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Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review

This app does what you would expect from its name. It checks prices. You type in a UPC code, an ISBN number (books and video) or even a name of a product.

Pricecheckah [App Store] is US$4.99 At the set up screen you can choose online retailers like Amazon or Buy.com, and brick and mortar retailers like Target or Walmart. You can also add your own. I added Best Buy by just typing bestbuy.com.

I typed in a UPC code and the app made several suggestions and did find some better prices. Of course you could do this from any browser using a site like Froogle. This app, of course, is meant to be portable, but you might not be very popular at some retailers doing price comparisons. On the other hand, unless you are in a hurry to buy something, you will likely find a better price online.

Some things I don't like: The app wants my email address and a password. I'm not wild about giving someone my email when I'm not sure what they are going to do with it. Sometimes the app is very slow; I touched the settings button and it took several seconds to get to the settings screen. It didn't happen every time, but enough times to mention it. It also locked up a couple of times and said it couldn't find a network when WiFi was on, and my wireless router was right next to my iPhone.

I also think the app is pricey at US$4.99. There is a similar app called Checkout Smartshop [App Store] which is the same price but has many more negative reviews. The developers promised a bar code scanner and it hasn't arrived. We've also looked at RedLaser [App Store], which does have a barcode scanner. It worked OK for me, but many people are having problems with it. It's US$1.99.

In summary, it doesn't look like the perfect shopping app is here, but hopefully developers will keep trying. Pricecheckah works on the iPhone or iPod touch, and checks prices in either the US or the UK.

TUAWCheck prices on your iPhone with Pricecheckah originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Illustrating the scope of a flaw in older NVIDIA graphics chipsets, Apple has extended its special warranty on the GeForce 8600M GT in certain MacBook Pros from two to three years.

Just as the most prominent attempt at cloning Macs is falling apart, another is preparing to take its place and promises a better experience, even as it knows it will likely face a battle with Apple's legal team.

Filed under: Software, Security

Thursby Software is a longtime Mac development firm (since 1986) that has always had a mission: integrating Macs as full players in mixed-OS environments. While Mac OS X has gone a long way toward improving the situation of Mac users in predominantly Microsoft environments, there are still situations where third-party software may be required. Thursby's ADmitMac line of software is specifically designed to ease Mac integration into Microsoft Active Directory (AD) environments.

Thursby's ADmitMac for PIV integrates US Government FIPS 201 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) with Macs. ADPIV, as the product is known, allows single sign-on with a PIV card. It verifies the PIV card against a centralized authority, obtains Kerberos tickets using PIV certificates and then makes those tickets available to Kerberized applications, and securely locks the Mac upon removal of the PIV card.

ADPIV also allows password-free access to Exchange servers by providing authentication to those servers. ADPIV is currently available at the introductory price of US$149, with discounts available for larger quantities.

TUAWGovernment / Military Mac users get PIV single sign-on from Thursby originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, Friday Favorite, App Review

Hey, the weekend is coming, so how serious can we be? Sky Burger, [App Store] a pretty cute arcade game for the iPhone and iPod touch, is free today only. Note: As of Saturday morning PDT the app is still free.

The game involves tilting your iPhone to catch ingredients to make a sandwich with the required ingredients. There are 50 possible burger orders to try and get right. You cap it all off with a bun. It reminds me a little bit of the theme of the 1982 game called Burger Time.

Sky Burger seems a bit silly but it can get pretty addictive as you try to build up points and tips. The game has good music and sound effects. Try it for free: even vegetarians will like it. Tomorrow the game goes back up to US$0.99. Even at that price, it's pretty good fun.

Thanks, Ian!

TUAWSky Burger for iPhone/iPod touch free for the day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BoyGeniusReport publishes the first hands on review of the upcoming Palm Pre. Palm has been especially secretive about allowing media access to their device, so this represents one of the most detailed looks of the device.

BoyGeniusRe...

Filed under: Odds and ends, Found Footage

Although the Power Mac G4 Cube is one of the all-time classic cool-looking Macs, wouldn't it be even cooler if your Cube could transform into a robot? TUAW reader W from thinkingbricks.com used a LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit and a Cube body to create a Cube-bot with both autonomous and remote control modes. The following video is one of four on thinkingbricks.com that show the 'bot in action.

Here's a challenge to W: could you take an old original Mac case and do the same? It would look a lot like the walking Mac of Bloom County comic strip fame...

TUAWFound Footage: Power Mac G4 Cube Transformer Robot originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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