Exposé Like Multitasking Coming to iPhone/Tablet OS.

There has been much speculation about how an interface might change should Apple release a ten inch tablet that sits somewhere between an iPod/phone and a Macbook (or replaces the Macbook all together).

The operating system for the new device will take advantage of Apple’s Exposé task switching application to allow for side-by side multitasking applications.    The tablet will leverage true resolution independence features to allow for up to 4 applications to be open on the same screen simultaneously.  Hitting a home button on the device will zoom out to show all currently running applications.  When zoomed out you’ll be able to drop as many as four applications into a focus tray that will after being tapped display those applications simultaneously on the screen.  The applications will fill the space sharing equal proportions.  Each at independent resolutions relative to the native resolutions of the system.

This is an exciting step forward, one of the heaviest complaints leveraged against the iPhone/iPod system is the lack of true multitasking functionality.  Essential applications like text to speech systems, have to work in their own separate environment not allowing interaction between applications.  It’s not clear whether or not this will actually be implemented for iPhone/iPod systems.

Update: 1/28 In what was probably one of the biggest disappointments of the iPad announcement, multitasking did not show itself.  That being said, it appears the software isn’t complete, or if it is it is awful and ill conceived.  There were some amazing applications, but the system itself was unbelievably ugly and clunky.

Apple Tablet News: It’s the New MacBook(s)

I’ve got news regarding the perennial Sasquatch or Loch Ness of tech.  Apple IS releasing a tablet.  But they are releasing more than one.

Apple’s slate/tablet will not be an additional device category for Apple.  It (they) will be replacing MacBook/Pro line.

But what’s even more interesting is that they are moving over for a wider implementation of their application store.

Apparently the company is enamored with how they’ve been able to transition their iTunes system to accommodate applications.  They’ve seen revenue in the form of even the most ridiculous applications.   Now apparently Steve sees an enormous potential behind having a application store for more of their machines.  As a result of their (internally perceived) success they are beginning a program of transitioning all Mac applications to an app store-like system.  They’ll be able to take advantage of more revenues, and perhaps most worryingly, they’ll be able to lock down the consumer experience more.

That’s why the company has recently sped up it’s approval process.  They’re gearing up to transition a lot of existing mac applications over to the App Store.

This also seems to explain why the company has not added BluRay on their systems as of yet.  They are seeking for more ways than one to control what goes on their devices.

It appears apple may be making the same mistakes it made some time ago, closing in their system while the competition is about opening up.  They don’t seem to mind that route though.  The company seems more concerned about controlling everything over market-share.  That could be fine if it was for the sake of a better experience.  But the App Store has got to be, from a consumer/developer perspective, one of the worst creations the company has ever been behind.

1/18/2009 Update:  Reports are circling the web today that the 22 inch iMac will also be getting a touch screen, if not this January, then in May with the next update.  It appears more and more that Apple is heading this route of changing over their entire line.

Apple’s 2009 coming attractions and Dropping Macworld (speculation post)

With the transition to Intel based chips, Apple has put itself closer to it’s non-OSX-based competition.  Now, as competitors integrate new technologies into their systems the pressure on Apple to make updates is greater.

MacWorld (along with the Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference) has historically been a place for Apple to make major announcements.  It was Macworld 2007 wherein the iPhone was announced.

In my experience it’s done a lot for the company, and I don’t have enough information, but I’m not sure I’m in favor of the company leaving the expo. 

There may be many reasons for dropping out of Macworld.  I think one of the benefits would be to allow the company to move faster and make announcements on a more fluid product release cycle.

My predictions for Apple’s coming attractions this January:

• Preview of OSX 10.6 Snow-Leopard with March/April release date announced.
• Updated Mac mini with NVIDIA’s 9400M Chipset.  I would consider this a major upgrade for the mini, making it a much more competitive product (there will be no version with an intel chipset as others have speculated).
• iMac updated with Core i7 and faster graphics and compatibility.
• 17″ Macbook Pro introduced with unibody construction.
• Displayport transition complete for the entire Mac line.
• iLife ’09 introduced.
• I suspect changes are coming for the iTunes store and Apple TV, but probably not in time for January.

Grab…so cool…so um what?

For those of you who haven’t tried it yet, OSX grab is an awesome screen capture utility. In windows I used to create a screen capture and paste into paint, and then cut out the part I wanted.

With grab you have the ability to make a timed photo, or to select a specific area of the screen. The program will copy just that section for you.

What I cannot figure out however is why on earth apple would leave out your ability to save the image as a jpg, or png. These options are littered throughout the system, however in this one instance it is left out.

All I can see doing is frustrate users of OSX. Can anyone explain this? I thought apple was supposed to be the thoughtful software company.

And my other question…where is paint for OSX? Is this supplied with OSX?

OSX Fat 32 Handling

As a part of my photo sorting routine I’ve had to make a number of folders in which to put my files. The drive I was working on was a Fat 32 drive, I need it to be a fat drive so that I can access it from the MS Windows Machines on my network.

The resulting complication you’ll see the image on the right. The last folder I made was labeled “Pets.” There were two others with distinct names. However upon creating “Pets.” Somehow OSX got confused and was only able to display the one folder three times. I no longer had access to the other two.

That is, not until I dragged them onto an HFS drive. Then they reappeared.

I’m not sure why this error occurred but it is repeatable. Why on earth this is occurring? I don’t know. It seems to me that there shouldn’t be any trouble reading and writing to a Fat drive. I hope that there is a fix for this somewhere because it sure makes that whole idea of “switch” to be so much less appealing.

No Cut and Paste In OSX Finder

I’m encountering significant frustration while I try to reorganize some 18gb of photos.

While I move between drives or between folders on a particular drive and I am selecting photos from a list and moving the window down to a particular file, I have no way to cut the photos I’ve selected, move to the folder in question and paste the files.

I hope I’m missing something because this is ridiculous. I’ve heard others indicate it’s a “safety feature” because that way you can’t loose a file. This is false however because you can’t loose a file cutting and pasting, the file doesn’t move unless it’s pasted somewhere.

Some have said you can drag the file using the command key while you’re dragging, but you can’t always drag when you’ve got a screen full of files and the files you’re dragging aren’t located anywhere in the vicinity of the folder you’re dragging them to. That’s why cut and paste is so important.

I know there are hacks and third party solutions for this but this ultra-basic piece of an operating system should never have to be installed by the user separately from the OS.

The fact that this isn’t here is a major disservice to the user. Someone please show me I’m wrong.