Webstractor
One of the coolest pieces of software I saw at MacWorld last month was Softcahos' Webstractor. Webstractor is sort of a combination uber-web browser/rich text editor that allows you to
easily capture web pages, strip out the stuff you don't need (ads, background graphics, etc), and turn the actual information
into research notes that are easy to cite & create bibliographies for. The app does a great job of managing your browsing
history in a way that makes it easy to backtrack your steps, and it's smart enough to automatically check for
newly updated information online and do a whole host of other things.
Watching a brief demo on the trade show floor, I was immediately struck by what a great tool this could be for students and
teachers alike (not to mention journalists). One of the hardest things about teaching Web research is getting kids to keep
track of where they've been; people of all ages, young researchers have a tendency to click through "bad" information with
reckless abandon until they find what they're looking for. Webstractor seems to handle histories and citations in a way that
could make it a great teaching tool as well as a time-saving program for more accomplished researchers needing to keep track of
myriad online sources. I'm excited to try this one out for real -- look for a review in the coming weeks.
SLVR L7: iTunes Phone Part Two
So the first iTunes phone was a disaster ... let's see how the second one does. Cingular is now
selling the Motorola SLVR L7, a slim candybar-style phone with iTunes software built in. Like the ROKR before it,
SLVR has a 100-song iTunes cap, which is annoying but tolerable. The deal-killer for me, though, is
the VGA camera. Why VGA when other new Motos are sporting 1.3 megapixels? I've got one more week
to go until my current cell service contract is up, and believe you me my new contract will come with
a megapixel camera, iTunes or not.
The Motorola phone you really want is the RAZR v3i, which is still unavailable in the US. This is the next-gen
RAZR flip phone, upgraded with iTunes, microSD card slot, and 1.23 MP camera. iSync compatibility has been reported
as well. Rumor has it Cingular will carry this one
stateside but for now it's only available overseas (and on eBay, et al).
Apple's Tablet Patents
Hrmpf.com has posted coverage of Apple's newest
patents pertaining to elements of a touch-screen user interface suited for use on a tablet computer of some sort. Surprise,
surprise, the patents look very innovative and, well, just flat out cool.
Highlights center around the use of a multi-point touch screen capable of detecting more than one user action at a time
(unlike most current touch screens which can only register single points of contact). The patents - which are broken down
in nicely readable detail by Macsimumnews.com - include a nifty Visual Expander, an iPod-like interface, and a Lemur-esque touch
screen mixer for a/v use.
These may never see the light of the factory floor, but here's hoping they do. Meantime, those never-ending rumors
of a TabletMac, iPhone, and 21st Century Newton are sure to start kicking once again.
New MacBooks on the Near Horizon?
Funny how "analysts" are now all excited to guess what Apple's going to do next. Well, one of the ones who correctly
predicted the 1GB nano Apple uneviled yesterday also thinks we're going to see a bunch of new Apple gear very soon,
including a media center and possible Apple cell phone.
The predictions are reported in a ThinkSecret.com
story that also claims to have info on an Intel iBook Apple will likely announce sometime next month. The new consumer laptop will
sport a redesigned body including a 13.3" widescreen display and of course run on an Intel processor, likely the Intel Core
Solo. Whatever they do, Apple would be wise to get this machine out to the public in plenty of time for the back-to-school
shopping season later this Summer and Fall.
GoogleNet?
Apparently Google has been buying up shipping containers and hiring industrial designers capable of turning them into
plug-and-play data centers, leasing TelCom space in New York, and looking for
strategists with
experience in "dark fiber" markets -- dark fiber refers to fiber-optic cable that has been laid but is not yet
in use; there are miles upon miles of the stuff in the US alone as a result of the dot-com boom and bust of the late 90s.
What's the search engine giant up to now? A private Internet? A VoIP network that will put Skype out of business in one fell swoop? Readying the
infrastructure for a "Google Cube" internet appliance that will deliver IP television, streaming music, and a host of other
goodies under a subscription model? We'll just have to wait and see...
Of iPod Docks and Bluetooth
iPod
docks are all the rage, with new models available from Kensington, Marware, and Pacific Rim Technologies, to name
just a few. There was buzz on the MacWorld floor about two not yet shipping docks in particular: New docks from
Griffin and DLO will use a GUI to display the contents of your iPod on a TV screen. This is big because anyone who's used
a remote control iPod dock knows it's basically impossible to browse the menu on your iPod's LCD from across the living room.
After reviewing Logitech's Wireless Music System for iPod, though, what I really want is a transmitter that can stream audio
and video from my iPod to my TV so I can use the iPod itself as the remote. The iPod UI is killer; why try to replicate it?
Don't get me wrong - docks are handy, especially if you want to watch battery-draining iPod video on a big screen. But hear me
now, iPod owners: Once
you go Bluetooth, you'll never go back. Sadly, Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth to
do this ... but Wi-Fi does.
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Get the best price for your new Mac at MacPrices.com
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Noah Kravitz is
the Reviews Editor for PowerBook Central. A writer, educator, and musician, he lives in Oakland, CA and is the
author of Teaching and
Learning with Technology.
