Mike Cohen

Easy iPhone Tethering

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If your iPhone is running 3.0, it’s very easy to enable internet tethering on AT&T’s network with no ugly hacks. First you’ll need to download this carrier settings file from gizmodo.

Next, quit iTunes and enter the following command in terminal:

defaults write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE

Contrary to many articles, you don’t need to install a pre-release version of iTunes.

When you restart iTunes, connect your iPhone and you’ll be able to option-click the Restore button to choose the .ipcc file in that disk image. Rather than doing a full restore of your iPhone, it will simply update the carrier settings. If the update is successful, the Network page under general settings will show an Internet Tethering option.

iPhone Tethering!

Have fun!

Thanks to AppleNova for the terminal trick.

No iPhone 3G S early deliveries

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It looks like Apple is making sure that no iPhone 3G S deliveries will arrive before the official release on Friday. Most online iPhone 3G S pre-orders from the Apple Store shipped yesterday with an estimated delivery date of today (June 17). When the shipments arrived at the Louisville, KY UPS processing center, they were “held for future delivery”. I guess all of us will have to wait until Friday to get our hands on one.

ICHC Premium Edition

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I’m planning to release a 99¢ ad free version of I Can Has Cheezburger as well as the free ad supported version. I’m debating whether it should also have any pro features not in the free version.

In particular, I’m adding support for the Cheezburger Authentication API, which would allow LOLs submitted by registered users of ICanHasCheezburger.com to be attributed to them rather than being attributed to “dunno source”.

I suspect the ad-supported version will most likely be more profitable than the 99¢ version thanks to the amount of time people spend in the application, so I’m not really too anxious to encourage people to upgrade, but I’m providing that option for people who’d rather not have the ads.

I haven't forgotten iDjembe

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The ICHC update is just about ready to go, as soon as I verify that it still works in OS 2.2.

After the ICHC update goes out, I’m planning an update to iDjembe. Even though it gets very few sales, I still feel it’s my duty to make it not suck. For the new version, I’m planning to remove the Virtual Drum Circle feature, which proved to be pretty much useless, and instead add a recording feature and the ability to share your recordings online.

I Can Has Version 1.5 Coming Soon

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I Can Has Cheezburger 1.5 is now feature complete, with only a few cosmetic issues to fix before I submit it in the next few days.

New in this version:

  • Use Cheezburger API to submit LOLs to ICanHasCheezburger.com
  • Fixed non-working movies by embdding them in a web page, which can be clicked, rather than opening the URL directly
  • It now remembers current item for all sites rather than the only last site opened.
  • Rewrote XML code to use NSXMLParser rather than a document-based browser. I was already using NSXMLParser for the Cheezburger API result handling.
  • Massive code cleanup.
  • Images are cached for faster viewing. If we’re low on memory, cached images will be released.
  • Added the new site, Once Upon A Win
  • The app now shows ads from Collider. They’re hidden when the toolbar is hidden, though.

Eye-Fi Pro and Nikon D90: A perfect match

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I received my production model Eye-Fi Pro card today, after beta testing it for a few months.

Unlike earlier Eye-Fi cards, the Eye-Fi Pro supports RAW files as well as JPEGs and movies, which is great for anyone using a DSLR who likes to shoot RAW. Since it’ a 4GB card, it will hold 256 RAW files from my Nikon D90 or 1000 JPEGs. The Eye-Fi Pro also lets you set up an ad-hoc network with your computer for peer-to-peer connections without a router or access point when you lack a WiFi network.

As a bonus, it also geotags your images, avoiding the need for a GPS attachment for your camera.

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See my full set of unboxing photos here.

The Nikon D90 is one of the camera models with built-in Eye-Fi support. It recognizes an Eye-Fi card and sets its power management accordingly, to avoid shutting off while an upload is in progress. It also adds an item to the setup menu which allows you to enable or disable Eye-Fi wireless uploading.

IMG_0238

Using this card has changed my photography workflow. Instead of shooting pictures, then removing the card and using a card reader to import them into Aperture, I just let it send the pictures wirelessly to a folder on my MacBook Pro, where I can then import them into Aperture.

When I import the photos into Aperture, I prefer to keep them in their original location, rather than copy them into the Aperture library, which saves some disk space by avoiding redundant copies. iPhoto also offers the same option when importing from local files rather than a camera or memory card.

Delicious Library comes to the iPhone

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One of my favorite desktop applications, Delicious Library, is now available on the iPhone. The iPhone app is free, although it requires the desktop app since you can’t enter data on the iPhone.

If you have the latest version of Delicious Library on your Mac, when you open the iPhone app it will automatically connect and give you a code to enter. Once you’re connected, it will show a very familiar screen that lets you sync with the iPhone.

Delicious Library sync with iPhone

After you sync your library to your iPhone, you can take your library with you anywhere to browse. The iPhone app is just as beautiful as the desktop app.

Delicious Library on iPhone

Sickened by Quicken

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I’ve been using Quicken 2006 and earlier versions for my personal finances for a long time. Recently it started corrupting my data files every few days. Thankfully Time Machine saved me when that happened.

Since that version is 3 years old, I thought I should probably upgrade to the newest version, so I checked quicken.com and found that the latest Mac version is 2007, although a much-delayed update is due later this year. The 2007 version doesn’t have many major changes, so I didn’t bother upgrading.

Quicken still isn’t Intel native, which will be a problem with Snow Leopard, since Rosetta isn’t installed by default. Attempting to open Quicken 2006 in Snow Leopard results in the following alert. I’d rather keep my Mac pristine and not pollute it with Rosetta.

Screenshot on 2009-06-10 at 2.20.36 PM.png

I researched several alternatives and found iBank & MoneyDance to be the most promising. Both claim to import QIF files exported from Quicken.

First I tried iBank and found that it imported everything from different accounts in the QIF file into a single account, so I gave up on it.

MoneyDance imported my QIF file cleanly, but I found that it wasn’t compatible with my bank’s online service, so I gave up on it.

I was very reluctant to trust my finances to an online service, but based on Chuq’s recommendation I decided to try Mint. I found that I really like it a lot. It feels almost as snappy as a desktop app and always has up-to-date information from all of my financial institutions. I ended up creating a Mint Fluid desktop app, which loads faster than the non-native Quicken and feels just as nice as any of the desktop apps I’ve tried.

Eye-fi Pro Card

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Today Eye-Fi introduced their 4GB Pro wireless SD card, which I’ve been beta testing for the last few months.

The major enhancements in the Pro card are support for RAW files and ability to connect directly to a computer using an ad hoc network. It also lets you choose which images to upload by marking them on the camera, a feature which is now available to all Eye-Fi cards via a firmware update.

Although I had an original 2GB Eye-Fi card, I rarely used it on my D90 since the storage was too limited. A 4GB Eye-Fi Pro card will hold 1000 pictures in Large/fine quality or 512 RAW images. Although JPEG images and movies can be sent both to a computer and an online service, RAW images are sent only to the computer.

I have my Eye-Fi cards send both to SmugMug, so I can get geotagging, and my MacBook Pro. When the images are sent to my MBP, I start Aperture and import from local files in their original location to avoid making extra copies. It’s faster and more convenient than removing the card from the camera and using a card reader.