Recommended iPhone App: Shazam

I think this app gives you a glimpse of the future. Basically, when you’re outside you hear a tune that you’re interested, you can use the app to record and upload a snippet of the song to Shazam, and it will return you with the info and details of the song. If it’s available on iTunes, you can also purchase the song.

I tried it a few times outside in restaurants, it worked most of the time. Unfortunately, it only works for English songs. But I think this is the future – instantly buy a song when you hear it outside or on the radio. Neat app, and it’s free =)

You can learn more at Shazam’s website.

Impressions of SF Macworld Keynote Announcements - iLife and iWork '09, iTunes, and etc.

So I woke up here in the land of the rising sun on Wednesday.  With the time difference, the Macworld Keynote was already over.  So, excited, I opened TUAW's liveblog, and skimmed quickly through the announcements.  To sum up the major announcements:

1. iLife '09
   
2. iWork '09
   
3. a 17 inch MacBook Pro
   
4. multi-tier pricing and DRM-free songs on iTunes
   
5. purchase songs on iTunes via iPhone through 3G network
   

I wasn't impressed or excited too much initially.  And since the video  is available (which you can download here on iTunes), I took a look.  The video definitely generates more excitement as it contains some stuff where the coolness can't really be captured by words.  It's not a mind-blowing keynote, but overall, I thought it was nice, and there are some exciting features.  So here's my quick review of the keynote.

iLife '09

• Faces and places features of iPhoto looks cool.  The only geo-tagging camera I have would be my iPhone, but I'm still interested to try it out.  
  
  The feature that you can buy lessons via Garageband was a cool feature too.  And the ability to buy lessons from professional artists to teach you how to play their music is clever.  It's just a great way to get people involved and start learning music.  
  
  Like many, I'm not a big fan of the revamped iMovie.  The new changes are welcomed, but I still prefer the simplicity of the old iMovie.  It was just more intuitive.
  
  
• The bad:  Why isn't it shipping today?
  

iWork '09

I already downloaded the trial version and testing it out.  Here are some impressions:

Pages:  

• The outline feature is nice, but compared to other outline software, it doesn't seem as powerful.  You can't collapse and expand.  
• The full screen mode is cool.  Let's you focus on writing.  And I don't know why really, but I find the concept very cool.  The simplicity, something Apple-esque about it.

Numbers

• Haven't given it a shot yet.  I do some basic stuff in Numbers, but most of the time I resort to Excel since it's much easier to do for formula, complex tables.  And it's easier to share.  We'll have to see.  
  

Keynote

• I'm a heavy Keynote user,  the new transitions and animations are awesome.  
  
  They also released a Keynote Remote for the iPhone and iPod touch.  It allows you to control your Keynote slide presentations by swiping with your iPhone or iPod touch.  You also get to see the slides as well as notes on your iPhone.  Very very neat!  But it would be nice if we can use the remote with a Bluetooth connection in addition to Wi-Fi.
  
  I also tried out iWork.com.  And this is a great feature for me.  Sending big presentation files to share was troublesome.  Add to the fact, that sometimes I have to convert them to PPT format.  Other users can view and add comments via their browser.  Very nice!  If they charge this feature in the future, I hope they bundle it with MobileMe.  I sure don't want to pay for another online service.

17 inch MacBook Pro

To be blunt, I don't think I can afford or justify a purchase for a 17 inch MacBook Pro, but I sure would like to have one.  

The good:  Option for anti-glare screens.  Because I just can't work with glossy screens.  I hope they make this available for all models of MacBooks.  The new batteries seem good.

The bad:  Batteries are integrated and cannot be swapped out...

iTunes

• songs are going to become DRM free - definitely good.  But it seems like to convert all old songs I bought, I have to pay a conversion free.  Bummer.  Then again, since I play everything on my iPods and iTunes, there really isn't a need for me to convert my old songs.
  
• different pricing ($1.29, $0.99, $0.69) possible for songs on iTunes - I'm not too fond of this one.  I think the fact that $0.99 for all songs is user-friendly.  Users don't have to think about how much to pay for a price because it was always $0.99 or free.  Not users have to check out and make sure how much each song is.  In my opinion, a very un-Apple-like move.  But it's probably the music labels...
  
• ability to buy songs on 3G network with iPhone - This is great, and this would work so great with Shazam  app on iPhone.  When you hear a song on radio, you can identify it with Shazam, and then buy it instantly via iTunes all on the iPhone.  That is neat!

Those are my impressions.  Too bad there won't be any more of these keynotes... What did you think of the Keynote?

Turn your bathroom into a planetarium with "Bath Planetarium"

Turn off the lights in your bathroom, and let the "Bath Planetarium" illuminate your bathroom with stars. This gadget comes in white and black and is available for 3,990 yen (about 43 dollars) in Japan.  It's powered by 4 AA batteries, which are sold separately.  

It's available at Amazon in Japan.  Link (Japanese) is here.

Recommended iPhone App: Evernote

I just recently started to use Evernote on my Mac and iPhone. And so far it’s been nice.

In short, Evernote is a note taking application. It syncs everything wirelessly through the web, which means I have access to my notes when I’m outside via my iPhone.  And if I make a note of something on my iPhone, I will find it on my desktop version of Evernote when I get home.  

Evernote has some nifty features. It’s free so be sure to check it out. To learn more, visit Evernote’s website here.

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech 2005

You probably know that Steve Jobs won’t be delivering the keynote later this week at Macworld. For those that just really need to listen to him, below is an inspirational speech by him at the Stanford Commencement ceremony a few years ago.

Inside, you will find:

• The origins of Steve’s famous quote – “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
  
• How Mac came to have “beautiful typography.”
  
• A little bit about connecting the dots

Here's the text of the speech.

Recommended iPhone App: Remote

Did you get a new iPod touch or iPhone for Christmas?

I will be putting up a series of posts about recommended apps I’ve been recently using. Let’s start off with Remote.

Remote
I haven’t used it with AppleTV, but I have used it extensively to control my iTunes library, and it works beautifully. You get the basic remote functions like control volume, play, pause, and stuff, but you also can look through you playlists and search your library from your iPhone. As an added bonus, it also displays your album art. If you use iTunes to manage and listen to your music, this is a must have.

To see Remote on iTunes, click here.

Inside Apple's Lucky Bag @ Shibuya Apple Store, Japan

Lucky bags of all sorts go on sale on Japan on the day after New Year Day's.  The traditional lucky bags are concealed with the items inside undisclosed.  These lucky bags gives you a chance to test your luck for the year.  Wikipedia has a informative entry on lucky bags if you want to learn more.  

In keeping the Japanese tradition, Apple also offers limited quantities of Lucky Bags in Japan every year online as well at its retail stores.  Most stores open at 10 am and the bags are usually sold out by 8 am.  

This year the lucky bags of Apple cost 35,000 yen (about $384).  I decided to test out my luck and set out to buy one of these lucky bags.  Here we go!

Getting Ready

I decided to go to the store around 5 am.  The stores would open at 10 am, so there would be a 5 hour wait.  I rented two movies (X-Files and Hancock) from iTunes and loaded it to my iPod touch.  That should keep me company.

Getting to the store

I arrived at the store about 5:20 am where there was already a short line of 30 some people.  Here's a picture:

Waiting...

I started watching X-Files: I Want to Believe.  And Hancock subsequently.  After finishing the two movies, my iPod touch ran out of batteries.  

Starbucks - courtesy of Apple

At around 8 am, Apple employees passed out coffee from Starbucks to the customers in the line.  

Finally 10:00 am!

Did some web surfing on my iPhone, and it's finally 10!  The store opened, and the line started to move.  I paid with my credit card, and got my lucky bag.  It is said that a few lucky ones have a special card in the bags that will let them exchange a MacBook!

I quickly went to a corner, opened my bag, and checked out what's inside.  Unfortunately, I did not get a MacBook.  

So what's inside

Pics first, and the list of items below.

Woo hoo!  The Lucky Bag!

The contents

The original Apple calendar

List of  items inside the lucky bag

• iPod touch 2G (8GB) 
  
• USB Power Adapter
  
• Nike + iPod Sensor
  
• Nike Skylon (Adjustable sport headphones)
  
• Belkin FastFit Armband with Cable Capsule
  
• avenue--d Leather Sleeve for iPod touch 2G (Lucky bag special 2009 edition)
  
• Pure-Fi Anywhere 2
  
• Power Support anti-glare film set for iPod touch 2G
• Apple original calendar
  
• Apple original t-shirt
  
• The lucky bag itself - an original Apple carrying bag

Comments:

The Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 costs $100 and iPod touch 2G (8GB) costs $250 on Amazon respectively, those two items already cover the bulk of the $380 price tag of the lucky bag.  Though I have an iPhone and iPod touch 1G, overall, I still think it's a nice deal.  It's like an iPod touch that comes with speakers, cases, and protective films.  Although I'm not a big fan of using the touch as a sports device, they surely included all the stuff (armband, Nike earphones, Nike + iPod sensor) I need to use the touch as a gadget to run and jog with.  Oh yeah, except a pair of Nike shoes.  

Considering the iPhone was released last year in Japan, I was expecting some iPhone stuff, but this is good as well!