation.

Okay, now we’re ready. Make sure you’ve downloaded the MacMerc

Torch-cut Metal Layer Style and Load it into your Styles palette, cause we’re

about to see some pay-off.

Duplicate your Metal Layer and apply the MacMerc Torch-cut Metal

Layer Style to the duplicate. Hide all your type layers ó we won’t need

to see them anymore.

Command-click your original type layer to create a selection.

Using the Rectangular Selection tool and holding down the option key, carefully

drag a marquee selection around all but the first and last letters of your type.

This leaves me with an S and an E. Choose Layer>Add Layer Mask>Reveal

Selection.

Now Command-click your second type layer (the arced one) to create

a selection. Using the Rectangular Selection tool again and holding down the

option key, drag a marquee selection around the first and last letters of this

selection. Make sure your layer mask thumbnail in the Layers palette is active

and your foreground color is set to white and then hit Option-delete to add

this selection to the mask. Deselect.

That’s it! What do you think?

If you feel adventurous, you can take an Eraser tool with a 5

pixel brush to the layer mask and add some viscious looking cuts to the letters,

but I’ll leave that up to you.

Read other Graphics Tips of the Week

Backing You Up

You may not be concerned with backing up your files now, but when you accidentally overwrite or erase that big proposal, you’ll wish you’d taken the time to download one of today’s featured applications.

This week we’ll look at a few free options that can help safeguard your important files.

xbSync

XbSync is a simple file synchronization app. By adding a folder or two to the source folder window, you can back them up with a touch of a button to your specified directory. It works and allows you to set preferences and record logs.

Synk

If you’re looking for something more in the way of interface, Synk might be a better choice. With a nice tabbed interface, Synk includes archive options and reverse backup options that are a little more user-friendly.

DejaVu

If you the absent-minded type and you’re telling yourself you’d never remember to actually use one of the above programs, then DejaVu might be the solution for you. DejaVu is actually a preference pane that allows you to schedule automatic backups. So, if you’re the absent-minded type, DejaVu might be the solution for you. Hey….

So, whatever your choice, be sure to back up your important files.
And brush your teeth.

Brian

Maximizing Studio MX

Yes, congrats to Macromedia on selling 250,00 copies of Studio MX. For those of you lucky dogs who have it, today’s downloads will make sure you’re getting the most from it. I also have something for those of you who don’t have it yet.

Studio MX

That’s right, our first free download for Studio MX IS Studio MX. Though only free for 30 days, that is one heck of a deal. With the incredible tools in MX, you ought to be able to make enough from your first project to buy it. Also, if you are a student, you can get Studio MX for the obscenely low price of $199.

Flash Player 6r60

Be sure you’re using the latest version of the Flash plugin. What difference there is between 6r58 and 6r60 I couldn’t tell you. But hey, it’s free, right?

Macromedia Extension Manager

If you have Studio MX, then the free Extension Manager is your window to the outside world. Macromedia’s Exchange is one of the most useful user communities you will ever be a part of. This site hosts hundreds of extensions for Dreamweaver and Flash. Using these extensions can expand the capability of Studio MX and save you hours of tedious programming.

So, just because you plunk down a wad on Studio MX does not mean you can’t enjoy the freebies too. And, if you don’t have Studio MX, you can download it and live a month of the good life for free.

Brian

Your New Yearís iCal

Pump up your iCal for the coming year with great freeware.

iCal World

Okay, the first step youíll want to take in bulking up your iCal is to visit the (fairly) new website iCal World to find and download your iCals of choice. Submit one of you own and have a chance at winning an iPod!

icalshare.com Sherlock Plugin

Didnít find what you were looking for at iCal World? Download the icalshare.com Sherlock plugin and search their archive of iCals with Sherlock!

iCal Sidekick

Every good iCal needs a sidekick, whether it be an iPod or a Palm. If your iCalís sidekick happens to be a Sidekick (from T-Mobile) then this app will help keep them in sync.

NOTE: At press time the download link was acting a bit shifty. You may have to try back for this one.

MiCal

What better way to ready to your iCal for the new year than to make it more accessible. MiCal gives you a fabulous menu bar item that lest you check your upcoming schedule without opening iCal. Still in its 0.9 beta form, this app has plenty of promise in the coming year.

Donít let your iCal hit 2003 without the coolest in free enhancements.

Brian

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