I am happy to release version 2.0b7 of AirPrint Activator. There are substantial changes under the hood in the version.

I introduced the ability to customize the prefix in front of the printer name as suggested by a user. The net result is that you can not replace the word “AirPrint” with what you want [...]]]>

I am happy to release version 2.0b7 of AirPrint Activator. There are substantial changes under the hood in the version.

I introduced the ability to customize the prefix in front of the printer name as suggested by a user. The net result is that you can not replace the word “AirPrint” with what you want or simply get rid of it altogether. To change the prefix:

1. turn off sharing
2. click the “Advanced Settings” button
3. change the prefix to your liking
4. turn sharing back on

To accomplish this I had to build a configuration file bridge between the GUI application and the background daemon by using an application defaults file. At the same time I also changed how and when missing folders are created.

As usual you can grab a copy of the latest version on the main application page over here.

You can also report issues and get some basic support in the forum.

Enjoy!

If you have been using AirPrint Activator you know that with the introduction of OSX 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1 it was possible to enable a hidden feature that would advertised Mac attached printers as being AirPrint printers.

This no [...]]]> As some might have read, I discovered that Apple has significantly changed how Lion support AirPrint advertisement of printers.

If you have been using AirPrint Activator you know that with the introduction of OSX 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1 it was possible to enable a hidden feature that would advertised Mac attached printers as being AirPrint printers.

This no longer work in OSX Lion.  As a lot of you have generously donated for AirPrint Activator I just can’t sit idle and let AirPrint support slip with the introduction of Lion.

I therefore decided to completely rewrite how AirPrint Activator work.  It willno longer leverage OSX hidden feature as it will implement AirPrint advertisement of shared printers on it’s own.

At the moment my goal is to keep the application simple… essentially a single switch to turn AirPrint on or off… much like AirPrint Activator.  Eventually I might start to introduce more advanced features.

Benefits of this new implementation will be:

• No need for “Administrator” password to activate
• Should work on OSX 10.5+ for both PPC and intel
• Will allow for AirPrint sharing of non local printers (like AirPort based printers)
• No need to remove and add printers for AirPrint to work

Downside will be:

• User running AirPrint Activator will need to be logged on

As of last night I have successfully implemented the sharing of Printers on the network.  I now need to clean-up the code, build a “System Preference” interface and figure out how to start/stop a user level daemon to “advertise” AirPrint printers.

Version 1.1.2 address this issue.  I encourage everybody to upgrade to this release if you want to “deactivate” AirPrint.

As usual, you can grab a [...]]]> I just corrected a bug with the Activation detection routine.  The bug was reported in the support forum and would present itself in the inability to properly “deactivate” AirPrint.

Version 1.1.2 address this issue.  I encourage everybody to upgrade to this release if you want to “deactivate” AirPrint.

As usual, you can grab a copy of the latest version on the main AirPrint Activator application page found here.

Your move will just create confusion all over!  Remember .mov, .wmv, .flv, .rm, etc for web video [...]]]> This has to be the news that infuriate me the most in well over a year!  What the fu.. Google!  I really like Chrome… but I don’t care about VP8 or Theora!  I want native h.264 support in my browser!

Your move will just create confusion all over!  Remember .mov, .wmv, .flv, .rm, etc for web video format!  All this crap of having to install video plug-in in the browsers, update them, etc, etc! I DON’T WANT THAT BACK ALL OVER AGAIN!

But thank’s to your wisdom I will now have to give up on the browser I got to love… Chrome.  I will not support the use of such a browser that limit my choice of video codec.  If you want to support VP8 then fine, just add it to the list… but for god sake, don’t take away h.264! MADNESS!

Here is what Google has to say:

To that end, we are changing Chrome’s HTML5 <video> support to make it consistent with the codecs already supported by the open Chromium project. Specifically, we are supporting the WebM (VP8) and Theora video codecs, and will consider adding support for other high-quality open codecs in the future. Though H.264 plays an important role in video, as our goal is to enable open innovation, support for the codec will be removed and our resources directed towards completely open codec technologies.

FU.. YOU Google!

Written using Safari on OS X!

via Chromium Blog: HTML Video Codec Support in Chrome.

It is possible that Apple might update the CUPS file modified by AirPrint Activator.  If such a thing was to happen AirPrint would stop [...]]]> I just updated AirPrint Activator to allow it to better handle future system upgrades from Apple.  So far OSX 10.6.6 did not touch any AirPrint related files… but 10.6.7 might just do that…

It is possible that Apple might update the CUPS file modified by AirPrint Activator.  If such a thing was to happen AirPrint would stop working… but AirPrint Activator would still report that AirPrint is ON based on how version 1.1 detect the ON/OFF state.

This new version of AirPrint Activator is now using a new method to add/remove the necessary changes to the system file and to detect when AirPrint is ON or OFF.  It no longer need to rely on a backup file to disable AirPrint.  Instead, it will simply remove the added line from the modified file while leaving everything else in place.

This should prove usefull in the event of Apple replacing the modified file while a backup is in place. Disabling AirPrint after Apple updated the system file might result in the loss of the Apple CUPS Updates made to the file… which might not be desirable.

I suggest that you download this new version just in case you need to enable AirPrint again.

You can grab v1.1.1 from the main application page.

The picture above say it all.  Apple just released OSX 10.6.6 which mainly focus on providing Apple App Store functionality.  More than 1000 applications are available for download.

Make sure you launch “Software Update” and install Snow Leopard [...]]]>

The picture above say it all.  Apple just released OSX 10.6.6 which mainly focus on providing Apple App Store functionality.  More than 1000 applications are available for download.

Make sure you launch “Software Update” and install Snow Leopard 10.6.6 update.

Here is a short demo of [...]]]> Erica Sadun, the TUAW writer that brought us AirPlayer is at it again.  This time she managed to write an application that allow you to play video files located on your Mac to the Apple TV 2G… something that iTunes can do but that no other Mac applications had access to.

Here is a short demo of it:

Here is what Erica has to say about AirFlick:

AirFlick provides another kind of service. Instead of substituting for an Apple TV, it transmits data to any ATV 2 (or any Mac running AirPlayer).

AirFlick offers the potential of real-time transcoding of otherwise unsupported file types into Apple TV-compatible data. It also allows you to open videos located on the Internet by pasting a URL and clicking the play button. I was able to watch a number of Internet Archive (archive.org) mp4 videos on a big screen TV by browsing that website, selecting URLs, and opening them with AirFlick.

AirFlick works by transforming your Mac into a web browser, the same way AirPlay works on your iPhone or other iOS device. For Mac-based files, AirFlick tells your Apple TV to connect to a local URL and serves the data that the Apple TV plays back. So long as those files are in a supported format such as mp4, m4v, mp3, etc, the Apple TV can read and display the file data.

The 0.01 release of AirFlick is quite alpha — so expect a few bugs along the way. If your Apple TV reports errors, you can always use your menu button (as I show in the video) to try connecting again.

You can download a copy of AirFlick from Erica’s FTP server.

via TUAW

Brandon Holland has created an Apple TV 2G plug-in that will turn your Apple TV into a VNC server.  What would you use that for?  It is up to you to figure out Any way, here is what he has to say:

Managed to find some time to work on Apple TV stuff. Finished a [...]]]>

Brandon Holland has created an Apple TV 2G plug-in that will turn your Apple TV into a VNC server.  What would you use that for?  It is up to you to figure out Any way, here is what he has to say:

Managed to find some time to work on Apple TV stuff. Finished a quick and dirty vnc server plugin for the 2G that I call “Exposed”. It’s method for getting screen data isn’t great and lacks some effects and animation, but it does work without HDMI plugged in. So if you want to try it out, grab Exposed and place it in the Lowtide Appliances directory. I think it is also important to note that this does require a jailbroken AppleTV 2G running Dustin Howett’s beigelist. Crazy busy with work, but I’m hoping to finish my site redesign by the new year. Peace.

via brandon-holland.com – Home.

She then applied this knowledge to write a small but amazing little application that will advertise your Mac as a target for AirPlay. You can see the result in action in the short youtube video below:

I tip my hat to Erica for [...]]]> Erica Sadun, a TUAW writer, analysed how AirPlay work at the protocol level.

She then applied this knowledge to write a small but amazing little application that will advertise your Mac as a target for AirPlay. You can see the result in action in the short youtube video below:

I tip my hat to Erica for coming up with such an application.  Now that the cat is out the bag I am sure there will be more like this to come. I hope Apple does not go out of it’s way and change the protocol to render Erica’s application non-functional.

You can download a copy of the AirPlayer application on Erica’s web site.

Hacksugar: Mac-based AirPlay service allows device-to-Mac playback.