brave [little] meme

How to enable ‘VolumeSnap’ in Camera+ for iPhone

Camera+ for iPhone is by far my favourite photo app, but its latest update featuring the ‘VolumeSnap’ feature was rejected by Apple on severely misguided UI consistency grounds.

VolumeSnap allows the iPhone’s volume buttons to be used as a shutter release, greatly improving the ergonomics of snapping photos. This feature is so forehead-slappingly brilliant that, Apple’s rejection aside, the crafty authors of Camera+ have provided us with a simple workaround.

To enable VolumeSnap, enter the following into mobile Safari: camplus://enablevolumesnap

To disable it, enter this instead: camplus://disablevolumesnap

Here’s hoping that Apple sees the light and lets the next update through without the need for a hack, but in the meantime have fun, and happy snapping!

Safari 4 Beta: First Impressions

I’ve been using Safari’s new beta for three days now, first on a Windows XP machine (Don’t ask, it was under duress) and then on my own iMac under Leopard. Having read conflicting reports about its speed, stability and compatibility, I was a little hesitant about installing it, but I must admit I am very pleasantly surprised. So here is how it stacks up so far:

Installation: I am ashamed to admit it, but it was easier on Windows, where it was a matter of a minute or so. On the Mac, installation required a reboot and the latest security updates in place. Sure, it has to do with Safari’s closer integration with OSX but still, point of pride here.

Speed: It’s blazing fast, compared to both Safari 3 and FireFox 3.1. The speed is very noticeable on most sites, but particularly those which rely heavily on JavaScript. The new Nitro engine must be working.

Reliability: Multiple tabs open, CPU-intensive processes running in the background, and a multitude of sites with quick hopping between pages and reloading. Not a crash yet. This was perhaps the biggest surprise for a beta release.

Interface: I’m still not sold on the concept of tabs-on-top, but it’s growing on me. I certainly don’t mind them enough to put them back the way they were. Top Sites is a cute feature, but only time will tell how much it gets used. CoverFlow in History, I can honestly take it or leave it.

Compatibiility: I don’t use third-party plugins with Safari, so no problems there. If you do, stay clear - they won’t work.

All in all, it seems as though I’m going to stick with this beta until I find a compelling reason not to. Its speed alone is a strong motivator, as going back to FireFox frankly feels like wading in treacle. I would recommend those of you with a taste for the bleeding edge to give Safari 4 a try, but bear in mind that its installation on Macs will effectively replace your existing copy of Safari.

If you’re so inclined, you can download the Safari 4 beta from here.