News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

October 29, 2007

software

Spotted on Leopard: hologram effect, return of curved corners, goodbye Mr. iCal Day

Posted Oct. 29, ’07, 9:13 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Software

Leopard is all about the changes. Some are good, some are bad, but they’re all different. And we should celebrate our differences, right? That’s right: our differences make us strong. Except when they kind of suck. Fortunately, for the most part, Mac users are the type to step up and fill in the gaps where necessary.

Holo DanI complained just last week that the hologram video effect in iChat had disappeared between WWDC and Leopard’s final release. We may never know why: perhaps Apple feared the inevitable onslaught of YouTube Star Wars parodies that they would be enabling. In any case, if you were looking forward to it as much as I was, you’ll be happy to know that one MacRumors reader has created his own version. There’s still some tweaking to be done, but perhaps it will let me get my R2-D2 fix for now. Also, here’s the trick for getting that effect into Photo Booth too.

DisplapertureAnd speaking of Leopard’s lacks, one commenter on my stupid translucent menu bar solution post asked that we focus on more important issues—like how to restore the curves on the top left and right corners of the screen (in Leopard they’re squared off). Peter Maurer of Butler fame has come up with a software app called Displaperture that lets you bring back not only the top corners, but also had curves to the bottom if you so desire.

iCal Finally, reader Mike W. wrote in to remind us that iCal’s new auto-updating icon means the death of one of Mac fans annual traditions, iCal Day. Perhaps, but iCal Day shall always live on in our memory, and the memory of Mac users around the world. As the old rhyme goes: Remember, remember the seventeenth of July.


3 Comments

James "Bored at Work" Carey said:

I didn't realise the curved corners were missing in Leopard! That's one feature that always puzzled me, but made me feel happy. I thought "there must be a reason for that" but maybe there never was. Thanks for the heads up on how to get it back, I'm all for change but I won't stand for losing those rounded corners!

October 29, 2007 10:23 AM
Mic said:

I think the reason for the curves in the top corners dates back to the original Mac OS. The first Mac's screen physically had square corners. I can only assume that the engineers designed the OS to match, and the curved corners in the menu bar have stuck around as a legacy.

October 29, 2007 1:49 PM
Jon said:

Regarding iCal: It's all about reframing...

Now every day is iCal day!

Who's buying the drinks?

October 30, 2007 5:26 PM

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