Apple news blog

The Pragmatic Programmers have released “Using the Map Kit”, a 33-minute screencast video tutorial on how to embed maps inside iPhone applications using the new Map Kit framework available in iPhone 3.0. Watching this screencast is a great way to get up to speed on the new Map Kit framework and quickly integrate it into your iPhone applications. This screencast is available in DRM-free QuickTime and iPod/iPhone formats.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a preliminary inquiry into potential anti-competitive practices by the country’s largest wireless carriers. One of the major issues being investigated is the existence of…

infiniteNIL today updated Numerology, its numerology application for iPhone OS 3.0. Numerology 1.6 adds the ability to email reports. Users can also search for profiles, and a personal month and day analysis has been added. A free lite version limited to 2 profiles is also available. Numerology is an application that helps you use the ancient science of numerology to gain insight into yourself and other people.

triggerhappy today announces Status Symbols 1.0 for iPhone and iPod touch. Status Symbols is sign language for what’s on your mind. The app came about after recognizing the need to communicate in loud places and quiet spaces. Come up with your own creative usage or be lazy and refer to our handy key. Soon to be universally recognized as the liberation of communication, status symbols = sign language for what’s on your mind.

Xeric Design today is pleased to announce the release of EarthDesk 5.0.1, a major upgrade to its award-winning, real-time dynamic desktop map, for Macintosh OS X. EarthDesk 5.0 has been entirely rewritten in Cocoa, adds many new features and is fully compatible with both Leopard and the upcoming Snow Leopard. Version 5.0.1 is an update to fix three issues uncovered since the release of 5.0.

Disk Doctors today announced that Photo Recovery software now has enhanced support for recovering Adobe Photoshop files. The software is updated with latest algorithm that will help users to recover lost/deleted .psd files from hard drives, memory cards etc. Apart from supporting the standard photo formats, RAW Digital Photo Formats, Audio files and Video Files, the PSD is the default file extension of the proprietary file format of Adobe Photoshop which is widely used.

Ontario based RapidWeaver theme developer seyDoggy today is excited to release Lights2 Pro RapidWeaver, a completely rebuilt successor to the extremely popular Lights theme originally created by Med Designs’ Scott Williams. Never one to let a great RapidWeaver theme die, seyDoggy would like to introduce the totally rebuilt Lights2 Pro. Lights2 is a polished, highly flexible theme capable of meeting a wide variety of design needs, from blogs to photo albums and everything in between.

Keynote Zone today released a free Comics Keynote theme. The Comics theme layout is based on hand-drawn picture frames and word balloon shapes to help create a well recognizable, branded style. Each theme comes in Standard and HD version. Keynote Zone is a developer of professionally designed ready-to-use themes for Apple’s Keynote application. Comics standard version theme comes in 2 sizes and is available as a free download.

I’ve written a tutorial (in Portuguese; English version via Google Translate) on how to enable the multi-touch gestures in Firefox 3.5 so that users of Apple’s latest laptops can switch tabs via twisting.

[robg adds: In case the original ever vanishes, here’s the condensed version of the how-to:

1. Enter about:config in the Firefox 3.5 URL bar. If you get a warning about voiding your warranty, click the “I’ll be careful , I promise!” button to continue.
2. In the Filter box, enter browser.gesture.twist. You’ll see a few entries, in…

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Most know about enabling the Develop menu in Safari, and how to pick a different user agent using its User Agent entry. However, Safari will revert to automatic mode between launches; it will not remember your setting. Here’s how to improve it’s memory and remember your setting between launches.

In order to make the User Agent setting stick between launches of Safari, one has to edit a plist file (just entering the User Agent string in the Custom option of the User Agent menu won’t stick). To make the changes, quit Safari and open your user’s com.apple.safari.plist file, which you’ll find in your user’s Library/Preferences folder in an editor capable of opening binary plist files. (Otherwise, you’ll have to convert it between binary and ASCII first.)

In the plist file, find CustomUserAgent, and edit the value string. To determine the value string to use for your desired user agent…