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OmniPlan for Mac OS X
In a blog post, Omni Group has committed to bringing five of their productivity apps to the iPad including OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, OmniPlan, OmniFocus, and OmniGraphSketcher.

Remember how Maci...

Filed under: Odds and ends, Troubleshooting

I make part of my living as an Apple consultant, so one of the first thoughts that went through my mind on Wednesday when I first saw the iPad was "would I be able to use that to help support my clients?" After a bit of thought yesterday while waiting for files to be loaded onto a new server I was installing, I think the answer is a resounding yes.

Usually when I'm visiting my clients, I lug along a computer bag filled with various tools along with my MacBook Air. The rest of the time, I'm either in my office with my iMac, or away from a Mac enjoying myself. Unfortunately, Mac issues tend to arise at the worst possible times, and so there are many situations where I only have my iPhone available for support.

One of my tricks of the trade is to talk with clients while looking at their Mac screens using a remote support tool, and the iPhone screen has always been too small to be useful. When you're trying to control someone's computer through Jaadu VNC or some other remote control software, screen real estate is very helpful. I can see using the iPad for remote support in many situations where an iPhone just won't work.



The iPad would also be useful for reading technical documentation while on-site. I have many support documents saved in PDF format and saved into my Dropbox; they'll be much easier to read on the iPad screen than on my iPhone. Likewise, when I've tried to pull up support info from a number of websites with my iPhone, I've found reading the support articles to be nearly impossible.

With the built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi, the iPad is going to be useful as a very portable device for troubleshooting wireless networks. Apps such as the US$4.99 iNet Pro network scanner [iTunes Link] will work on iPad right off the bat, so they'll find a place on my iPad home screen.

Of course, there are some things you'll never be able to do with an iPad. For example, it's sometimes helpful to start up another Mac in Target Disk Mode and run a utility on a laptop to check for disk issues on the ailing Mac. Since the advent of the MacBook Air and new MacBook, some of the lower-end laptops don't even come with the requisite FireWire port to allow this type of connection. My solution was to use an old iPod loaded with TechTool Pro; there are ways to load Mac OS X onto USB drives as a boot drive as well.

Likewise, there's no way to run Windows-based applications on the iPad... yet. However, many remote control apps for iPhone are cross-platform and supporting Windows machines from the iPad would be possible.

If there are other Mac support consultants out there who are thinking about how to use the iPad in their businesses, please leave a comment telling us how you think the device could be utilized to help out your clients. I, for one, am looking forward to going on service calls with nothing but my iPhone and iPad.

TUAWSome thoughts on using the iPad as an IT support tool originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Gaming, Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

I admit it. I am iPadded out. I am iTired. I am suffering from iBurnout. So it was with pleasure that I found an addicting little game for the iPhone and iPod touch called Crush the Castle [iTunes link]. It's a free medieval game where you use an ancient trebuchet to smash a variety of castles and the inhabitants standing nearby. Crush the Castle is physics based, so you have to swing a heavy projectile in the air and release at just the right point to flatten the castle off to the right of the trebuchet. After a few tries it gets damned addictive.

You have more than a dozen castles to crush in two different kingdoms. If you do well, you get some medals. If not, you are rebuked by the king. The animation is good, the physics seem accurate, and the sounds of castles coming down and soldiers screaming adds to the fun.

At each new level, the distance to the castles from your siege machine increases, so you really have to get the release point for the projectile just right.

Crush the Castle is a port of a Flash-based game which you can play for free online. If you really get into the mild mayhem, I'd suggest you look at the US$1.99 version [iTunes link] which has 90 levels, 10 types of ammo, and an editor so you can design your own castles before you knock them down.

Both versions get great reviews from users, and I'm in agreement. It's helping me forget all the endless iDebates over the iPad and work my iAggressions out on my iPhone.

The free version is no risk, except for the time you are sure to lose. Let me know if you get hooked too. Check out more screen shots below:

TUAWGot some time? Crush the Castle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In response to confusion surrounding the iPad promotion video, Apple has replaced the video with a more accurate version.

The iPad promo video originally had mocked up scenes showing the iPad browsing the New York Times complet...

Filed under: Gaming, Software

We posted a little while back about Telltale possibly bringing its games over to the Mac, and now there's even more rumblings to be interested in. Rumor has it that since most of their games use the same platform, one port is the same as all of them, which means we may see the whole catalog released in one fell swoop on OS X, and sold right alongside their PC brethren. Additionally, Telltale hints that we may even see iPhone and/or iPad versions of their games, including Sam and Max, the Monkey Island franchise, and all the rest (with the exceptions of the Bone series and Texas Hold 'Em).

They are saying that we'll hear more at Macworld next month, and since TUAW plans to be there en masse, we'll definitely keep our eyes open for anything they're showing off. Good to hear that one of the more interesting and quality developers out there is planning to come over to the Mac in a big way.

[via IMG]

TUAWMore rumored Telltale plans for the Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With the launch of the Apple iPad, there has been no shortage of reactions and opinions on the device. We feel the most promising aspect of the iPad is that there is now a relatively inexpensive full-sized multi-touch platform that is open to a ma...

LA Times reports that Apple has confirmed that it is now allowing the iPhone and newly released iPad to make voice over IP (VOIP) calls over AT&T's 3G cellular network.

"We revised our Program License Agreement in conjunction with our...