Xcode 2.4.1 - the latest version of Apple Computer's integrated development environment for Mac OS X - has been released. Xcode is a user-friendly app that contains all the tools necessary to create, debug, and optimize Universal applications for both Intel and PowerPC platforms.

This update features bugfixes for a number of issues found in previous versions of Xcode including:

• Stability and security fixes in the Xcode IDE, cctools, debugger, and compiler
• CHUD has been updated to version 4.4.3.
• The 10.3.9 and 10.4u SDKs have been updated

The full Xcode package is is bundled with Interface Builder, AppleScript Studio, Java development support, and WebObjects development tools, among many others. For the latest Xcode information see the Xcode updated release notes page. It is available free to ADC members.

If only it were this easy to erase every wrong thing you did and restore your life back to the way it was... Too bad the Reset Utility is only for the iPod shuffle. You'd have loved it more.

Regardless of what it cannot do, the iPod shuffle Reset Utility is very useful as it can fix a lot of problems you've been having with your player. The Reset Utility's main function is to restore the original iPod shuffle. This translates to erasing all music and data on the iPod and then reinstalling software v1.1.4. Take note though that this only works for First Gen 1 GB and 512 MB iPod shuffle.

Here are some other problems that the iPod shuffle Reset Utility can fix:

• Even after pressing the play button while the shuffle's switched on, you can neither sync music from iTunes nor simply play music. Pressing play will only cause the green and amber LEDs to light up for a few seconds.
• Although the iPod shuffle appears as a "Removable Disk" on a Windows PC, the shuffle volume doesn't mount correctly and is listed under "Disk Drives" as "Apple iPod USB Device" in the Device Manager.
• The iPod shuffle doesn't appear or mount in the Finder on Macs; it's only recognized in Apple System Profiler under Hardware -> USB.
• The unit may not be recognized when you're attempting to restore it; worse, the restore may fail completely. Note that it might take three restore attempts and several minutes before the iPod shuffle gets recognized.

Keep in mind these reminders though before and while you're using the Reset Utility:

• An Admin user password for your computer is required to use the utility.
• The Reset Utility restores your unit with the v1.1.4 software and will not restore the unit for a second time once it has been reset.
• If the Reset Utility doesn't work, then your unit may need service from official Apple centers.

Here's what you need to do to install the iPod shuffle Reset Utility:

1. Open the iPodshuffleResetUtility.pkg (Mac) or the iPodshuffleResetUtilitySetup.exe (Windows) file.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions.
3. Once installation is complete, the iPod shuffle Reset Utility will be available on a Mac at /Applications/Utilities/iPod shuffle Reset Utility or on Windows by choosing Start > Programs > iPod > iPod shuffle Reset Utility.

Using the Reset Utility:

1. Quit all running applications on your computer.
2. Open the iPod shuffle Reset Utility.
3. Connect iPod shuffle to a USB port on your computer. Do not connect iPod shuffle to a USB port on your keyboard or other non-powered USB hub.
4. Click the Restore button. If prompted, enter an Admin user name and password.
5. The restore process will start.
6. When it is complete, quit iPod shuffle Reset Utility and open iTunes to sync music to your iPod shuffle.

System requirements:

• Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later
• Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4

Download: [iPod shuffle Reset Utility for Windows]
Download: [iPod shuffle Reset Utility for Mac]

You can never be too rich or too thin, but one sure can overload on passwords! So how do you make it hard for hackers and ID thieves to crack into your accounts without overwhelming your brain cells? You can use the same password for all your web-based accounts, which is the Dodo bird's way of doing things, since you can just imagine the damage if someone got hold of that single password.

1Passwd for the Mac OS X frees your mind from memorizing hundreds of user IDs and passwords. The app manages all your passwords for you with just a single password to unlock all your accounts. But isn't that the same thing as the Dodo way?

Not at all. 1Passwd stores all information into its built-in Keychain. This allows you to switch between browsers without divulging your information. You can also synchronize 1Passwd keychain to your Mac to manage your passwords across machines.

The app is the first password manager and form filler for the Mac OS X platform and it is designed to work with

• Safari
• Firefox
• Camino
• Flock

If you want to test drive 1Passwd, download the free version. Drag the 1Passwd.app file into the Applications folder and run it from there. If you like it, you can purchase the license code. Single user retails for US$ 29.95. The Family License costs US$ 39.95 and can be used by up to three users in the same household.

Download: [1Passwd Free Version]

Feel like pimping your Mac? We don't mean just customizing your desktop or adding plug-ins and extensions for your Safari. It's tweaking almost every tiny function of your Apple computer so you get the best out of it! Thanks to Michael of My Tech Lists, we got a whole bunch of apps and downloads here (some are free, some are not) that you can use. Check them out:

Pixel Press Icons dishes out 120 of the most beautiful icons on ANY OS that you can download and use for any of your programs. You can download hundreds of Mac Desktop Images with MacDesktops. Now if you want to customize your toolbar in 80 different ways where you can include DiggUpdates and Del.icio.us bookmarks (to name just a few), get Super OS X Menubar Items.

To get things done the quickest way, you can use OS X Keyboard Shortcuts -- a site that gives a complete list of the keyboard shortcuts available in OS X. To make browsing with Safari a breeze, you can try looking at Pimp My Safari where more than 60 plugins and extensions for the default OS X browser are available.

Other sites can help you with advanced programs that needed to integrated well with your Mac. Some of them are NeoOffice, Automator World, and CenterStage. NeoOffice encompasses almost all office applications for the Mac OS X. Based on the OpenOffice.org office suite, it allows you to import, edit, and exchange files with other popular office programs such as Microsoft Office. Automator World, on the other hand, is a great resource for Automator Users. CenterStage allows you to let your digital media content connect seamlessly with your TV.

Some apps come with the features already bundled, while others are self-contained. Undercover allows you to see who's using your Mac with its advanced recovery software from Orbicule. Unsanity Apps is a collection of lots of really useful apps such as Application Enhancer Version 2.0.1, ClearDock Version 1.4.1, Dock Detox Version 1.2, Menu Extra Enabler Version 1.0.3, Paranoid Android Version 1.3, ShadowKiller Version 1.3, Smart Crash Reports Version 1.2, and the Cee Pee You Version 1.1.3 . All are ready for download in either freeware, shareware or OpenSource versions.

The iVideoToGo, from InterVideo, is a downloadable video library organizer and file converter that will convert your various video files (DVD, etc.) into MP4 formats for the PSP and video iPod. This program'snot satisfied with simply converting or compressing files, however. It can encode higher-resolution MP4 files so they can be viewed at a higher quality on TV screens. It will read and compress a wide variety of file formats, such as DVD-Video, AVI, H.264, MPEG, WMV, MOV, DivX, ASF, DVR-MS, and 3GP. And it also supports H.264, the latest high-quality, high-compression file format.

It is designed for ease of use. The Platinum version of the program features automatic synchronization between the PC and the iPod or PSP. It will even batch-convert a library of files while you're asleep or otherwise occupied, all ready to be uploaded into your device when you get back.

The iVideoToGo Platinum is available for $29.95 from the product website.

System Requirements (minimum)

• Intel® Pentium® III 600 MHz
• 128 MB system memory
• Windows® 2000/XP
• Windows® compatible sound card that supports 48KHz Playback (PCI recommended)
• 800x600, 16-bit color display
• 50 MB (iVideoToGo only); 100 MB (iVideoToGo and Third-party tools)
• CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM drive
• DirectX® 9
• (PSP firmware version 2 and above to enable MP4/H.264 AVC support)

Ever wanted to take a screwdriver to your iPod and just tear it apart? Or maybe you're getting frustrated with your friendly neighborhood repairman's obscenely high prices? You can stop tearing those clumps of hair out of your head now, because iFixit has just announced its entry to the iPod industry with a complete line of free iPod Fixit Guides and over 100 iPod parts.

iFixit now sells parts for every iPod that came from Apple's production line - from the 1st Gen iPod to the iPod Video, and even the iPod Shuffle. They sell logic boards, case replacements, batteries, and more. They also have a bunch of free Fixit Guides at www.iFixit.com. Each of their Guides walk you through the process of tearing apart and replacing any part in your iPod.

Fixit Guides are available for the following iPods:

• iPod 1st Generation (Click Wheel)
• iPod 2nd Generation (Touch Wheel)
• iPod 3rd Generation
• iPod 4th Generation / iPod Photo
• iPod Video (5th Generation)
• iPod Mini
• iPod Shuffle
• iPod Nano

For those who are new to the whole Apple scene, iFixit is THE Mac do-it-yourself company. They're dedicated to helping people everywhere to keep their Macs - and now their iPods, too - running smoothly and running longer.

Thanks to Kyle Wiens for the heads up on this news piece.

Well, this isn't exactly new news. And maybe you knew about it before. But I didn't, and a lot of other Mac-users online admit that they didn't either. So we're putting this up here for some of you who haven't heard about it yet:

In any Cocoa application (Safari, iChat, Mail, etc...), you can select any word and hit Apple+Ctrl+D. That's D for "dictionary", obviously. Using the command will cause a small pop-up window to... err... pop up and show you the dictionary entry for the word.

See, the sad thing about this was that I never knew that! Ah, me. [insert sigh of defeat] I had to enter my words in my dictionary widget to get their meanings. I'm sure a bunch of you out there also do the same thing! Now there's actually a faster way! (Given that you're in a Cocoa application, of course.)

A lot of people are saying that some Apple users overlook a lot of features like this built-in dictionary. I'm a living testament to that. And it makes me think, what other features are available that I never heard of? So, from one Mac-user to another, do any of you guys have any cool tidbits that you could share? Y'know. Some useful "betcha-didn't-know" tips and tricks that you've discovered in your journeys through OS X.

Does anyone remember flipbooks? Photos flipping in tune to a playing music? There's a new one for iPods. Wait! Before you start screaming and saying this is so old-fashioned and Apple just released the video iPod anyway, please read more for a while.

Podflips are, in a way, still cool because they are compatible to the nano unlike other videos. It even actually allows you to control the movement of the images themselves. Say for example, using the dock connector, plug the iPod into your TV's video out and open Podflip. You will then actually see images start flipping. Pretty impressive.

If you are interested, download the zip file below for your iPod (sorry, only MAC models for now). Unzip Photos.zip and drag the new folder to your iPod. you might want to rename your original Photos folder so it won't get replaced. Then play some good vibes music, select one of your new photos folder and start flipping.

It's actually that easy. So why not give it a try?

Download: [Photos iPod]
Download: [Photos nano]

What is Apple up to?

For the first time, Apple will be heading to the Cologne, Germany to be a part of Photokina 2006, the photographic and imaging trade fair, this coming September. Not only will they show up, but they're also going to have a presentation during the trade fair.

It's possible that they may be previewing or releasing a new version of their Aperture image editor. At the very least, they're certainly going to make their presence known.

Photokina is scheduled to take place from September 26 to October 1, with Apple expected to have their presentation the day before the formal opening of the trade fair itself.


New Information: QJ Reader Mike has brought us a little hint. According to him, "Photokina will be one of the largest product unveilings ever." If he really means more than one, then it really will be an interesting event. Keep posted here folks, and thank you Mike!

Three talented students from the Technical University of Munich created a brand new app for the Mac: a freeware that lets you simply be your very own disk jockey, minus the discs.

The program developed by Karim Morsy, Cristoph Teschner, and Federico Tessman known as Djay, allows for control over the mixing of your music over the Mac, and also lets you transmit the mixes through the Bonjour Network to other people with the same program. Djay supports all the usual music formats, and looks sweet on a Mac to boot.

Of course, you have to get it to work first. You'll need Mac OS X Tiger (10.4), a PowerPC G4 800 MHz, 512 MB of RAM to get it to work, though higher is definitely better.

Its main features?

• iTunes Integration
• Automatic artwork image loading on both turntables
• Customizable vinyl
• Forward spinning
• Time-Stretching
• Pitch-Shifting with amazing blend effect
• 5 band Equalizer
• Audio Unit Effects Support
• Pre-Cueing (requires multichannel sound card)
• Crossfade automation
• Manual Beat Counting
• Magnetic tempo slider for precise beat matching
• Cue points for beat-juggling
• GarageBand instruments integration via network
• AppleScriptability for mixing automation

They're out with version 1.1.1 now, which has the following features:

• Extended configurable iTunes columns
• Automatic tempo syncronization
• Full control with keyboard shortcuts
• Integrated check for djay updates
• Improved help book
• Bug fixing

Try it out and see what it does for your music needs.

Download: [DJay v1.1.1]