Film and share videos with YouTube Capture.

Great looking app from Google.

Alex Vollmer released his first video guitar lesson today and it looks great. With the lesson you get a 40 minute video, 43-page companion PDF, MP3 jam tracks and a jam track video demonstrating the concepts.

Matt Alexander:

If you’re working to build a business, an identity, a brand, a weblog, a Twitter following, a podcast, a publication, or even a friendship, doubt and impatience are fundamental elements of the human experience which need not be paved over with excuses and escapism. Do not allow yourself to succumb to fear of your feelings, but rather use them to your advantage.

From texts, to music, playlists, photos, and everything else — iExplorer lets you access, transfer, and copy everything from any iPhone or iPad. If you’re getting a new computer, iPhone, or iPad this holiday season, iExplorer is a must-have app to help you get everything backed up off the old device so you can get going with your new one.

I’ve been getting drum loops from these guys for years. They are the best. Real drums recorded in a studio.

If anyone is looking for articles to read after the Newtown shootings, Jason Kottke has been posting non-stop.

I had a nice chat with Tal and Brad.

Interesting perspective from Eric Slivka. I still think Digitimes is a bit too loose with the rumors.

BBC talking about building iPlayer for iOS and Android:

If you look at the amount of energy we spend on Apple, it pales in comparison to what we spend on Android.

[…]

Believe it or not, we started work on the iPlayer radio app for Android on the same day as the one for the iPhone, but we’re still resolving a number of issues […] That worked out of the box on Apple, but not on Android.

[Via Sam Radford]

Noah Shachtman for Wired:

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Phil Zimmermann was a Colorado peacenik with a half-written program that he swore would one day let people exchange messages without Big Brother peering inside. The problem was, with a freelance job and two kids, Zimmermann could never quite find the time to finish the damn code — until Joe Biden came along.

Then-Senator Biden inserted a few words into an anti-terrorism bill that might make it easier for Big Brother — or, at least, Uncle Sam — to do exactly the kind of snooping Zimmermann wanted to stop. Zimmermann had a reason to finish the program. He worked day and night for months on the thing. All his half-formed plans to build a business around the software, he put aside. “When the Biden bill hit,” Zimmermann recalls, “we knew we had to change the facts on the ground.” He felt he had to get people communicating secretly, before Congress did something to make secret communications exceedingly difficult.

A really interesting look at the development of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP).

The NASDAQ-100 Index is composed of the 100 largest non-financial stocks listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market and dates to January 1985 when it was launched along with the NASDAQ Financial-100 Index, which is comprised of the 100 largest financial stocks on NASDAQ.

Netflix, RIM and Electronic Arts were among the companies removed.

Cubasis is Steinberg’s streamlined, multitouch sequencer for the iPad. Specially designed for quick and easy operation, Cubasis makes recording, editing and mixing a breeze. Record tracks in CD audio quality, and edit your music with the Key and Sample Editors, while the included mixer and audio effects polish your song to perfection. Cubasis comes loaded with dozens of virtual instrument sounds which can be played in real time using the virtual keyboard and drum pads. Cubasis’ projects can be even opened in Cubase under Windows and OS X! Cubasis places touch-intuitive production tools in your hands, opening up a new world of possibilities for your creativity.

Great looking app.

Wesley Yin-Poole for Eurogamer:

Gates’ star turn at the Tokyo Game Show was supposed to show the Japanese game industry that Microsoft was serious about getting into the console business. Gates, one of the most famous people in the world, one of the most respected businessmen ever, had taken the time to make sure Japan felt important.

But all didn’t go according to plan.

A fascinating inside look at Microsoft’s failure to gain much traction in the Japanese video game market, first with the original Xbox and then, later, with the Xbox 360.

BabyCenter:

Of all the factors that parents consider in picking a name for their child, one floats consistently to the top: Picking a unique name.

As you can see from the list, some parents did a bang-up job. Each of the unusual names was given to at least two children – so it’s not a fluke!

Americus, Navaryous, Couture, Shoog, Cobain, Popeye…I think we can we agree that, in 2013, if you give your child any of these names, you immediately forfeit that kid to Child Protective Services because you are obviously an unfit parent.

Merlin Mann knows how to eat.

Thoughtful article by Rian van der Merwe.

BuzzFeed:

Impress and delight your favorite food lover with any one of these budget-friendly presents.

These are some very creative and original gift giving ideas but make sure you’ve eaten before you read the story because otherwise, you’re going to be hungry afterwards!

Many thanks to Doxie for sponsoring this week’s RSS feed on The Loop.

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Readers of The Loop get free U.S. shipping and Guaranteed Christmas Delivery for all orders placed through December 19th.

Now available: the cordless Doxie One for just $149, and the rechargeable Doxie Go for just $199.

John Gruber:

Google wasn’t trying to bolster Android by withholding turn-by-turn and vector tiles from iOS. They were withholding those features as a negotiating tactic to get Apple to integrate iOS Maps further with Google’s services.

I don’t mind the fact that Apple stood up to Google to protect our privacy. You shouldn’t either.

Matthew Handrahan, Gamesindustry.biz:

Games dominated the App Store again this year, comprising seven of the ten highest-grossing iPad apps and every one of the ten highest-grossing iPhone apps.

Does anyone else see a trend here?

Sacha Greif looks at Google Maps for iOS from a design perspective. He’s right that Google is finding its voice as far as design goes.

Marcelo Somers has a nice write-up on using 1Password. The only nitpick I have is that I would recommend everyone use 1Password — it may be difficult to get used to not using the same simple password for every site, but you’ll be far more secure.

This is just incredible.

[Via Coudal]

This is cool. I wasn’t all that impressed looking at the picture of the button, but the demo is much better.