Mac|Life Podcasts RSS Feed

People Still Listen to Real Media Files?

Susie Ochs — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 04:30:00 -0500

Music Man can convert our MP3 file to a Windows Media one, but it can’t convert protected files.

I create a weekly audio podcast, using GarageBand, Audacity, and iTunes. I can do every step on my old PowerBook G4, except for converting the MP3s into Windows Media (WMA) and Real Media (RA or RM) files for those die-hard listeners who insist on clinging to those formats. My webmaster has to do those conversions on his PC. I was hoping EasyWMA would let me do this on my Mac, but it can only convert WMA to MP3, not the opposite. Any help?

We had absolutely no luck finding an application for Mac OS X to convert MP3s to Real files. (If we missed one, we hope someone writes in to let us know!) You might be out of luck there—Real Media being a proprietary format and all.

We can’t help being tickled by the vagueness of the progress dialog.

But we did manage to dig up an app for converting MP3 files into Windows Media (which surprised us, since that’s a proprietary format too). Music Man ($24.95 download, $34.95 on CD, www.mireth.com) can rip CDs, play music files, and burn discs, and it also converts audio files to WMA, AAC, WAV, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis formats. Check out the free trial to see if it suits you. (That said, we’d probably just ditch Real Media—and likely Windows Media too—if we were you. With apologies to your die-hard clingy listeners, versatile MP3s should be more than enough.)

Podcast #22: iPhone Unlocked, iPod nano Spy Photos

Mac|Life Staff — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:13:38 -0500

Two software and one hardware unlocking of the iPhone makes for a very busy week for the hacking community. George Hotz, the teenager who soldered his iPhone to unlock it, got a Nissan 350Z and three new iPhones for his hard work. While the teams that put together the software to unlock the iPhone got the AT&T legal team sending them letters. It pays to be first.

Hear the Mac|Life staff debate the legal issues of iPhone hacking, the iPod nano spy photos and the seedy underworld of Craigslist.

Don't forget, the Mac|Life staff would love to hear your thoughts and comments. Just leave a message on the Mac|Live question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit the length of your messages to 1 minute max. We'll review these calls each week and feature our favorites, along with responses, on that week's podcast.

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast.

To subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

> iPhone Unleashed

> Unlocked T-Mobile iPhone Traded for a Car

> Nano Spy Shots

> i Pod Rumors Confirmed by Apple Legal?

> Isis Dei Notebook Sleeves and Covers

> Icuiti iWear

> iPlace

> Beck: Time Bomb

> Richard Hell: Spurts - The Richard Hell Story

> Fields of the Nephilim: Mourning Sun

> Pelican: The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw

> V: The Complete Series

> Kings of Leon: Live from SOHO

Podcast #21: Mac Gamers Are Mad at EA's Inability to Deliver Promised Games

Mac|Life Staff — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:45:23 -0500

This years WWDC announcement from EA that their games would be released at the same time as their windows counterparts was a huge win for the Mac gaming community. Too bad they didn't live up to the hype. Games showing up late or not at all has Mac gamers a little upset. Hear what the Mac|Life staff has to say about not being in the game.

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast.

To subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

> EA Re-Attacks the Mac

> Steve Wozniak is Allegedly Dating Kathy Griffin

> My Craps Game

> iDJ2

> Flash Padlock

> Frank Back: Live Sessions

> Devo: Watch Us Work

> Jeremy Enigk - The Missing Link

> Iggy Pop: Open Up and Bleed

> Junior Senior: Hey Hey My My YoYo

> Magazine: Real Life

Podcast #20: What's Wrong with the New iMacs and iApps?

Mac|Life Staff — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:11 -0500

As sexy as the new iMacs sound (and look) in Apple's new ads and when Steve Jobs announced them last week, Roman has a few beefs, starting with the display. Join us for a frank discussion of our first impressions of the updated iMacs, iLife '08, and iWork '08.

Don't forget to share your thoughts with us by leaving a message on the Mac|Live question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit the length of your messages to 1 minute max. We'll review these calls each week and feature our favorites, along with responses, on that week's podcast.

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast.

To subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

Check out Roman's .Mac Web Gallery (referred to in the podcast).

Video: A Half-Price Alternative to iPhone Headphone Jack Adapters

Roman Loyola — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:55:00 -0500

Belkin and Griffin Technology both make great headphone jack adapters for the iPhone, but they cost around $10 each. Roman discovered that you can use the headphone jack adapter that comes with the 1G iPod shuffle Sport Case (available on eBay for just 99 cents!) instead. Check it out in this short Mac|Life tip video.

REQUIREMENTS: QuickTime 7.0 or later

To download this video to add to iTunes for viewing on a video iPod, click here. (Note: To uncompress the file after downloading, double-click it.)

Podcast #19: Fake Steve Revealed, New iMacs, and More!

Mac|Life Staff — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:53:26 -0500

The Web is abuzz with news this week about Fake Steve Jobs' unmasking by a New York Times reporter. We discuss this news item and some others, including:

> New iMacs are coming!

> The wackiest tech headlines we've run across this week.

> You're invited to call in to the Mac|Live question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit the length of your messages to 1 minute max. We'll review these calls each week and feature our favorites, along with responses, on that week's podcast.

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast.

To subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

More information on items discussed in this week's podcast (in order of their mention) can be found by clicking the links below:

> 'Fake Steve' Blogger Comes Clean

> Damn, I am so busted, yo

> Video: Meet the Real Fake Steve Jobs

> The Guy Who Outed Fake Steve Jobs, Hero or Ass?

> New iMacs to shift investor focus back to Apple's Mac story

> Free gPhones for Everybody!

> EC Takes Sides in the Mascara-Smearing Bitch Fight Between Intel & AMD

Podcast #18: Apple's Golden Age, iPhone Hacks, and More

Mac|Life Staff — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:31:07 -0500

Here's what we're talking about this week:

> We invite you to call in to the Mac|Live question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit the length of your messages to 1 minute max. We'll review these calls each week and feature our favorites, along with answers and responses, on that week's podcast.

> Can Apple do no wrong?

> Where do analysts get off making wildly positive Apple predications that don't come true?

> iPhone hacks - what do they mean to the average iPhone user?

> New products for your Mac and iPod

> Cool and noteworthy stuff in the iTunes Store

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast.

To subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

More information on items discussed in this week's podcast (in order of their mention) can be found by clicking the links below:

> Why Apple Stocks Pack Such Punch

> iFuntastic Gets an Update (Again)

> Moshi C'elesta Keyboard

> Griffin Amplifi

> Newer Technology Battery Charging Station for MacBooks and MacBook Pros

> The Simpsons Movie - The Music

> Ask a Ninja podcast

> Mike Jones: My 64

> Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators: Keep Reachin’ Up

> Maya Azucena: Maya Who?!

> The Rock Life: Season 1

Podcast #17: The iPhone-Free Zone

Mac|Life Staff — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:06:07 -0500

This week, we tried our damnedest to put together a completely iPhone-free podcast - just to give your senses (and ours) a little break from the iPhone overload.

Here's what we're talking about this week:

> We invite you to call in to the Mac|Live question/comment line: (877) 404-1337, extension 622. Please limit your calls to 1 minute max. We'll review these calls each week and feature our favorites, along with answers and responses, on that week's podcast.

> Mac sales increase by 26% in the second quarter of 2008 - tying for third place with Gateway

> A hacker who developed a worm attacking a vulnerability in OS X receives death threats

> Sony CEO calls Steve Jobs "greedy"

> Cool new products for your Mac (nothing for the iPhone, we swear!)

> What's new on our ever-vibrant forums, MacLife.com, and in the magazine

Listen to it all now in this week's Mac|Live podcast .

If you'd like to subscribe to the Mac|Live podcast series through an RSS feed, click here; if you want to subscribe through the iTunes Store, click here.

More information on items discussed in this week's podcast (in order of their mention) can be found by clicking the links below:

> Apple ties Gateway for third place in U.S. market share

> Death threats over Mac OS X 'worm'

> Sony CEO calls Jobs 'greedy'

> A Day in the Life of an Apple Genius

> KRK Systems VXT 4 Reference Monitors

> SimpleTech 1TB External Hard Drive
> Moshi PalmGuard for MacBook and MacBook Pro
> LapWorks Futura laptop desk

> Expert says young men should keep laptops off their lap
> Up for Grabs: The Hysterical Battle for the Bonds Ball
> The Editors: The End Has a Start

> The Rubinoos: Twist Pop Sin
> Rihanna: Umbrella
> Complete My Album
> MacLife.com's Circuit Board forum
> Revealed: What You Don't Know about the iPhone