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| 10-31-08 / 11:59 PM : ITMS boycot ? (cjed) |
| The site jaimelesartistes.fr, edited by the french Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, and what purpose it to promote the new law against pirating, lists the legal music downloading solutions (Fnac, Virgin), those from majors, and finally a long list with some anecdotic offers, Apple's ITMS being listed in the last position (so far from visible, despite being more than 70 percent of US market, and between 30 to 50 percent in France). Steve Jobs recently published an open letter, explaining while majors should remove the DRMs from online music distribution channels. EMI agreed but since, other music companies didn't respond, and now some would make us think that vendors like Apple are responsible from the added DRMs. Finally, as reported here recently, the internet connections filtering isn't feasible technically, what makes the new law unapplicable. Worse, it would lead to arbitrary threats, without any need for proofs. We can hope that if it happens, iternet petitions will arise, and that the european commission will be taken again (the France position violates european agreements in that area). And when the french government praises a site like Deezer as an easy and legal way to listen to music, we have to think that such economic model (ads or subscription) isn't satisfying for artists. We can't honestly pursue internet downloaders, and a the same time promote a new site coming from nowhere, that provides commercial music for free ! With the ITMS, Apple did found a moderated, elegant and practical distribution channel. Since 6 years, that platform allowed honnest gains to artists (if they deal directly with Apple - or through independant labels or CDBaby like companies). That famous economic model (70/30) leaded to the AppStore success, and benefits both to creators and end customers. Comments at Clubic s |
| 2 comment |
| 10-29-08 / 11:32 PM : Cappuccino Scrapbook Part II tutorial (cjed) |
| The second part of the Cappuccino tutorial, Scrapbook Part II Implementing Drag and Drop, has been available for a few days. It deals with drag&drop, (that is exactly the subject of the chapter I'm currently reading in Cocoa Programming... page 760 : informal protocols for drag source and drag destination, etc.), collection views and scrollable views, archiving. |
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| 10-29-08 / 11:20 PM : Deus EX 3 : bad choices ? (cjed) |
| The blog Le joueur se lève states that Deus EX 3, that has been in development at Eidos for a year, could loose its soul and the originality that made the first opus a success, due to decisions leading to reduce character management complexity and underline mission plots, what would make it a classic FPS. |
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| 10-29-08 / 10:07 PM : Blizzard Echoes of War : orchestral themes (cjed) |
 Blizzard announces Echoes of War, a 70 minutes soundtrack CD (15 songs) from their games musics (including some from upcoming titles : World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, StarCraft II and Diablo III), newly arranged by the Eminence Symphony Orchestra. The CD will be available November, priced 30$ (a Legendary Edition, priced 50$, will add making of and interviews videos).We can listen to 4 sample songs. |
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| 10-28-08 / 11:38 PM : Yamaha Tyros 3 website (cjed) |
 Yamaha recently opened a site that presents the features of the new Tyros 3. We can listen to audio demos. The Tyros 3 brings a new technology, Super Articulation 2, that switches in realtime the played samples (depending on the playing style), through the Articulation Element Modeling sound engine, in order to simulate legato or staccato for example. This principle seems also used in new Motif XS for solo strings sounds and sax sounds.The real sound of Yamaha Tyros 3 The real sound of Yamaha Tyros 3 - Part 2 Yamaha TYROS 3 - Martin Harris part 1 YAMAHA Tyros3: Some Sounds |
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| 10-28-08 / 11:29 PM : Windows 7 copies even more OSX (cjed) |
| Microsoft provided new details about Windows 7, expected in 2010. This version will be even more inspired from OSX old concepts (or new ones from Snow Leopard) : a new tasks bar that reminds a lot more OSX's Dock, a centralized files browsing system using metada named Library (that is OSX' smart folders), system acceleration through GPU (but fare more less ambitious than OpenCL and Grand Central), a new animations framework (probably far behind CoreAnimation), multi-touch management (still present in Leopard), etc. Windows 7 should however be more efficient on low end computers (that is 1Ghz... but OSX is still usable on even lower specs). |
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| 10-27-08 / 10:25 PM : Codeweavers CrossOver : free day (cjed) |
| Codeweavers announces the avaibility of CrossOver and CrossOver Games for free tomorrow (October, 28), for american people. |
| 1 comment |
| 10-27-08 / 10:23 PM : Google Earth for iPhone (cjed) |
| Google Earth is now available for iPhone (for free through the AppStore). It offers the same features as the desktop version. |
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| 10-25-08 / 06:34 PM : Batman soundtrack : real orchestra & QLSO mix (cjed) |
| Until now it was common for film composers to sketch songs ideas with samples libraries (QLSO, VSL, etc.) in order to compose and arrange quickly, and then to record a real orchestra performance for final mix. From this thread at soundsonlines forums, we learn that for the last Batman (The Dark Night) score James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer in fact mixed together the real orchestra part with samples library (QLSO plus another personal - and non commercial - library), in order to add power to the recording. It reminds me my "double-mix" for my masters 4 to 8 albums (these songs were remixed in 2004, I merged the original versions from 1994-98 with some completely different new arrangements made with the XV). We also learn that StormDrum (version 2 it seems as it is listed among James H. librairies) was used a lot in the movie. To conclude with the last message in the thread, all that works is used to enhance music (I still merged Roland Orchestral Strings II from SRX06 with those from QLSO Gold on the song SO_LyrStrings, and Kontakt 2 VSL strings with SO Gold on another song). |
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| 10-25-08 / 12:04 AM : NI MASSIVE Expansion VOL. 2 (cjed) |
 Native Instruments presents MASSIVE EXPANSION VOL. 2, a Kore Soundpack that includes 200 sounds that use the MASSIVE engine (works with the bundled KorePlayer, or the full MASSIVE software, or a Kore 2 hardware interface). Audio demos are available. It is priced 59$. |
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| 10-24-08 / 12:00 AM : Book : The iPhone Developer's Cookbook (cjed) |
 A book upon iPhone programming (besides Apple's great documentation) was released October, 15 : The iPhone Developer's Cookbook: Building Applications with the iPhone SDK. It is available for Safari Books Online subscrivers. It contains 384 pages (see the chapters list and some samples at Safari Books Online). |
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| 10-23-08 / 11:51 PM : iPhone : JellyCar, MazeFinger & iBall3D (cjed) |
| Among the new free games for iPhone on the AppStore, we notably find : JellyCar (from the same authors as Trace, the principle is used here to move a car), MazeFinger, PacMan Lite (only one level), and iBall3D (classic labyrinth game with 3 completely different levels/environments). |
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| 10-23-08 / 11:35 PM : X-Plane 9.0.3 : instruments and ILS navigation (cjed) |
 A 9.0.3 update to X-Plane (iPhone version) is available. We can read the full new features description (and see new screenshots) here. The map (added in the settings pages in version 9.0.2) now provides NAVAID frequencies, and we can display an instruments panel (full screen), in order to set an auto approach (ILS). |
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| 10-23-08 / 11:19 PM : Bugdom 2 & Nanosaur 2 : weekly rebate (cjed) |
| Pangea Software provides this week (ends tomorrow) a huge rebate on Bugdom 2 (-75%, only 0,99$) and Nanosaur 2 (-50%, now only 1,99$). Updates are also available : Bugdom 2 version 1.0.2 (improved controls, minor bug fixes and performance enhancements), Enigmo 1.2 (small performance improvements, and now the savegames are stored on the OSX user Documents folder when synchronizing the iPhone). We can also download a strategy guide for the 10 levels of Bugdom 2 (maps, hints). |
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| 10-23-08 / 12:42 AM : Cooliris & Poladroid (cjed) |
 Cooliris is a free plugin for Safari that allows to watch medias (images, vidoos) from sites (like FlickR or Youtube) in a 3D view (3D Wall). This mode is activated through an icon on medias preview. An iPhone version is also available.Poladroid generates, through drag and drop, an image that reminds the old Polaroid rendering. That is here (donationware). |
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| 10-23-08 / 12:38 AM : Camino 2 alpha 1 available (cjed) |
| A first alpha version of Camino 2 is available here. |
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| 10-23-08 / 12:24 AM : Android Market : a missed launch ? (cjed) |
| Google would have removed (without any notice) most of the 50 (only) applications on its Android market Store. Then only a dozen of applications remain on that sore. So, besides its very poor designed interface (years behind the AppStore), that store now really lacks content. |
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| 10-22-08 / 12:02 AM : New MacBooks game performances (cjed) |
| As new MacBooks include a new QuickTime extension (AppleVAH264HW.component) that allows hardware decoding of HD H264 videos through the NVIDIA chipset, MacWorld provides benchs of these new macs in games, compared with the older models and an iMac. On the new MacBook the CPU frequency (2.0Ghz or 2,4 Ghz) has no impact on the framerate, that is from 4 up to 6 times the fps experienced with the older MacBook (Intel GMA 3100 chipset). The MacBook is even slightly faster than a 2,4Ghz imac fitted with an ATI Radeon HD 2400XT (except in UT2004, as the Unreal engine has always been better optimized for ATIs cards). Finally the new MacBook Pro with its GeForce 9600M GT can double or triple the fps compared with the new MacBook (at max resolution - native -, there is less difference - about 50% - in lower resolution). The GeForce 9600M GT 512Mb brings less than 10% additional fps to the 256Mb. Then the entry models are the best choices for games, and the new MacBook can now really play recent games (35 fps at max resolution in Doom3 in high quality, and 30 fps in CoD4). The MacBook Pro reaches 90fps in Doom3... to compare with the (at best) 20fps with an old G4 1,25Ghz with Radeon 9000 (and in a lower 1024*768 resolution in medium quality). The older MacBook with Intel chipset provided only 8fps at that resolution, but in high quality. |
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| 10-20-08 / 11:39 PM : FlatOut2 review (cjed) |
| Macworld provides a review of FlatOut2, an arcade type racing game that uses a complex physics engine. It also features multiplayer game through network. |
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| 10-20-08 / 11:32 PM : V-Synth GT FREE Sounds (cjed) |
 Roland provides at download a library of 450 patchs for V-Synth GT. We find emulations of Juno, Jupiter, SH, 303 and D-50. |
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| 10-18-08 / 03:05 PM : Special Event October, 14 : keynote video (cjed) |
| Apple's October, 14 Special Event keynote video is online (also in HD). |
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| 10-18-08 / 12:20 AM : Nanosaur 2 online / CubicMan Lite 1.4 (cjed) |
| Nanosaur 2 for iPhone is finally available on the AppStore (2,99 euros, as for Budgom 2 now - that was however 1,59 euros one week ago...) We can also find an 1.4 update to CubicMan Lite, that fixes the freeze problem experienced with 1.3 on loacalized systems (required to switch to US language in the global preferences). The first 3 levels walkthrough is available here. |
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| 10-17-08 / 11:38 PM : MacPro vs PCs bench under Windows (cjed) |
| PCMag provides a bench of the new Mac Pro 2,53 Ghz (under Windows, through BootCamp) and 3 other PC laptops (from Dell, HP and Lenovo). Desipte its lower processor cores frequencies, the MacPro left all the three PCs in the dust when running games (up to 4 times the fps of the 2,8Ghz Lenovo, and more than two times the framerate of the 2,8Ghz HP, that uses the same video chipset). In real world applications tests (conversion, rendering), the MacBook Pro shows very honnest results, considering its lower cores frequencies. |
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| 10-17-08 / 11:25 PM : Snow Leopard beta 2 / Cocoa Finder (cjed) |
| AppleInsider confirms that a second beta of Snow Leopard has been sent to select developpers. The Cocoa rewrite work for system applications is far advanced, and the Finder is also concerned ! A new install (not really, more boot option) is included, that allows booting from disk images (without having to mount them nor restore them). Then we can manage a range of configurations, or beta versions easily. |
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| 10-17-08 / 12:34 AM : iPhone MarbleMash Full free / X-Plane 9.0.2 (cjed) |
| The full version of MarbleMash for iPhone is now available for free (MarbleMash Full 150 levels). The previous Lite version only provided 15 levels. For AquaForest that special time lasted only few days. Finally we can find a 9.0.2 update to X-Plane : it brings 3 airports (only one previously) and an onscreen map (draggable and resizable). |
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| 10-17-08 / 12:13 AM : iPhone free Touch Hockey / Lux Touch (cjed) |
| The two new free games of the week for iPhone are : Touch Hockey (a hockey game with 3D mallet rendering, a 60 fps graphics engine, 9 single player levels... and even multiplayer game through Wifi !) and Lux Touch, a limited version (only one map) of Lux Delux (a Risk like game). A deluxe version (not free) is planned (will bring more maps and graphics, etc.) |
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| 10-16-08 / 11:19 PM : Jedi Knight on Intel mac without Windows ? (cjed) |
| On a 233 Mhz G3 from 98 fitted with a 3dfx Voodoo 1, we were able to play, thanks to Virtual PC 2, Jedi Knight (Dark Forces 2) at 20 fps, without really any slowdown (only a slight one every few seconds). The gaming experience was huge in terms of rendering and smoothness compared with the software rendering (if no 3Dfx card) : the later provided very poor graphics and only one or two fps. Virtual PC 3 then added stereo sound (mono sound in VPC 2) while keeping same performance. All that video performance was possible thanks to the 3Dfx endian ordering, the same as for PC processors (then game's code), that avoided translating (PowerPC endian was opposite). On Intel mac, if we don't want to install Windows (so no BootCamp nor Parallels/Fusion) we have the choice to use CrossOver (derived from WINE, that is a from scratch implementation of Windows APIs) or Cider. However Jedi Knight is said to perform really bad under CrossOver (perhaps even worse than on a G3 under VPC in software mode) : Star Wars Jedi Knight (Dark Forces 2): Installed fine. Menu UI doesn't update properly and becomes unreadable very quickly and cutscene video renders wrong. 3D support does not work, only software rendering. I can navigate the menus somewhat blindly and get into a new game. The framerate is maybe 1-2 fps - unplayable. This seems strange as some more recent (more complex) games perform well with these software compatibility layers : Half Life 2, etc. |
| 1 comment |
| 10-14-08 / 10:48 PM : DFMod : video walkthroughs for the 6 levels (cjed) |
| If needing help to complete the 6 levels of DFmod for JKA, we can watch full video walkthroughs on youtube : level 1 level 2 level 3 level 4 level 5 level 6 |
| 1 comment |
| 10-14-08 / 10:08 PM : New MacBook/MacBook Pro (cjed) |
 Apple presented new MacBook and MacBook Pro, that use a new manufacturing process for the case. The MacBook now onboards an integrated NVIdia GeForce 9400M chipset (uses 256Mb of DDR3 from the main RAM - 2Gb). Then 3D performances are 6,2x faster under Call Of Duty 4 (compared with performances with previous Intel GMA3100 chipset) ! The MacBook Pro also uses that GeForce 9400M chipset, but for common use. It includes a second NVidia graphics chipset, the 9600M GT (1,5x faster than the 9400M) for maximum performance, with 256Mb of GDDR3 on the 2,4Ghz model and 512 Mb GDDR on the 2,53 Ghz model (also adds 4 Gb ram instead 2, twice the cache memory, and a larger hard disk). A 2,8 Ghz processor is available as an option.The new MacBook and MacBook Pro feature a new glass multitouch trackpad, larger, that can manage up to 4 simultaneous touch points, and the MacBook screen now also uses LED backlit. The MacBook Pro provides a better sound thanks to hundreds of openings at the keyboard sides. It also brings a mini-Display port. The MacBook now lacks the Firewire port, the main (only) limitation (for audio applications). Prices are starting 1300$ for the MacBook and 2000$ for the MacBook Pro. Apple also unveiled a new 24' LED Cinema Display (900$), that allows to charge a laptop, works as an USB hub and also provides speakers and an iSight.s |
| 2 comment |
| 10-13-08 / 10:05 PM : MacPro : Nehalem /BluRay in a month ? (cjed) |
| The release of Intel Nehalem processors is now announced for November, 17, that is months ahead expectations. Then we should see new Mac Pro before year's end : besides DHCP and Blu-Ray, they will probably sport a new case. Their price will have to be lowered for these to remain competitive compared with iMacs and new MacBook (should be priced starting 800$). The Nehalem doubles the memory speed on dual cores (dedicated bus for each core, as with the G5), and will then allow 4 times faster complex calculations on 4 cores processors. |
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| 10-13-08 / 09:55 PM : OpenOffice.org 3.0 released (cjed) |
| The final version of OpenOffice.org 3.0 (Cocoa) is available here. It is the Intel mac version, the PPC version is near complete (the 3.0rc4 and latest dev m32 versions can be found here). |
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| 10-11-08 / 04:39 PM : FieldRunners, Trace and Toy Bot Diaries Free (cjed) |
 FieldRunners is a new strategy game (of Tower Defense type) for iPhone (4,99$), probably the best at this time in that category. We can watch a video here. We can also find an original and free game, Trace, that provides 6 worlds and 120 levels : the purpose of that adventure game is to draw (with touch) the elements that allow to reach the goal (the end of the level) ! A demonstration video is provided.Finally a free (lite) version of Toy Bot Diaries (some sample levels) is available at the AppStore (the full game is priced 3,99$). |
| 1 comment |
| 10-11-08 / 12:25 AM : Sinevibes Organics & Drawbars / Fantom G (cjed) |
| Sinevibes added two new samples libraries for Fantom G : GX Organics (650 partial samples, 60 multisamples, 100 patches - requires 128Mb of ram -, priced 49$ and expected November) and GX Drawbars (8 organ models, 40 presets, 29$). Audio demos are available. |
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| 10-11-08 / 12:06 AM : Cubase Essential 4.5 update (cjed) |
| A month later the 4.5 update to Cubase and Cubase Studio, Steinberg provides version 4.5 of Cubase Essential (also free). |
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| 10-10-08 / 12:21 AM : Korg M3 XPanded : free update (cjed) |
| As for the M3 to remain competitive compared with the M50, Korg presented the XPanded M3, an update that doubles the internal samples memory (now 640Mb : new electric pianos, a new 3 velocity levels stereo acoustic piano, the KORG SG-1D stage piano, vintage flutes and strings as with the M50, mono piano, etc.). That revision also brings new visual and touch editing features for the sequencer (Piano Roll, display of audio tracks waveforms), new effects and enhanced KARMA mode (2.2 version). Moreover the M3 XPanded is bundled for free with 3 new PCM expansions, 128Mb each (that is 384Mb, besides the enhanced internal memory) : Brass & Woodwinds (EX-USB-PCM01/02) and Concert Grand Piano (EX-USB-PCM03). Finally that whole upgrade is free from an existing M3 ! (through download). Audio demos are available. |
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| 10-09-08 / 11:13 PM : JSCocoa : call Objective-C from javascript (cjed) |
 Following Cappuccino, a new open-source project (developed by a french man) promoting Cocoa has been launched, JSCocoa. This javascript library uses JavascriptCore (the javascript engine from Apple's WebKit framework) in order to call C and/or Objective-C code from javascript.Contrary to Cappuccino (that is a full rewrite of Cocoa classes in javascript, plus a dynamic compiler to convert at runtime Objective-J client code to standard javascript), JSCocoa provides a pure javascript syntax (that is less close to Objective-C than Objective-J). However JSCocoa brings some easy notations derived from Rubby and jQuery in order to simplify the syntax. Finally, the end code executed is Objective-C (contrary to the Cappuccino solution), through ObjCRuntime, BridgeSupport and libffi. Then JSCocoa only works on MacOSX (10.5.5, PPC and Intel), what greatly reduces its interest. It would be better if Apple decided to release the ObjCRuntime on Windows, but it would sill require a porting of Cocoa classes (that is the YellowBox...) And then the bridge would be less useful (still the case on OSX, in fact it makes deployment of applications easier - only a browser needed - and paves the way for accessibility features, that is access to system fonctionnalities, an area where Cappuccino will have to use a similar bridge). As it is only a bridge, the install only weights 1,3Mb (includes an example, JSCoreAnimation). The solution also allows to load NIBs from javascript client code, but IBOutlet and IBAction instance variables have to be defined manually in the code. Then JSCocoa is simply an easier way to use the bridge presented some months ago, that is calling d'Objective-C from a WebView (Webkit view), through a WebScriptObject. It is the third solution popularizing Cocoa in a few months, without counting the iPhone UIKit. |
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| 10-09-08 / 10:39 PM : Apple : special event October, 14 (cjed) |
| Apple confirmed the October, 14 special event, where new MacBook and MacBook Pro should be unveiled (see The spotlight turns to notebooks message), that are said to use a new manufacturing process for the case. |
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| 10-09-08 / 12:06 AM : VLC 0.9.4 available (cjed) |
| A 0.9.4 of VLC is available (use this link instead of the Download Now link, that for now leads to the older 0.9.3). This version fixes memory leaks and crashs, but now requires a QuartzExtreme compatible graphic card (supported by the Radeon 9000 Pro). |
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| 10-08-08 / 11:38 PM : Nanosaur 2 for iPhone soon (cjed) |
 Following Bugdom 2 release for iPhone, Pangea Software announces that an iPhone version of Nanosaur 2 is due soon. We can look at screenshots here. The graphics look good, despite being far more less detailed than the mac version (that also added a stereoscopic view mode). |
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| 10-07-08 / 12:48 AM : Bugdom 2 and Kroll on iPhone (cjed) |
| Following X-Plane 9, two new games fully exploiting iPhone capabilities appeared at the AppStore : first, Pangea Software managed to port Bugdom 2 on iPhone (this is the full 3D game, the same as the mac version). The archive weights 63,2 Mb and the game is priced 2,39 euros only. Then we find Kroll (82,5 Mb, priced 5,99 euros), an adventure/fighting 3D game.s |
| 2 comment |
| 10-06-08 / 11:23 PM : iPhone dev ToolChain on PC / Eclipse CDT (cjed) |
| In March we learnt how to install the iPhone SDK (hidden APIs at that time) and make it work on Windows or Linux (GCC, etc.), and in September we digged in another article about installation of that so called iPhone dev ToolChain. IBM now provides a tutorial about developing for iPhone using Eclipse CDT (C Development Tooling). It also requires GCC installation. |
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| 10-06-08 / 11:12 PM : iPhone 0S 2.2 Google Street View / results (cjed) |
| As rumored by AppleInsider, the next 2.2 version of the iPhone OS would bring Google Street View. Macnn reported that Apple would have sold 7 millions iPhones during the last quarter (Q4, financial results expected later this month), and the phone would have owned 17 percent of the smartphone market. |
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| 10-03-08 / 11:42 PM : Digidesign ProTools 8 detailed features (cjed) |
 Digidesign presents the new features of ProTools 8, that will be available soon : new user interface (and customizable), new audio and instrument plugins (worth 1000$ : Mini Grand piano, Boom drumbox, DB-33 organ, Vacuum and Xpand!2 synths, electric guitar sounds thanks to Eleven Free and SansAmp, electro sounds provided by Torq LE, 20 new effects plugins made by AIR, 8 Gb of loops), more tracks, a new score editor and greatly improved MIDI edition (deeper, was said to be very limited in previous versions), new audio edition features, 4Gb size limit for audio files (recording). |
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| 10-03-08 / 12:28 AM : NI Reaktor Animated Circuits soundpack (cjed) |
 NI presents a new Kore Sounpack, REAKTOR ANIMATED CIRCUITS, that brings 200 patches made using the Reaktor engine (SpaceDrone, Metaphysical Function, Skrewell and Newscoo sound engines, and Spiral sequencer for evolving sounds). Audio demos and a video are available. It is priced 59$. |
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| 10-03-08 / 12:18 AM : A Snow Leopard beta soon ? (cjed) |
| From AppleInsider, we learn that Apple may release soon a first beta of Snow Leopard, for selected (limited) audience however (not the whole ADC members). Among the dramatic optimizing (in speed and stability), Grand Central, OpenCL, ZFS, system size reduction (read that article) and QuickTime X, this version should bring a new multitouch framework. |
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| 10-02-08 / 11:07 PM : Cappuccino TableView / datasource / pagination (cjed) |
| Among CPView available for now in Cappuccino we find : CPClipView, CPCollectionView, CPControl, CPFlashView (!), CPProgressIndicator, CPScrollView, CPShadowView, CPTabView, NSCustomView, NSView, _CPWindowView.
There isn't yeat any equivalent to NSTableView, NSOutlineView or NSBrowser, but the Cappuccino team is working on the implementation of a CPTableView : "The CPTableView is still under development, it's already in the repository if you want to have a look. After this is finished i think the cappuccino team or someone else will pickup the work on CPBrowser." It seems hard work due to these components complexity : "CPTableView : needs all of NSTableView and supporting classes. We’re not going to be using NSCell’s though, so we’ll also need to make some decisions on exactly what to do here, at least when straight up NSView replacement isn’t enough." However that team still managed to write about 20 000 lines of code for Cappuccino's AppKit and FoundationKit. Meanwhile they advice using a CPCollectionView (and CPCollectionViewItem), but then we have no column headers no rearrange feature (no column move nor resizing). Once these hierarchical models display components are available, the Nib2Nic team will be able to manage the appropriate conversion, with the important (and impacting) difference that CPTableView shouldn't rely on Cell classes. Usually enterprise applications rely on paginated table components in order to limit the requested data size (in a cursor way). With Cocoa TableView are included in a ScrollView, and only visible rows (at the current position, that is the current position of the vertical scroller) are loaded (requested to the datasource object). Then while scrolling, the datasource provides the additional rows only, never the whole table data (except when they all fit in the visible area). Cocoa indeed dispatchs the rows on multiple pages when preparing the component for printing. When the CPTableView will be available in Cappuccino, we will just need to implement the - (id)tableView:(CPTableView *)aTableView objectValueForTableColumn:(CPTableColumn *)aTableColumn row:(int)rowIndex datasource object's method. It will typically trigger a JSONP request to the server in order to retreive values for that cell. We will probably prefer maintaining a cache to avoid making a database request for only such a cell. In fact in that case the TableView model with scrollable view won't look appropriate (a tableView: objectsArrayForTableColumn: page: method would be better). Moreover, if we want to manage sorting (with ascending or descending order) - what is easily done in Cocoa -, we won't be able to consider the columns separately, and the datasource method will have to look like this (will return a cells values matrix) : tableView: objectsMatrix: forPage: sortingColumn: ascendingOrder:. |
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| 10-02-08 / 12:18 AM : MiniSynth for iPhone (cjed) |
 Yonac Software, the editor of Thereminator for iPhone, now presents miniSynth, a virtual 70s like synth for iPhone : 2 oscillators (4 waveforms), VCF and VCA filter, programmable glide, 48 keys, 10 factory presets. A video is available. It looks more of an experiment. It is priced 1,99$ at the AppStore. |
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| 10-01-08 / 11:49 PM : Mystic Mine video (cjed) |
 Koonsolo announces the development of Mystic Mine, a game where the player has to guide a car through a mine, and to switch rails with the mouse in a proper manner (and quickly). A video is available. This is such game we would like to see on the iPhone. For now it is announced for MacOSX, Windows and Linux. It will include 200 levels and will feature many objectives/missions : Collect coins, Goldcutter, Blowup, Race, Drop the rocks, Collect diamonds, Collect frenzy, Goldrush
Hold the lamp. |
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| 10-01-08 / 11:26 PM : Apple drops the NDA around iPhone dev (cjed) |
| Apple dropped (sooner than expected) the NDA around iPhone development. Then exchanges, support forums and code examples should arise. Apple strategy has always been to unleash the iPhone potential step by step (at first there was HTML + javascript development only, then Cocoa but with NDA, etc.) The next step should be the opening of the iPhone filesystem (for now it is tied with the AppStore only). So Apple generates expectations and an interest peak each time they open something. In the hard economic context these last days (Apple's quote dropped 20$ down, before being up 8$), the company probably decided it was the time to use that mean, considering it will also help diverting developpers from Android. In fact Apple's competitors still own an ADC membership, and even participate to WWDC, so the NDA wasn't for patents concerns. |
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| 10-01-08 / 01:06 AM : Cappuccino : JSON, JSONP & CPJSONPConnection (cjed) |
| Client applications based on Cappuccino communicate with servers (remote services) through basic HTTP requests, whose message content (body) can be in various formats, either XML (the schema as to be defined, there isn't any rule there - this is called XML-RPC) or the standardized and easy to read JSON format (isn't XML). The message could also be wrapped in a SOAP enveloppe, but it is less frequent (because more complex to deal with) when calling webservices from a rich client (especially if the caller isn't a Java program - wich is the case with Cappuccino, pure javascript - because we cannot then use generated Axis proxies). Then we will consider here that HTTP requests are originated from javascript client code (that is AJAX - the use of XMLHttpRequest javascript class), the only way to provide a partial refresh in the client-side page. The problem that arises is that, for security concerns, Ajax (XMLHttpRequest class) isn't allowed to make cross-domain calls, that is the domain of the requested url must be the same as the one from the current page (this is the case at Cjed Audio Home site : news uncollapsing/collapsing is done sending an Ajax request to a php script in the same domain). In order to circumvent this limitation, a trick has been used, that is known as JSONP (JSON with padding). The point is to dynamically add in the page (through DOM) a script element of javascript type, whose source is pointing to the service url in the other domain. In this situation the cross-domain call is allowed. As we are in an AJAX call context, the end of processing on the server side (extracting news content, doing a search, etc.) must trigger a callback function on the client-side in order for the refresh to happen (use of the result). The second trick is to not simply return the result - in JSON or other format -, as it wouldn't produce any result on the client side (the call originates from a script include), but to return a javascript method call instruction - in javascript - (the famous callback function), with passing the result string computed on the server side as a parameter to that callback function call (this parameter can be in JSON or XML format). For example the result string will be myCallBackFunction( { "x": 10, "y": 15} ) if the process returns two integer values in JSON format. Then the interpreted result will trigger the callback javascript function on the client-side (possible from the script area), with the return result passed as a parameter to it. As for the server to know what callback function name to prepend at the start of the result string (myCallBackFunction area), we have to pass that information by adding an aditionnal request parameter to the service url. Examples : http://search.yahooapis.com/ImageSearchService/V1/imageSearch?appid=YahooDemo &output=json&callback=callBackResult&query=searchValue http://www.flickr.com/services/rest/?method=flickr.photos.search&tags=searchTag&media=photos&machine_tag_mode=any &format=json&api_key=ca4dd89d3dfaeaf075144c3fdec76756 &jsoncallback=CPJSONPConnectionCallbacks.callbackXX. The name of the parameter that stores the callback function name varies depending on the JSONP service called (here callback for Yahoo and jsoncallbacl for Flickr), the same for another parameter that provides the result format (json). We simply simulate here how the XMLHttpRequest API operates, without relying on in (because it cannot be used for security concerns)... but there is to know if it is a secure way... Through the source code of Flickr Photo Demo Cappuccino application, we discover the CPJSONPConnection class. It is instanciated (in the AppController class in that example) through the following Objective-J (javascript) instructions : var request = [CPURLRequest requestWithURL:"JSONP service url"]; (this url contains a parameter that specifies the result format in the returned string, json here) var connection = [CPJSONPConnection sendRequest: request callback: "jsoncallback" delegate: self]; (for that service, Flickr JSONP, the parameter that stores the callback method's name is called jsoncallback) In the CPJSONPConnection source code we discover that the CPJSONPConnectionCallbacks.callbackXX value is used as for the callback name (that is the value passed to the jsoncallback request parameter - that parameter name is an instance variable of the CPJSONPConnection class). This value is defined as a javascript function (stored in a javascript callback functions array) that contains the following Objective-J (javascript) code : [_delegate connection:self didReceiveData:data]; [self removeScriptTag]; The connection: didReceiveData method is then called (when the returned javascript is interpreted from the script area) on the AppController class (defined as the delegate when using CPJSONPConnection sendRequest: callback: delegate: - we passed self). This delegate method, whose signature is - (void)connection:(CPJSONPConnection)aConnection didReceiveData:(CPString)data, can then directly extract informations from the returned string - data parameter - (JSON format here, that is the expected result - ie without the prepended callback method name). If the called service url is hosted in the same domain as the current page, the previous JSONP mechanism isn't required, and we can simply use the XMLHttpRequest class, wrapped (hidden) by the CPURLConnection class (the call is then pure classical Ajax). We specify the delegate object during the CPURLConnection instance creation, using the following method : connectionWithRequest:(CPURLRequest)aRequest delegate:(id)aDelegate (the passed url parameter is built the same way as previsously, creating a CPURLRequest object) However, as here the call will finally be triggered by XMLHttpRequest (will provide the callback method name - always the same) there is no need anymore to pass the callback method name to the service through the url (that information is passed to the XMLHttpRequest class, that manages the callback triggering). So the service only returns the JSON message in the resulting string (no need to prepend the javascript callback method name, we are in a classical Ajax call context). We only have to implement, in the delegate object (typically AppController), the following method (this name is hard-coded as the XMLHttpRequest callback name in CPURLConnection class implementation, when the later start method is called) : -(void)connection:(CPURLConnection)aConnection didReceiveData:(CPString)data If the returned data string is in JSON format (and we use either a CPJSONPConnection or a classical Ajax call through CPURLConnection) we can easily deserialize that string into a structured javascript object, thanks to the CPJSObjectCreateWithJSON method : Example : -(void)connection:(CPURLConnection)aConnection didReceiveData:(CPString)data { var myJSObject = CPJSObjectCreateWithJSON(data); ... } For rich client applications, the requested business services are more likely to be hosted on other severs (and so other domains) that the client interface page, then the JSONP solution will be required. If the server service is implemented in php, its returning string will look like this (considering the result part is in JSON format) : <?=$_GET['jsoncallback']?>( { "greeting":"Hello from request."} ) Thread at cappuccino.lighthouseapp.com Thread in a Google groups forum Update : see also the CP2JavaWS Cappuccino client to Java remote services bridge, that allows easy call of remote business services, using provided proxy (client-side) and JSON servlet (server-side). It completely hides the CPJSONPConnection and CPURLConnection classes use, manages encoding/decoding and namespace of services methods’s parameters and return, call of a delegate handlers for success response and fail, in the same way (use syntax) as GWT does. |
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