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ExtraBITS for 30 November 2009

Articles about Apple’s missteps with the App Store approval process continue to attract our attention this week, but we also have links to a fun game for designers who are also foodies, a collection of manuals for the iMac and Mac mini, a pointer to a Microsoft Office Holiday Sale, and an interesting article on how volunteers are improving online maps.

Apple Makes Nice with Rogue Amoeba — Rogue Amoeba has released an update to Airfoil Speakers Touch, the iPhone app whose update Apple delayed by 100 days because of an objection to the use of “Apple-owned graphic symbols” (despite the fact that the symbols, provided by a public function in Mac OS X, were fulfilling their intended use). After much hoopla, it appears that Apple has changed its mind, and the functionality Rogue Amoeba had to omit in version 1.0.1 has been restored in 1.0.2. Once again, it appears that negative press was necessary to push Apple into acting in a reasonable fashion, which is a
shame.

Try the “Cheese or Font?” Game — Think you’re a foodie? Think you’re a type snob? Give your self-image a test at the new “Cheese or Font?” Web site, which presents a single word and asks you whether it’s the name of a cheese or a font. Be warned that it may make you hungry.

iFixit Releases Mac Repair Manuals — iFixit, the Mac repair and troubleshooting blog, has announced the release of over 200 repair manuals for the iMac and Mac mini. The manuals, all free for download, cover every iteration of the iMac and Mac mini produced since 2004. The manuals provide detailed disassembly guides, troubleshooting methods, and information regarding upgrades and model identification. iFixit has simultaneously launched an online iMac parts store that provides hard drives, RAM, power supplies, and tools for taking your machine apart.

Adam Discusses iPhone Worm and App Store on Tech Night Owl — While talking with Tech Night Owl host Gene Steinberg, Adam explained how unlikely it is that most people would be infected by the new iPhone worm and how Apple’s App Store approval policies are starting to cause real damage by driving developers away.

Paul Graham Explains Apple’s App Store Mistake — Influential essayist Paul Graham has an excellent take on why Apple’s ridiculous policies with the App Store are a huge mistake. He argues that Apple is driving developers away, which is the first step on a slippery slope that could make it more difficult to attract the top notch employees necessary to continue innovating. Graham’s most devastating point: does Apple more resemble the hammer-thrower or the dictator in the 1984 ad?

Microsoft Office Holiday Sale — Microsoft’s Macintosh Business Unit is offering a holiday sale on its Office 2008 lineup through 5 January 2010. The promotion includes $20 off Office 2008 for Mac Home & Student Edition, $50 off Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition, and $40 off the Office 2008 for Mac Business Edition Upgrade. Participating resellers include Apple, Best Buy, and MacMall.

Volunteers Revolutionize Online Maps — The New York Times reports on the growing trend of including user-created content and corrections in online mapping tools. Sites such as WikiMapia, OpenStreetMap, and Google Maps all rely on volunteer mapmakers to enhance their maps by adding details and fixing errors. Often the changes reflect the kind of knowledge only locals have: back alleys, public art, the exact location of a restaurant, etc.

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