The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)

In the last AppleScript post, I mentioned some of the useful ways to create Folder Actions, and showed you how to use one of the built-in scripts to perform a pretty useful action. In this AppleScript post, we'll dive into the built-in scripts in more detail, and I will tell you how each of them works.

Once you create a new folder action (as we did in the last tutorial), you will have a pop-up dialog asking if you would like to attach an Apple-created script. There should be around 13 preinstalled on your Mac. Now let's go through each of them, and see what they will do when attached:

Add-new item alert.scpt - This included script, which we covered in the last post, allows you to get a pop-up dialog upon dropping files in the attached folder. So, if you were to drop file x into the folder, a dialog would display a message that file x was just dropped in there. This script is great for networked folders, as you get a dialog when someone drops something in there.

Close-close sub-folders.scpt - This script will, when a file is dropped in the attached folder, close all opened Finder windows associated with that folder and subfolders. So, if you have that folder opened, or another subfolder within that folder, when you drop a file into it the script will close those opened Finder windows. You can use this script to tidy up your screen.

Convert-PostScript to PDF.scpt - If you have a PostScript file type (i.e. eps or ps files), then you can enable this folder action. When you drop a PostScript file on it there will be two folders created, one called "Original" and the other called "PDF." This folder action will take those PS files and turn them into PDFs for your instant viewing pleasure. You can use it in your workflow to easily convert from PS to PDF.

Read on to learn about even more built-in folder action scripts.

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Last week, we discussed the big developments in the wider technology world -- the Microsoft stores and the Kindle 2 -- with special guest Ross Rubin of the NPD Group. You can download the show from Talkshoe or subscribe in iTunes.

This week, while we wait for the announcement of Best Picture from the Oscars, we'll mute the TV and talk about the Greensboro store opening and the Mac mini rumor mill. Fun for all!

To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, or you can also use the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VOIP lines (take advantange of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *-8. Talk with you then!

After extended delays and much anticipation, the Greensboro, NC Apple Store at Friendly Center finally opened its doors yesterday to paying customers.

The photo here is courtesy of the Iconfactory's Talos Tsui, who appears momentarily in this local news coverage from prior to the store open; unfortunately, his colleague Gedeon Maheux is misidentified as "Corey Marion" in the clip. Whoops! Perhaps that lingering closeup on the Twitterrific icon in the store window will help soothe the pain.

You can check out all the Greensboro excitement from those who were there:

• The Triad's newspaper story
• iPhone Savior's post
• Before and after stories from the News & Record (money quote: "'Welcome home,' general manager Dave Arnold shouted to the crowd before letting the first customer inside...")
• More photos from Frijole, and his tumblog of the campout

The store's official page, with event schedule and directions, is at Apple's retail site. See Talos' video from inside the store in the second half of the post.

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As one might expect in the hubub following Hulu's decision to block Boxee users from streaming its content, a technical work around has now popped up. Over at Lifehacker they've got complete instructions for installing a plugin for XBMC / Boxee that will bring back the brain-softening stream.

It appears to be a relatively simple process that works for both the Apple TV and the Mac versions of Boxee. Of course, there's no telling how long this particular patch will work, though frankly it seems hopeless on the part of Hulu. After all, they have to make their content available to web browsers, so in the end all the XBMC / Boxee hackers have to do is fool the Hulu servers into thinking they're streaming content to a regular web browser's Flash plugin. So unless I'm missing something, from a technical standpoint it seems like as long as the XBMC community is willing to write patches I don't see how Hulu can keep their content locked up. Of course whether they might have some legal recourse is another matter whatsoever.

Update: Apparently the plugin is already broken. Hopefully, a new one will pop up soon.

If you're a Twitter fan and a Mac user, you'll appreciate a new tool from RADSense Software -- Tweetube for Mac OS X.

Tweetube is a free application that uses your iSight camera to record a 25 second video which is then uploaded automatically to Tweetube. A tweet with an embedded link to the video is sent out, and the world can then see your smiling face.



It's also easy to share YouTube videos with your Twitterpals by logging onto the Tweetube site, and then either entering a YouTube URL or doing a quick search. After you add your tweet, a link is sent off to your Tweeples.

Tweetube received a few seconds of fame earlier this week when comedian Dane Cook recorded a 25-second blast in his usual high-speed rant mode. If you use Twitter, give Tweetube a try!

In the last couple of days some images of what purported to be the next Mac mini have popped up on the Mac web, and then were also apparently shot down. The new machine was claimed to have a FireWire 800 port, mini DisplayPort, and five USB ports among the visible features, with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo and 2GB of DDR3 RAM on the inside. Now, adding fuel to the fire, a Macrumors forum participant posted the above video that looks mighty convincing.

Of course it could be an elaborate hoax, but if it is a fake I think it's impressive that they've gone to this much trouble. Naturally we'd like to see it actually connected to a monitor and booting up. In any case, if this turns out to be fake, somebody has really upped the ante on the usual Mac rumor diet of bad Photoshop jobs and blurrycam shots.

Since the App Store launched, there hasn't been much that has really tempted me to jailbreak my iPhone. I don't think Mini vMac for iPhone actually will either, but just that fact that it exists at all is a trip for the nostalgic Macheads out there. Mini vMac is an open source Mac Plus emulator that has now been ported to the iPhone (a regular OS X version exists as well).

It emulates a 4MB Mac Plus; as the video above shows, it allows you to scroll to show the full display and even load Mac OS disk images and run classic Mac software. It's safe to say that this will never make to the App Store because it violates Apple's rules against emulators.

Mini vMac for iPhone requires a jailbroken iPhone, and can be loaded by adding the namedfork.net repository to the Cydia installer as described on the main page. You'll also have to round up a Mac Plus ROM image and disk images of any applications you want to run.

[via Gizmodo]

ABC has released a promo picture of Woz and his dancing partner in the upcoming series of Dancing with the Stars, and it is amazing. Woz is looking good. I thought about photoshopping a pimp hat and a cane into his hands, but frankly, he doesn't need it. That man can rock a pink shirt like no one else. That's professional dancer Karina Smirnoff hanging off his arm, too -- she apparently came in second place on the show a few seasons ago dancing with Mario Lopez, but she's definitely upgraded this time around.

I stay away from reality television, and talent shows usually give me hives, but I just might have to tune in for this. Our favorite Chief Scientist strolling across the floor showing up the likes of David Allan Grier and Steve-o might be too much to miss. The series premiere airs March 9th.

With most business trends heading south, Apple continues to get recognition from customers and the press. Today, Fast Company Magazine put Apple in 4th place among the top 50 most innovative companies. The article cites the iPhone, the App Store, the unibody construction of the new laptop line, increasingly green packaging and products, and finally iTunes which is growing while the rest of the music industry falters. All in all, it has been a pretty good year for Apple (it must be noted, however, that Apple was #2 on the list last year).

For the curious, the Obama election team was ranked #1 this year; Google came in at #2. Our friends at Microsoft ranked #34.

You can read the profiles of all 50 companies here, and the Apple profile is here.
Fast Company, published since 1995 "is dedicated to exploring innovation in business, digital technology, leadership, design, and social responsibility," or so they say.

Wired has a story up about an interesting tactic The Presidents of the United States have put into action (no, not the Commanders in Chief, the pop punk trio from the '90s). While they already do have their music in the iTunes Music Store, one of the band's members has joined a company that makes iPhone software, and they're also putting all of their tunes into the App Store as well. The app sells for three bucks and allows you to listen to tracks from the four albums of material that the band owns themselves -- though only through a stream, which, according to the reviews, can sound pretty bad at times.

So interesting idea, pretty poor implementation. Still, this might be a good way for even smaller bands to get their music out there and into people's hands -- the only up-front cost on the App Store is the $100 registration fee, and Apple's fine with whatever you put out there. As Wired notes, they get paid their 30% whether you're selling your tunes via an app or through iTunes. Plus, with a dedicated app, you can add in news, throw in interactive extras, and put whatever else you can think of in there.

I doubt this is the last time we'll hear about an artist (or even a corporation) selling an iPhone app with content built-in to promote themselves. The only issue is that anyone releasing "promoware" like this should be required (either by Apple or just by consumers) to offer some actual functionality along with the promotion.