In this week’s column, I take a look at a number of questions covering the full range of iTunes conundrums. How do you mass-delete music on an iOS device? What playlist is a song in? Why aren’t my Harry Potter movies in order? And how can I find tracks where the Year tag is empty?
Can’t delete, won’t delete
Q: I use iTunes Match and I want to delete music from my iOS device to clear up space. I can’t seem to do it from iTunes, and on my iPhone I’m only able to delete one track at a time. It there a way to delete whole albums or multiple tracks?
Swipe a track to the left, then tap Delete, to remove a track from your iOS device.
The entry-level Nikon 1 S1 interchangeable lens camera deploys a one-inch CMOS sensor, slightly smaller than a APS-C sensor at heart of many DSLR cameras. Nikon chose not to overburden this particular chip with pixels either—a sensible choice, as a smaller sensor and high pixel count can result in visible image noise. But relative to other cameras in general, the Nikon 1 S1’s10.1 megapixel top resolution feels somewhat modest.
The Nikon 1 S1 is the starter model in Nikon’s 1 series—let’s not forget—and a one-inch sensor is still bigger than the 1/2.3-inch chip featured in the majority of fixed-lens compacts. Anyone making the step up to an interchangeable lens camera should see an improvement.
No matter how hard we try, we can’t escape the command line. It lurks beneath our modern operating systems, just waiting for the right moment to strike. But if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, I say—how else to explain my latest pick for an iOS app I love, Panic’s Prompt.
Now, it may be that you have no need for Prompt. That’s okay, it can be a bit on the niche side. But should you ever have a need for using telnet or secure shell (SSH) from your iOS device, let it be known that Prompt is where it’s at. Me, I’ve used Prompt for everything from logging into my remote Web server to fix a problem on a personal website to connecting to my home computer while I’m thousands of miles away in order to locate a particular file.
It’s hard to imagine now, but iTunes started out as a simple audio player. It didn’t try to sell you anything, nor did it support movies, TV shows, books, or apps. Depending on whom you ask, iTunes has grown either more feature-rich or bloated over the years. But in this multimedia world, what if all you want to do is play music from your computer? Then Vox 2.0 might be for you.
Vox is as streamlined as iTunes used to be, but it has a few features iTunes doesn’t offer even today. You can drag music into Vox from any storage device to create playlists, or you can have it absorb your entire iTunes library. It can even play file types that leave iTunes scratching its head.
The app looks fantastic, with a beautiful modern design that hones in on what’s important. You could almost mistake it for an iPhone app, with its tall, slim form factor that all but disappears when you glance away. When Vox isn’t the selected window, it displays a gorgeous, dimmed view of the cover art of the selected track.
Though Vox is simple on its face, its capabilities go fairly deep. Audiophiles can adjust 10 equalization sliders to make the tracks sound exactly how they want, or they can use presets like Acoustic, Vocal, Small Speakers, and Rock. Vox is free to download, but a $2.99 in-app purchase grants you access thousands of online radio stations that offer something for fans of every kind of music.
As thoughtfully designed as Vox is, however, navigating through a large music library is a laborious experience thanks to poor keyboard navigation. To view all of an artist’s albums, for instance, you can’t just start typing the band’s name. Instead, you either have to scroll to them manually or key up a search, which displays the songs in a seemingly random order. The app’s lack of features could be viewed as a negative as well, since it can’t do some basic things like import the iTunes playlists you’ve already created.
However, the pros outweigh the cons. Vox 2.0 is redeemed by its gorgeous design and ability to handle all kinds of audio files, from any folder or storage device you want.
The bottom line. Vox 2.0 isn’t for everybody. If you’re happy listening to your music through iTunes, there’s little reason to download another audio player. But if you use file types iTunes doesn’t support, or you wish you could listen to music without opening that behemoth of a program, it’s definitely worth a look.
When I chatted with Adobe a few weeks back about the Adobe Voice app, an Adobe engineer noted that the frustrating thing with presentation software such as Keynote or PowerPoint is the sheer amount of customization you feel like you must do before making your very first slide. Like Voice, Unsigned Integer’s $20 Deckset (Mac App Store link) aims to remove this obstacle while making it easy to create clean, attractive presentations. But unlike Adobe’s iPad creation, this Mac app goes about the task in a very different—and delightful—way.
When I chatted with Adobe a few weeks back about the Adobe Voice app, an Adobe engineer noted that the frustrating thing with presentation software such as Keynote or PowerPoint is the sheer amount of customization you feel like you must do before making your very first slide. Like Voice, Unsigned Integer’s $20 Deckset (Mac App Store link) aims to remove this obstacle while making it easy to create clean, attractive presentations. But unlike Adobe’s iPad creation, this Mac app goes about the task in a very different—and delightful—way.
If you’re looking for a camera and want something that looks and handles like a DSLR, but you aren’t overly keen on a DSLR’s weight, consider investigating Samsung’s relatively lightweight Smart Camera NX30.
Technically, the NX30 is a mirror-less compact system camera (CSC). This 20.3 megapixel camera with its APS-C sensor offers the convenience of a point-and-shoot via its simple backplate buttons and smartphone-like touchscreen display. But at the same time, there’s enough complexity offered by its manual top plate dials and customizable settings to not put off anyone “downsizing” from an actual DSLR.
Since the arrival of PowerPoint into the business landscape, projectors have become increasingly important to have for fiscal reports and pitch meetings to add a multimedia aspect that holds the viewer’s attention. Having the right tools for the job is…
Most travel routers trail the market, supporting older standards and offering limited features. Few would say that about D-Link’s DIR-510L (or the Wi-Fi AC750, depending on which name you find easier to remember). This is the first travel router to support the 802.11ac standard, and it’s loaded with features.
In case you’re wondering what AC750 means, it’s the industry’s fuzzy-math marketing speak for informing buyers that a router supports two 150Mbps spatial streams using the 802.11n standard, and one 433Mbps spatial stream using the 802.11ac standard (never mind that 150 + 150 + 433 add up to only 733).
The DIR-510L is a marvelous device that’s capable of running on AC power using the provided adapter, or it can run on its own internal 4000mAh battery. And it has three USB ports, so it can share files stored on a USB hard drive and run on AC power at the same time. The router must be put into charging mode to charge anything (the USB port delivers up to one amp of power to an attached device).
Netgear’s PR2000 Trek travel router finished first in both range and throughput. It doesn’t have as many features as some of its competitors, but it is well designed and is largely self-contained. You’ll never need to worry about packing an AC adapter, because it’s built in—just swing its blades down and plug it into a nearby socket.
If you want better range than what you’ll get from operating the router near the floor, you can plug a USB AC adapter into its micro USB port (but you’ll need to provide your own, since Netgear doesn’t put one in the box). You could also connect an external battery to the Trek’s micro USB port (here again, you’ll need to provide your own).
If you need Internet access while you’re away from your home or the office, you should carry a travel router in your bag. Free Wi-Fi hotspots are nearly always insecure, leaving your PC vulnerable to attack. Fee-based broadband services at hotels often are limited to supporting wired devices, so you won’t be able to connect your smartphone or tablet. If the service is wireless, the provider will charge a fee for each device you connect to the network.
Use a travel router to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot or a facility’s broadband connection, and it will create a private, secure, wireless network with a robust firewall. You’ll be able to use that service with your laptop, smartphone, or tablet, and you’ll be able to share that connection with friends, family, and colleagues traveling with you—paying just one fee for everyone. Many travel routers are outfitted with USB ports that support portable hard drives, so you can share files or stream media over your network, too.
TP-Link’s TL-WR710N travel router is very similar to Netgear’s PR2000 Trek, but in a slightly smaller form factor. Like the Trek, it can plug straight into an electrical socket, it has a USB 2.0 Type A port for sharing storage, and it has two ethernet ports. Unlike the Trek, it supports only one 150Mbps spatial stream in 802.11n mode (on the 2.4GHz frequency band); and since it doesn’t have a micro USB port, it must be plugged into a wall socket (unless you travel with an extension cord, I suppose).
The TL-WR710N can operate in one of five modes. In wireless router mode, you connect the Pocket Router to a DSL or cable modem and clients connect to the router wirelessly or via an ethernet cable plugged into its LAN port. In wireless access-point mode, the router connects to a hardwired network that has Internet access and creates a wireless network that clients can join to reach the Internet. In this case, the second LAN port can support one hardwired client (or more if you connect an ethernet switch).
If you need to travel light, TP-Link’s TL-MR3040 is one of the smallest, lightest travel routers I’ve tested. It’s about one-third shorter than the D-Link DIR-510L and will fit easily in a shirt pocket. It can operate either on its included AC power adapter or its internal rechargeable battery. But much of the reason for this router’s diminutive dimensions is the size of its removable battery: It’s a 2000 mAh model, compared to the 4000 mAh battery in the D-Link.
TP-Link’s router is compatible only with the 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n standards, and it supports only one 150Mbps spatial stream when operating in 802.11n mode. On those two counts, it falls behind both D-Link’s router (an 802.11ac travel router) and Netgear’s Trek (an 802.11n travel router that supports two 150Mbps spatial streams).
You have to wonder why there are so many types of electrical plugs in the world. It’s a pain in the neck that Trendnet remedies by providing three swappable plugs: One for use in the UK, one for use in the rest of Europe, and one for North America. Since most other countries use one of those three types of adapters, Trendnet figures its router can plug into 90 percent of the world’s electrical outlets.
The router itself is relatively small; think of a slightly oversized wall wart. It plugs directly into an electrical outlet, much like the Netgear Trek and the TP-Link TL-WR710N. It can operate in one of three modes: As a wireless router connected to a DSL or cable modem or a hardwired network; in WISP mode, connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot; or as a repeater to extend the range of an existing wireless network. You slide a button on the side of the device to choose which mode you’d like it to operate in.
The Asus WL-330NUL is even tinier than TP-Link’s diminutive TL-MR3040. In fact, it’s smaller than some USB thumb drives I’ve used. Its size and weight will tempt anyone who insists on traveling light. My advice: Resist that temptation.
The WL-330NUL is a very simple device. There’s a USB 2.0 connector on a stubby cable at one end, and an RJ-45 ethernet port on the other. Inside is an 802.11b/g/n chipset that supports one 150Mbps spatial stream on the 2.4GHz frequency band. It has no other USB port, so it can’t share files on an attached USB storage device, nor can it support a cellular USB modem.
You can operate the WL-330NUL in one of four modes: If you provide a USB power adapter, it can perform as a wireless router when connected to a DSL or cable modem or another hardwired Internet connection (such as you might use in a hotel or convention center), or as a wireless router when connected to a WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider). While drawing power from a laptop, it can perform as a wired or wireless USB ethernet adapter for an MacBook Air or any other model that doesn’t have an ethernet adapter of its own.
It seems to be a music-themed week here at Macworld, between Wednesday’s staff pick and Apple’s rumored deal to pick up Beats Music, so I thought it only fitting that today’s pick follow the trend. That pick is Hum, an impeccably designed little app for holding your songwriting snippets, lyrics, chords, and more.
The Voice Memos app is all well and good for recording snippets, but they get lost quickly in the depths of your music library or the app.
