Friday, March 31, 2000
Top Stories
Macintosh Users Lose Round In House Affair Committee
A House panel on Wednesday took the teeth out of a resolution aimed at allowing candidates for major offices to file their campaign finance reports using any type of computer.
News
Microware To Fight On For "OS-9" Trademark
Software company Microware Systems Corp. will appeal a U.S. district court's decision from earlier this month to allow Apple Computer to use its trademark "OS-9", the company announced Thursday.
Upgrades Put Some Beige G3s In Jeopardy
If you're an owner of a beige, first-generation Power Mac G3 system, you might be considering a processor upgrade to bring your Mac into the G4 generation. But beware — a small but critical component in Apple's beige G3 models can potentially wreck upgraded processors.
MetaCreations Updates 3-D Apps
As MetaCreations prepares to divest its remaining graphics applications, the company has issued free maintenance updates for Carrara, Poser and Canoma. The updates offer a variety of bug fixes and corrections to the user manuals.
Internet Explorer Media Toolbar On The Way
"Microsoft chose to hold back the Media Toolbar out of respect to our content partners," said Irving Kwong, Microsoft's Macintosh product manager. "We want to preserve the rights of digital-media content providers and have been unable to complete our partnership agreements ensuring owners' rights in time for this release."
Opinion
Simultaneous Releases Are Wonderful, But...
In the best of all possible worlds, every Mac game port would be released simultaneous or at least near-simultaneous with the PC version. From a gamer's perspective and from Apple's perspective that would be ideal. But like herding cats or dribbling a football, there are difficulties that make simultaneous releases darn hard to accomplish.
Can PowerPC Keep Up With Intel?
As the first 1GHz Windows PCs hit the market, Apple's Power Mac systems top out at 500MHz. Faster PowerPC chips are on the way, but questions remain about relations between IBM and Motorola.
Review
New Microsoft Browser Shines
The newly-released Internet Explorer 5.0 for the Mac is not only much better than the previous version, but sets the standard for Web browsers. Best of all it's still free.
Microsoft Builds A Magical Mouse
It's a mystery why Apple doesn't at least provide a two- button mouse, but the IntelliMouse fills the gap quite nicely. If only it came in candy colors.
Sidetrack
Join in the fun. Join in the community. Check out The AppleScript Weblog.
I don't know, but do expect major changes tomorrow on the Mac web scene. Looks like somebody is getting serious.
Question: If I were to change the name AppleSurf to something else, what would you suggest?
Wintel
In Search Of Loopholes In Microsoft's Proposal
Over and over again for the last several years, Microsoft has asserted that separating its Web browser from Windows was impossible. And yet, in settlement talks with the government, the company has reportedly offered to do just that. One possible reason for this change of heart, some experts say, is that it doesn't matter anymore.
MS Plays The 'Open Source' Card
In recent weeks, Microsoft seems to have stepped up its attempts to capitalize on the gray area between open and closed. First, according to some developers close to the company, Microsoft was contemplating the idea of making its Windows CE source code available for free to embedded device vendors. Sources say Microsoft was planning to play that up as "opening up the Windows CE source code."
Hard To Gauge Extent, Effectiveness Of Microsoft Concessions
Microsoft has made concessions in its ongoing antitrust settlement talks, but fear of the unknown is keeping the sides apart.
Thursday, March 30, 2000
News
Netscape 6 To Debut April 5
Netscape fans can exhale; a beta release of Netscape 6 premieres next Tuesday at Internet World in Los Angeles.
For The Well Connected, All The World's An Office
Bubble baths, both real and metaphorical, experts say, are crucial for an employee's psychological well being and, ultimately, for that person's productivity.
IE 5.0 'Hit By Legal Troubles'
Irving Kwong, Microsoftís Macintosh product manager, said: "We donít yet know the future of the media toolbar. If we can add it in the future with all legal agreements in place, then we will."
Opinions Mixed On Mac Cards Shut Down
"We saved your [expletive deleted] company and bought your computers!" one unidentified fan wrote. "At least let us think different!"
Adobe Reduces Update Fee
InDesign 1.5, which is now shipping, costs $30 if you bought version 1.0 for $299. Adobe told MacWEEK that it will move more aggressively to address user complaints before charging for another upgrade.
Metastream's Big Moves
The company announced new 3-D software and a deal with Adobe to support the Metastream format in exchange for Canoma. But the fate of other MetaCreations programs remains unclear.
Opinion
Do "Rumor Sites" Really Hurt Apple Or You?
When Pismo was not introduced at MWSF, did Apple's stock price tank? No. Did it recede significantly? No. Did it climb from the 80s to the 140s over Q1 200? Yes. The rumor sites had egg on their face, but that seems to be the real extent of the damage.
Review
USB Scanners
Canon, Umax offer simple, speedy scanning.
Sidetrack
New feature: If, for some reasons, you want to read old articles in SideTrack, you can do so by going to this link. You will then be able to read the previous days simply by clicking on the calendar.
(Of course, readers who are already on that page will find that the previous paragraph makes absolutely no sense. Sorry)
And, yes, the calendar do look familiar. It was, more or less, stolen from Userland. I hope Dave don't mind.
Okay, enough coding for the day...
Wintel
Developers Skeptical About Microsoft Concessions
"It's all a game of semantics. And as we've found in our negotiations with Microsoft, when it's about semantics Microsoft wins every time."
Intel's New Chips Target High End Of Budget Class
Intel introduced two new Celeron processors for budget computers today that will kick off another cycle of competition in the consumer PC market.
DOJ, State Conflicts Compromise Microsoft Settlement
Increasing dissension among state plaintiffs may largely remove them from settlement negotiations in the trial, said sources close to the talks. The DOJ now finds itself at odds not just with Microsoft but with its partners in the case.
Wednesday, March 29, 2000
Top Stories
Are Aqua-skeptics Luddites?
However, not everyone thinks the same, and just because some people have looked at Aqua (first- or secondhand), listened to the hype, and been unenchanted by what is being presented, does not mean that they are stupid, "fearful," or "pathetic." Even people who resist change reflexively are not necessarily wrong.
News
Microsoft Releases Tardy Mac Browser
Operating on the assumption that late is better than never, Microsoft has unveiled its newest browser for the Macintosh platform—a full year after releasing Internet Explorer 5 for Windows.
Macromedia Pushes Flash
Macromedia CEO Rob Burgess offered a sneak peek at Flash 5 during his Flashforward2000 keynote speech.
Flash SDKs Now Available
Macromedia's software kits will make it easier for developers to add Flash export and playback functions to their applications. One goal is to bring Flash to new handheld devices.
Apple Makes Plans For Drupa
The Mac maker will highlight its publishing technologies at the world's largest printing industry trade show.
L&H Buys Dragon Systems
The speech technology developers will combine forces, but the fate of NaturallySpeaking for the Mac remains unclear.
Opinion
Are Any Mac Sites Safe
Eventhough this was based on logos and tademark issues, every Mac web site should know exactly what they are allowed to do. So, anyone running a Mac related web site, know Apples rules and regs.
Why Rumor Sites Hurt You And Apple
So before you think that you're serving your primary consuming interests when reading or writing Mac rumor sites, think about what I said. Before you do anything that can hurt a company's interests, remember what this loud mouth columnist said about how you and companies meet at some point.
Review
AppleWorks 6
AppleWorks, in my opinion, is as important as any Apple-branded application, including Final Cut Pro and iMovie. But this "major upgrade" is a major disappointment.
Sidetrack
When I first started out learning Pascal and computers back in school, we had a PDP-11, shared by the whole class. I can still remember that after I issue a command to compile my program, it will take quite a long while before it is done and I can get on with my exercise. Why bring this up? Well, I was just checking my Yahoo e-mail just now...
www.biggmedia.com: All things gooshy-geek with a sweet Macintosh center.
Wintel
Intel To Unleash New, Improved Celerons
Chip giant on Wednesday will announce 566MHz and 600MHz versions of the chip, boasting new features to boost clock speeds — with prices largely unchanged.
No Ruling In Microsoft Antitrust Trial
U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who set today as a deadline for his decision in the landmark Microsoft antitrust trial, will postpone his decision, according to a court liaison.
Tuesday, March 28, 2000
News
Happy Ending For Stephen King Novel
Adobe Systems has saved the day for Mac horror readers by providing a Mac-readable version of "Riding the Bullet," a popular Stephen King novella available only in electronic form. The e-book is available now on Amazon.com.
Apple Shuts Down Mac Card Site For Trademark Violation
Mac Cards, an alternative online greeting card to Apple's iCards Web site, has been forced to close down after Apple accused it of violating Apple trademarks, the site's owner announced Tuesday.
AvantGo Posts Mac Software
AvantGo 3.3 for the Macintosh lets users view information from a variety of Web sites on Palm devices. You can access the data directly through wireless Palm connections or download it through your Mac.
Sidetrack
Please send me e-mail if you encounter any problems reading AppleSurf with Mac IE 5. I wouldn't able to test out the new browser until some time next week. Thanks.
Ellen Hancock: IBM help me put together my business background and Apple taught me to make decision without enough data.
Dan Gillmor: The government has a history of being snookered by Microsoft. The 1995 Consent Decree was a sick joke on consumers. It ceded Microsoft's ill-gotten monopoly and begged the company not to abuse it — and we all know what happened then.
Firda Beka: I had a dream that I ride on a rollercoaster to heaven last night. Does that mean that I'm dying? I had been dreaming more and more about my work. That gotta be something bad, doesn't it?
Wintel
AMD Aims At Intel With 'Spitfire'
The rivals are at it again — this time battling over which chip will control lower-cost PCs.
Microsoft's Latest Offer
Microsoft's offer to settle federal antitrust charges frees computer makers to embed competitors' software into Microsoft Windows, one of several major concessions that could form a basis for resolving the case.
Microsoft Media Player Goes For Mainstream Audience
Microsoft today released a preview version of its newest Windows Media Player in its latest push to unseat RealNetworks as the dominant provider of online multimedia technology.
Talks Go On As Microsoft Proposal Is Scrutinized
A postponement of the verdict in the Microsoft antitrust trial seems inevitable, as government lawyers continue to contemplate the effects of a proposed settlement from Microsoft.
Monday, March 27, 2000
Opinion
Visions, Vastness, And The American Way
This week's Farr Site features Help, I Feel Good! What On Earth Could Be Wrong? Maybe it's the new Nikon, the PowerMac, the iBooks, the weather, or the company. Beats me!
Review
Internet Explorer 5.0
Microsoft has once again succeeded in raising the bar for web browsers by implementing a handful of unique and well thought out features. The competition will be hard pressed to one-up Internet Explorer 5.0.
AppleWorks 6.0
AppleWorks so outshines the low-cost Microsoft Works that some might base their Windows vs Macintosh decision on the fact that with the Mac they get AppleWorks.
Style Over Substance?
If I were buying an iBook, Iíd go with the graphite and ice combination. It turned heads everywhere I went. And, whatever you do, check out AirPort. Youíll be glad you did.
Sidetrack
Big discussion over at SlashDot.org on whether Apple should put out a version of Mac OS X running on Intel-based hardware.
For Mac users in Singapore, or in the region, you might want to know that Apple is participating in The Learning Metropolis, an educational showcase event at Suntec from April 7 to 11.
Sunday, March 26, 2000
Sidetrack
WhyTheMacIsSoGreat.com : quite a mouthful, eh? This is the new "International Macintosh News and Opinion Site". Check it out.
Wintel
Microsoft Offer Considered Inadequate
Skeptical government lawyers consider an 11th-hour offer from Microsoft Corp. to settle its antitrust trial so inadequate in important areas that there were no immediate plans to resume negotiations in Chicago.
Saturday, March 25, 2000
Top Stories
Mac OS 9 Update Leaks Out Early
The updater some users have downloaded from the company's servers was a pre-release version being tested internally at Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. The official release of Mac OS 9.0.4 will take place some time next week.
Microsoft To Post IE5 Monday
Microsoft said on Friday that Internet Explorer 5.0 for Macintosh will be available for download beginning Monday, March 27. The company also announced that it will release Outlook Express 5.02, an update to its e-mail client with beefed-up security features.
News
88 Million And Counting
Amid all the noise from the two video game console manufacturers, it's easy to forget the $4.2 billion industry's greatest "bit" player of all — the little Game Boy.
Who Will Buy MetaCreations' Graphics Software?
At this point, we can only speculate about potential buyers, but the list of likely candidates is short.
Opinion
Why Apple Was Brilliant For Showing Aqua Now
By the time Mac OS X is released, many of us will have come around to liking Aqua. In fact, many of those who attack the interface now will be its most strident defenders should any outside forces attack it once it is released.
Review
Civilization II Gold
Civilizaton II Gold is an impressive refinement of the Civilization series. Whether you're new to strategy games or a re a hard-core Civ fan who wants to play over a network, Civilization II Gold delivers.
GrabPac
GrabPac advocates college students or professionals using the GrabPac to keep the iMac safe during transit from home to school or between trade shows. We recommend it for anyone who's likely to take their iMac with them anytime.
Sidetrack
Dan Gillmor: The only conceivable source for these leaks is Microsoft, which is positioning itself to be able to claim it really, really tried to settle but those unreasonable government people wouldn't listen.
Why didn't Steve Jobs do a keynote at Internet World? Macworld has some guesses.
Wintel
Microsoft Confirms Whistler Leaked, Investigation Under Way
Microsoft confirmed today that code from an upcoming version of a consumer operating system was posted to the Internet, and the company is now trying to figure out who did it.
Microsoft Offers To Settle Antitrust Case
Microsoft faxed a detailed proposal to government lawyers today to settle its landmark antitrust case after the trial judge warned he will deliver his verdict Tuesday absent progress in secret settlement talks in Chicago.
Friday, March 24, 2000
News
Week's Best PowerBook And iBook Deals
The best prices and bundles this week on new PowerBooks and iBooks from Apple Authorized Resellers.
1400 Upgrades Few And Far Between
The shortage is reportedly due to the lack of availability of the connector that connects the CPU daughtercard to the logicboard.
Opinion
Mothersucking Gremlins Of Doom
"As near as either of us could tell, she had only touched a glass she'd been reaching for and it had spontaneously exploded into a million pieces! What on earth? Or maybeÖWeird physics? Energy vortex? UFOs?"
Review
PowerBook Firewire G3/500
The new Powerbook Firewire model to be a very worthy successor. If you've never owned a Powerbook, there's never been a better time to buy.
Eight MP3 Players For The Macintosh
Happily, there is a luxury of MP3 palyer choices available for Mac users, and this article will provide an overview of that selection.
Palm-compatible PIMs
If you need a Palm-compatible PIM right now and MacPac's feature set isn't rich enough, Personal Organizer is a good choice.
Lotus Notes Release 5
If you need to coordinate communication and activities across several groups or offices, Lotus Notes Release 5 is superior to all other products currently available. The only wrinkle for Mac users is that some of Notes' features require that an IT professional implement the $1,795 Domino server software on a non-Mac platform.
Wintel
Lotus Committed To Smart Suite
While 120 million users worldwide run Microsoft Office, Lotus has found a profitable niche serving 20 million users who want an alternative.
Netpiliance Zaps Cheap PC Buzz
A good thing can only last so long. Netpliance clamps down on geeks' cheap thrill: turning the company's $99 Internet appliance into a dirt-cheap Pentium PC.
Thursday, March 23, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Broadens Software Selection At The Apple Store
Apple has done what many have wanted for a long time. The company has broadened the software selection available at The Apple Store and added several new titles.
Dealing With Dead Pixels In TFT Displays
While it is possible to build TFT screens in which all the pixels work perfectly..., it is impossible to guarantee 100 percent perfection in all those millions of tiny transistors while keeping the price of the product affordable.
News
Enjoy Your New Software, And Check Out THe Advertisements
I don't really notice or mind the ads, but it's a disturbing thought that by clicking on one, that information could be collected and sent somewhere.
John Farr
From an occupational standpoint, the greatest weakness [of the Mac web] is that there are altogether too many people dying to put their words on a Web site and be read... Professionalism and quality are scare.
AirPort Software May Damage Lucent's WaveLan Card
Apple and Lucent are warning users of Apple's AirPort to be very careful when installing the drivers if you have one of the Lucent's WaveLan cards installed in your PowerBook.
Utility Vendors In Buyout Binge
Aladdin Systems, continuing a recent consolidation among Mac utility vendors, announced on Wednesday that it has acquired Trexar Technologies, developer of the MacHeadlines, MacTuner and WeatherTracker Web utilities.
Opinion
I'm Living In My Own Private Tennessee
I think it's best if we can actually get computer companies off the imitation track and onto the innovation track. There's still so much that can be achieved in the personal computer market - so much promise that is still undelivered.
Christmas 2000: A Critical Battle
By design or by fortune, Apple's future success now lies almost entirely with their consumer-oriented products.
Is Loyalty To Apple Sufficient?
There are jobs, and there are jobs. Some require a different mind set — something that is often conveniently overlooked.
The Death Of CodeWarrior
When Mac OS X launches this summer, will Metrowerks' famed CodeWarrior die a quiet death? Or will the company that saved the PowerPC be going strong into 2001 and beyond?
Review
Apple's Wireless Networking Fails To Work Out Of The Box
I reached the conclusion — over the irretrievable loss of six hours — that a company's product should work, out of the box.
The Crystal Key
The Crystal Key may be formulaic on the surface, but inside it has enough unique elements to help it break out of the shadow of its predecessors. It may not be enough to herald the revival of the adventure game, but it's a solid start.
AppleWorks 6
The general operation of AppleWorks has not changed significantly since version 4. Even with its excellent Internet integration and functional Starting Points window, AppleWorks does not offer enough new functionality to merit a full version upgrade from version 5 to version 6.
Sundial 3.0
Sundial is an affordable solution for users wishing to spice up their desktop.
Sidetrack
Welcome! You've found me.
In the news: the latest issue of Time magazine has our favorite consumer desktop PC on the cover.
Get ready for Microsoft Linux — innovative!
Wintel
Microsoft Scuttles Tax Program
After fielding TaxSaver for less than a year, MS concedes defeat to Intuit — but does a deal with H&R Block.
Gates Shows Off Prototype Wireless Device
Microsoft continues to signal its intent to be a major player in the booming market for handheld and other non-PC devices.
Microsoft Antitrust Settlement Near?
While the talks could still collapse over specific terms, the glf between the two sides is narrowing, and the outlines of an agreement may be within reach.
Shoppers' PC Shuffle: Order And Reorder
The processing speed of new Windows-based computers has doubled in the past year, lurching forward every few weeks and outpacing the ability of some personal computer makers to build and ship their top-end models before a faster chip arrives.
BugNet Top 30 Windows 2000 Bugs
Here are some of the more dangerous, comic or widespread bugs affecting Windows 2000 right now.
Microsoft To Roll Out Windows 2000 Lite
Microsoft will soon introduce a "lite" version of its Windows 2000 operating system aimed at running task-specific devices such as Internet appliances and caching servers, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.
PocketPC Targets The Palm
Microsoft will unleash its latest assault against Palm Inc. on April 190. Will PocketPC have the right stuff?
Cheap Chip Onslaught From Intel, AMD
Although Intel and AMD have focused their attention on the performance end of the processor market lately, the two companies are preparing for a heated battle over budget PCs and processors.
Klein Says Serious Microsoft Antitrust Remedy Sought
Assistant Attorney General Joel Klein told a congressional committee today that any remedy in the landmark Microsoft antitrust case must be commensurate with the seriousness of the firm's actions.
Windows Source Code Leaked?
Microsoft's next version of Windows may be open source, but not by design. The company is investigating whether the source code for the planned 2001 version of Windows was posted on several websites.
Wednesday, March 22, 2000
News
Offered Old Computers, Some Schools Officials Decline
Several education technology organizations are doing the counterintuitive and opposing the New Millennium Classrooms Act, a federal bill that would make it more inviting for companies to give schools their old computer equipment.
CompUSA Unveils Online Mac Sales
CompUSA, Inc., the nations largest computer retailer, has taken over sister company COzone.com's Web site and entered the online e-commerce world including the sales of Apple Macintosh equipment.
Palms Get Boost From Yahoo!
Palm Inc. plans to bundle Yahoo! e-mail and instant messaging services with many of its handheld devices.
NEC's Internet Printer
You can print HTML, PDF or PostScript files, but if you have a native Mac file that can't be printed through a Windows application, you're out of luck.
Jobs To Kick Off WWDC
The event, which gives Mac developers an opportunity to learn about new Apple technologies, is scheduled for May 15-19 at the San Jose Convention Center.
Opinion
WHat Makes A Mac A Mac?
The single most important feature of Macintosh - from the beginning - is computing for the masses.
Apple-TechData Deal Bucks Industry Trend
When it brought on Tech Data last week as its third U.S. wholesale distributor, Apple Computer expanded its channel-sales capabilities for the first time in more than two years. It also bucked a current trend among PC makers. The move to widen the channel pipe runs counter to the rest of the PC industry, which has come to rely increasingly on direct sales.
Wintel
Microsoft Shows MiPad Handheld Prototype
Microsoft showed [in Miami] Tuesday the prototype of a handheld device capable of recognizing voice commands and taking dictation from users. Its purpsoe is partly to eliminate the difficulty of enterting data in to these types of devices.
Microsoft Patches Office 2000
Pledging to avoid past errors, Microsoft posts the first collection of patches and fixes for Office 2000 since the product began shipping.
Windows 2001 Leaked On The Web
A priated version of Windows 2001 is winding its way across the Net. And it looks a lot like today's Windows.
Microsoft Probes Possible Leak Of Code For Whistler OS
Microsoft is investigating whether an early version of a future operating system for consumer PCs was leaked out on the Internet.
Tuesday, March 21, 2000
Top Stories
Highland Students Take Advantage Of A New Form Of Computer Technologies
The town's elementary teachers will be able to send their students as far as the school playground or as near as a beanbag chair in a corner of the classroom to use the Internet, edit videos or sharpen math and language skills... Merkley Principal Mary Lee Carr said the wireless laptops will free her students from the constraints of the stationary computer lab.
More Apple Distributors Due To Increased Product Volume
The story, according to [current distributor] Pinacor President Don Lyons, is that a third distributor has been added because Apple's volume has more than doubled, "closer to tripled."
News
'Crime Boy's' Go On A Hack Spree
The main [Army] site was switched to [Macintosh WebStar] server that was practically un-hackable.
Platypus Hatches New Drives
An Australian starup has dedicated itself to turning solid-state storage into a mass-market product.
Computing World Anticipates Mac OS X
WIth a stylish new look and significant upgrades, Macintosh's new operating system is generating as much excitement for its release this summer as the iMac did in 1998.
Amiga Back From The Dead Again
For the umpteenth time in its nearly two-decade long history, the beloved Amiga computer will once again be resurrected.
Corel Reports Weak Esults As Sales Stall
Corel reported a first-quarter loss of 19 cents a share today, reflecting a traditionally weak quarter coupled with a lack of new products.
Opinion
Pismo Blues
You cannot use [Pismo] to gauge what colours will [look like] when printed or going out to video, etc. For designers of visual media it's a big problem.
Four Ways To Ruin An App
Save the appreciation of creativity for items which add functionality rather than interface and let Apple lead the way in look-and-feel.
X-Box Threatens Sony, Nintendo, Sega And Apple
Apple's competitive advantage would have been their control over hardware and software. Now MS has that advantage along with the huge amount of software support for Windows and the much larger sales volumes that they will be able to generate.
AppleWorks 6
AppleWorks 6 does a lot of things but fails to do any of them particularly well.
Review
iMac Sites Reviewed
Each of these sites does something differnt. Each has a unique forcus that sets it apart.
InDesign 1.5
The benefits of InDesign are clear: it's a very powerful DTP environment which has a lot to offer to both creative professionals and hard-nosed production editors.
RealPlayer 7
If you want access to the full range of streaming multimedia content on the Web, you need a version of RealPlayer 7. The player offers a functional user interface, doesn't hog your Mac's processor and is easy to use.
Sidetrack
As reported by The Dallas Morning News, Apple was one the best companies for home desktop tech support, together with Dell and IBM, as rated by PC Magazine.
Sean C. Cunningham : After having used both Windows and Windows NT for the last five years, the Mac is such a pleasant experience.
You want to show off your movie creation to the world? Check out the first ever iMovie Film Festival! For more details, visit Macs Only!.
John : Every time I try to give Windows a chance — maybe it's not that bad — I get smacked down.
Wintel
Survive The Linux Stampede
If you're thinking Linux, remember this: Profits will come from service and support. Period.
Linux Vs. Linux
Linux is on the verge of splintering into different, incompatible versions. Can Linux cerator Linus Torvalds hold it all together?
Compaq Announces Notebook PC Below $1,200
Compaq Computer announced Monday a notebook computer priced at $1,099.
Intel Releases Latest Chips Amid Shortages
[Intel] announced 850-MHz and 866-MHz Pentium III processors, priced, respectively, at $65 and $776 in lots of one thousand.
Research Firm Says Compaq Back On Track
Bloodied and battered Compaq Computer got some good news today: a strong endorsement from market researcher Gartner Group.
Monday, March 20, 2000
News
Employers Get Burned By The Hot Job Market
Companies are going to great lengths to make sure that candidates who say they're joining actually do — sending champagne to the home of a candidate who has just accepted a job, for example, or inviting new executives to meetings before they officially start.
Don't Shoot That iMac!
Online reviewers convince Epinions not to run a TV ad featuring a Mac being blown to smithereens by a PC lover.
Opinion
The User Experience.3
It's easy to find basic advice on setting up your work area. Look no further than the manual that comes with your Mac.
Adobe Isn't Making Many Friends
I wish I could offer some words of encouragement to InDesign users, but I'm still waiting for Adobe to ship the complete Acrobat 4 I purchased last March.
Review
Civilisation: Call To Power
If this had been just a little more different in gameplay from the previous version, I would have heartily recommended it. As it is, sometimes when I was playing, it was easy to forget I was playing a supposedly different game.
Sidetrack
In what CEO Bill Gates called "an unfortunate but necessary step to protect our intellectual property from theft and exploitation by competitors," the Microsoft Corporation patented the numbers one and zero Monday.
As discoverd by thinksecret.com, some possible new directions from the people who brought you MacNN... WindowsNN? LinuxNN? And JavaNN? If you like the Macintosh coverage so far, you might very well be quite pleased.
AppleSurf is pleased to announce the addition of Mac PR to its list of incoming news feed.
Saturday, March 18, 2000
Top Stories
Durham Mother And Son Traveling To Bolivia On An Educational Mission
Armstrong, 14, a freshman at Oyster River High Schoo, will assist his mother in her research and conduct his own to send back via the school's Web site.
Tech Data Wins Back Apple
Apple shares jumped up... as investors took the announcement for what it was: Sales at Apple are rockng and Tech Data, a distributor that buys products from more than 1,000 manufacturers and sells them to more than 100,000 retailers worldwide, has unmatched scale.
News
Adobe Relents: InDesign Update Free (To Some)
Adobe Systems announced Friday that customers who paid the full $699 price for InDesign 1.0 will be able to upgrade to version 1.5 for free. However, those who purchased the software at its introductory price of $299 will have to pay for the update.
Internet Explorer 5.0 To Ship In Two Weeks
A Microsoft spokesperson [said] that the Mac edition of Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 is now scheduled for release by the end of March, about two weeks after the original ship date.
Xerox To Offer Mac Ink-jets
A Xerox spokesman [said] on Thursday that the company plans to offer low-cost ink-jet printers for the Macintosh this summer. The printers would represent the company's first-ever offerings for the Mac SOHO market.
Another One Bite The Dust: Microware Suit Against Apple Dismissed
It is not likely that an embedded processor developer is going to go shopping for an embedded processor operating system and accidentally pick up a copy of the Mac OS.
Opinion
Hunkerin' Down In Cupertino
Apple needs to stop lying to us and covering up their problems... The more you try to hide the truth, the more people like me want to know the truth. And when you lie and try to cover up that lie, people always find it out sooner or later.
Macs Age Gracefully!
The Macintosh provides many systems for many needs, from high end to the low end. Even the older Macs of yesteryear are still going strong, able to do much more than their PC counterparts.
Desktop Publishing Perestroika
InDesign remains an exciting product, and I'm pleased at Adobe's apparent commitment to rapid, aggressive upgrades. From the sound of it, its current pricing misstep will be a lesson learned, and the company will do a better job of differentiating bug fixes from true evolutionary steps in future releases.
Sidetrack
Slate went down... Al I can see now is a welcome message from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack. What, you mean you aren't upgrading to Windows 2000?
Steve Seaquist on AppleWorks 6: The last time I saw such a resounding hostile reception to a so-called "upgrade", it was also a version 6... Microsoft Word version 6.
Wintel
Intel Uses Pricing Clout To Land X-box Deal
While there is disagreement as to whether Intel won based on price or performance, industry sources said [Intel] cut its offer to the bone to block rival AMD from using the X-Box as a stepping stone to the broader consumer-electronics market.
Microsoft Developing PC Tablet Device
Microsoft is tackling the sticky issue of combining the functionality of several devices — pagers, laptops, cell phones, and PDAs — into one unit.
Microsoft Tackles Web Email Breach
In response to a number of customer complaints, Microsoft has posted a fix for a security problem that could have potentially crashed the computers of people who use Web-based email.
Intel Module Flaw Hits Toshiba Notebooks
A problem with some of Intel's older 400-MHz Mobile Module 1 processor cards is causing Toshiba Satellite notebooks shipped with the module to break down, and both companies are scrambling to clean up the mess.
Intel To Release 850-MHz, 866-MHz Amid Shortage
While computer enthusiasts typically welcome the introduction of new processors, the tight supply of the faster Pentium IIIs continue to be a source of irritation for manufacturers and dealers who incorporate Intel processors into their computers.
Friday, March 17, 2000
Top Stories
Resurgent Apple Adds Another Distributor
It's a good indicator of stronger overall demand, because if they didn't think they could move more product, they might not do something like this.
Jobs Bows Out Of Internet World
The Spring Internet Expo show will go on, but it won't include an opening keynote presentation by Apple CEO Steve Jobs, according to organizers of the annual industry gathering.
News
If You Haven't Tried AppleScript, You're Missing Something Insanely Great
AppleScript can be used to write script files which can control the actions of the computer and applications that run on it. Much more than just a macro-language that simplly repeats your recorded actions, Apple say that AppleScript scripts can "think."
USB Wakes Pismo
Plugging and unpluggin USB devices will wake your sleeping Pismo (PowerBook). Apple suggests that you add and remove your USB devices before sleeping the machine. With that procedure, the PowerBook is more likely to stay asleep.
Crafting The Next PC Interface
Experts agree: There must be a better way to 'talk' to a computer.
An Interview With Joe Lee: iMacButton Phenomenon
Joe Lee is the creator of the iMacButton, the popular reset button for the iMac. And he has a story to tell of creating a one-man company and becoming a huge success. And The MacMind has the interview...
Fluke's Flair For Design No Fluke
What do Martha Stewart, Apple Computer and Everett's Fluke COrp. have in common? If nothing else, they certainly have a flair for design.
Adobe Beats Estimates Again
Design software maker Adobe Systems said its fiscal first-quarter net income rose 69 percent, beating estimates for the sixth straight quarter, on sales of products used to design Web pages.
Andromeda Welcomes Rivals To Plug-in Site
Plug-in vendor Andromeda Software is inviting competitors to join anew service that lets consumers run Photoshop filters online. The company said eFXservices.com will replace low-end image-editing programs.
Jobs Bows Out Of Internet World Keynote Speech
Much... preparation has already been done, so it is not likely that Mr Jobs pulled out lightly. Witha ll that said, it could be that whatever Mr. Jobs had expected to tout at the show is not ready for prime time.
Opinion
OK, What Insanely Great New Thing Wasn't Ready In Time?
The new 2 GHz wireless pocket-sized clamshell Son-of-Pismo with glow-in-the-dark keyboards and free lifetime Internet access aren't ready yet. Either that or no Apple veep could be persuaded to jump from a 20-foot tower into a pile of Motorola executives to demonstrate its durability.
Why Is Apple's Name Game So Lame?
The automobile industry understands the importance of name choices in projecting product image and catching consumers' imagination... Unfortunately, the computer industry doesn't, and computer trade names (nut just Apple's) tend to be unimaginative, boring, geeky, and meaningless. Too bad Apple doesn't try to think different in this instance.
Stuck In The 500MHz Zone
Has Apple lost the speed race?
Missing The Little Things
The Mac has a lot of deficiencies these days, particularly in the price/performance, OS robustness, and third-party hardware/software availability arenas. But when it comes to the elegance and useability of the interface, the Mac maintains a large and important lead over the Wintel platform.
Hey, It's Still Pre-beta
Many things can change between now and the final rollout in July. Doubtless performance, appearance and operationg will all be refined over the next five months. Hopefully, most of the problems will be addressed. And while Mac users shouldn't get frantic over what appears (or doesn't appear) in developer versions, Apple should listen carefully to the feedback they're getting.
Review
Get In The Game With These USB Game Pads
Ultimately, the best gamepad is the one that is best for you... My personal preference is the Gravis Game Pad Pro, simply because it's the one that I feel most comfortable with. But every person, and especially every game player, is different — think about what you want out of a gamd pad, and then choose one.
Quark III
If you're expecting anything new in this version, you'll be disappointed. Quark III is very simply more of the same with better graphics, and that might not be enough to satisfy some.
iSub
To Harman Kardon, the subwoofer has become an icy, scyphozoan clay with whcih to render the sculptor's ultimate triumph of form over function. And for trendy iMac DV types, this just might be indispensable.
Star Wars: Episode I Racer
Even if the Star Wars: Episode I movie didn't impress you, you'll like Racer. Fast racing, lots of customizing options, and excellent visual and sound design make LucasArts' return to the Mac an impressive one.
Dramatica Pro 4.0
Dramatica Pro 4.0 is a serious character and story development tool for serious writers, though perhaps a bit too rigid for some. Maybe now you can finish that brilliant story lurking in the back of your head.
iBook
If you are looking for the iBook to be your primary game machine, you should really consider looking elsewhere... If you are looking for a portable Mac to supplement your current desktop system, the iBook offers a number of compelling features that make it well-worth considering.
MacInTax Deluxe 1999
MacInTax is an excellent way to prepare your tax return. It cuts through the maze of rules and regulations, making them understandable.
Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament is a killer addition to the first-person shooter genre.
Dreamweaver 3
For the average user, Dreamweaver is an easy-to-use, powerful Web page creation tool that has some cool new features. For the large-scale site development team with an in-house programmer, Dreamweaver supports nearly limitless customization. It has a lot of offer almost everyone.
Is Windows Emulation A Real Option?
[Virtual PC] does require that you have a lot of RAM, but as I found out, even the lowest-end iMac has enough power to run it with no visible speed loss.
Sidetrack
Wired News sports a new look that is, well, "an old version of itself".
Dan Gillmor described it best when he compared two press releases side-by-side in his web log...
Microsoft: "Windows Media poised to become universal format for digital audio. RealNetworks joins AOL WInamp, Lycos Sonique, MusicMatch, Sonic Foundry, Yahoo! and over 70 companies in licensing Windows Media technology; Media Metrix Data shows Windows Media Player used by more households with PCs than any other player."
Real Networks: "RealJukebox becomes first universal digital music system, adds Windows Media Audio to long list of playback formats to extend reach to incremental 2% of media content."
Wintel
MS Gives Away Win2k Pro Code For Free
Microsoft face ssomething of a licensing issue in Spain, following the accidental free distribution of an estimated 100,000 copies of full, non time-limited Windows 2000.
Cost-saving Technique Causes Some Toshiba Laptops To Fail
Oficials at Toshiba on Thursday confirmed the existence of a problem with a selected batch of Toshiba Satellite 41000XDVD laptop computers that causes the mobile units to overheat and fail within a week following their deployment.
New Notebooks Save Power
AMD is nearing the release of a notebook computer feature aimed at extending notebook battery life by throttling back clock speed and voltage on its forthcoming K6-2+ and K6-III+ notebook chips.
Thursday, March 16, 2000
News
Hard Drives Hit 75 GB
IBM on Wednesday unveiled two disk drives that the world's largest computer maker said set records for data storage, including one that can hold information from a stack of documents more than two miles high.
Adobe Responds To InDesign Complaints
Adobe Systems, facing a barrage of complaints from InDesign users, told MacWEEK on Wednesday that many of the gripes have merit and that the company is "evaluating some different responses" to satisfy angry customers. However, it is unlikely that the company will release a free bug fix for InDesign 1.0.
ACI Discusses StarNine Deal
The acquisition unites StarNine's popular Mac-based Web server with a database system that can be used to develop Web applications.
Opinion
My Fantasy Life
There are some things that even Apple hasn't nailed. I continue to fantasize about them.
Packages - The Hidden Weapon?
Those days of copying an application to some removable storage and handling it to your buddy knowing he'll be able to run it on his system are back, and I for one couldn't be happier.
Review
Unreal Tournament
Unreal Tournament is a phenomenal game with exceptional graphics, design and multiplayer gameplay.
Macs And AOL 5.0
Even though AOL 5.0 adds many nice new features, I believe it still has many shortcomings.
Wintel
Microsoft Readies Broadband Initiative
According to company president and CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft will reinvigorate its MSN efforts, leveraging its compression and streaming media technologies to create a platform for distributing Web content over DSL, cable and satellite links.
Is Microsoft Attacking Microsoft?
You better get rid of that garbage I sold you last week, it's no good. Here, take a look at what I've got this week.
Hey Ballmer, Are Things Different — Or Not?
Old Nixonian dirty tricks. It's pretty sad these guys are in the mode where either out of frustration, desperation or just DNA, this is how they've got to act.
MS May Try To Boost WinCE, Linux-style
Microsoft may give away the software to developers in the embedded-device market — an effort to blunt Linux inroads.
Windows Me To Eliminate Some Networking Support
Microsoft has dropped support for some networking technology from its upcoming Windows Me consumer operating system in a move analysts say is intended to nudge customers to the company's more lucrative Windwos 2000 software.
Microsoft Decision Will Impact Market Value
Protecting shareholder value may influence Microsoft's decision to settle with the Department of Justice or to exercise full judicial review of its antitrust case, analysts said.
Wednesday, March 15, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Laptop Users May Experience Data Glitch
Some Apple Computer customers who recently bought iBook or PowerBook notebook computers may have trouble rousing their computers from sleep mode because of a nasty problem with data corruption.
No IBM G4 Restrictions, Motorola Says
Motorola has placed no restrictions on IBM that will prevent it from manufacturing and selling the MPC7400, at any clock speed, to Apple.
News
HP Discusses Their Re-entry Into The Mac Scanner Market
One feature many user find interesting is the exceptionally sharp scans of 3-D objects. Users can now expand the realm of items they scan to include objects like flowers, artwork, and other non-traditional materials and expect exceptional results.
American Design: 'Good Stuff Is Happening'
What the iMac did, in some ways, is say to people, 'Even something that you didn't think was designed is designed, and... it is something you can appreciate. It also made other computer companies say, 'Hey, maybe design is importnat.'"
Copycats Contest IMac's Story
PC manufacturers say the truth is a horse of a different color from the iMac inventor's version of a court injunction. The companies will sell all-in-one PCs, but they won't be translucent.
RealNetworks Licenses Microsoft's Windows Media Technology
Streaming media leader RealNetworks has licensed technology from Microsoft, its primary competitor, signaling the end to a heated battle over Web audio standards.
Apple Predicts Mac-Cell Phone Link
Company representatives say the first fruits of collaboration with Nokia will appear in April. The company may also bring iBook design elements to the PowerBook.
Developers Prep InDesign Plug-ins
Adobe has made a big selling point of InDesign's extensible architecture, which theoretically makes it easier to customize the program or add new features.
Quark Users Not Sold On InDesign 1.5
Publishing pros who once welcomed Adobe Systems' InDesign software now say that problems with the initial release have ocnvinced them to stick with QuarkXPress.
Future Power To Apple: We Hav eTo Party For Our Right To Fight
Future Power is in essence saying that they have the right to rip off the iMac because the public deserves it... That is complete and unadulterated BS!
Opinion
Hot For FireWire
Among the evolutionary advances in Apple Computer Inc.'s latest crop of PowerBook G3 notebooks, none is more important than the new systems' paired FIreWire ports.
Gil Amelio's Sour Grapes?
Had [Gil] not tried to make his role more than it was, I would have appreciated his accomplishments rather than remembering his mistakes.
On Our Own Terms
Using the iBook and all of these great technologies is more than just the sum of the individual parts. It is truly an experience.
AppleWorks 6: A Step Backward?
Want an "Internet strategy," Apple? Start by talking to your customers, on the web.
DOes Apple Offer Too Many Different Products?
Sure, Apple expanded its product line, but this time, it is not confusing. If you are a power user or just an ordinary consumer, you know which Mac is right for you.
Sidetrack
The upcoming PowerBook is round. Yes, it really does look like a giant iMac mouse. Someone really goes into a lot of effort to fake the photographs, eh?
Wintel
Battle Over The Look And Feel Of Linux
Linux could finally have the ammunition it needs to challenge Microsoft's stranglehold on the PC market.
Microsoft Sells Million Copies Of Windows 2000
Microsoft said today it had sold more than 1 million copies of Windows 2000, the software giant's new operating system for businesses that it has called a "bet-the-company" product.
Tuesday, March 14, 2000
Top Stories
Microsoft In The Hardware Arena
[The] X-Box shows that Microsoft is catching on to the benefits of controlling its hardware destiny. It's a trend that will likely continue with the next generation of Internet-enabled appliacnes, and that's good news for a company like Apple that already knows how to deliver a compelling software and hardware experience.
News
From Internet Scientist, A Preview Of Extinction
A respected creator of the Information Age has written an extraordinary critique of accelerating technological change in which he suggests that new technologies could cause "something like extinction" of humankind within the next two generations.
Adobe Rolls Out InDesign 1.5
Adobe Systems on Monday took another step toward challenging Quark's page-layout dominance by announcing InDesign 1.5, an update of its publishing software that addresses users' biggest gripes about the original version.
Apple Makes Play For Gamers
While it's still a minority player in the gaming world, Apple Computer marshaled its forces to make a splash at last week's Game Developers Conference [in San Jose], and third parties seemed eager to join the team.
Opinion
Apple Scores Prestigious Print Award
Apple Computer Australia has won a Gold Medal for print excellence at this year's 17th Annual Print Association Awards.
A Question Of Productivity
The platform which yields the greater productivity in any organization depends greatly upon the relative comfort levels of the I.T. staff supporting it.
Of Megahertz, Men, ANd Processor Wars
If Apple isn't already looking beyond Motorola for a new source of processors, it's quite possible that they will in the very near future.
Review
The Game Beats The Movie
[Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer], in which you jet around otherworldly racecourses at terrifying speeds, is entertaining enough that it might drive away memories of the disappointing movie that spawned it.
REALBasic 2.0 Standard Edition
While you can create relatively simple applications using REALbasic, any attempt to create advanced ones will most likely end in failure.
Sidetrack
And I quote: The largest animal rights group in the world is releasing the results of research showing that beer is actually better for you than milk.
Wintel
X-Box — Threat Or Promise?
Microsoft's dominance in the PC industry and its track record of establishing itself as a major player in new markets may give some pause, but its place as a dominant force in console gaming is far from assured.
IBM Unveils New PC Line
IBM unveiled a new line of personal computers and Internet appliances that are designed to be small, sleek looking, and provide easy access to the Internet.
Windows ME: A Pain For Users
Microsoft has quietly eliminated LAN features from its forthcoming Windows ME client operating system, which may effectively force enterprise users into migrating to Windows 2000.
Microsoft's New OS May Be Riddled With Bugs
All is not going smoothly in the testing process for Windows Me, according to some accounts... Some critics among the beta testing group have charged that Microsoft has rushed the testing process along and is less responsive to bug reports fromt esters than it has been in the past.
Intel Wins Antitrust Ruling
The U.S. District Court in Birmingham, Ala., said Intel didn't violate antitrust laws when it withheld information from Intergraph, a Huntsville, Ala.-based company that makes graphics chips and workstations.
Monday, March 13, 2000
News
The Redesigning Of America
High style isn't highbrow. In fact, it's everywhere, for everyone, in everything from can openers to CD racks to cars.
Some Voters Shut Out From Online Election
It's unfortunate. We would have liked everyone to participate in this. We certainly had no intention to exclude Mac users.
Opinion
Insignificantly Superior
I've said it before; I'll say it again. The G4 is insignificantly superior to the G3 unless you are running AltiVec-enabled software.
Review
The PowerBook & iBook Sites
The half-dozen best PowerBook and iBook sites on the Web.
Saturday, March 11, 2000
Top Stories
THS Thanks Alumnus For $155,000 Gift
The college dropout who struck Internet pay dirt thanked his alma mater with a gift of $155,000... The gift furnished a labof 32 400 megahertz Macintosh G4 computers each outfitted with multimedia software plus a 35 gigabyte server that can write onto CDs.
Answering The Monopoly Apologists
How can we reason in an intelligent and calm manner with those whose credulous acceptance of Microsoft's crafty excuses leads them to question our fairness and common sense?
Apple's OS X Is A Unix-Mac Attack
This is an amazing piece of OS coding. If it lives up to its promise in the final version, I'd consider it worth the money to buy an OS for features and quality, rather than just for market presence. Well done, Apple.
News
Apple Harvests The iMac Windfall
For the future, Apple seems poised to continue to deliver spectacular models and, at long last, an operating system that will provide previously unheard of levels of reliability and stability. It seems that after travelling a long, hard road, Apple has found its way back.
Amelio: Apple's Great User Experience Lacking
[Gil Amelio] praised Steve Jobs leadership in improved product performance, networking connectivity and industrial design, but criticized Apple's current and future direction in ease of use, quality, stability and compatibility.
Future Power Demands Apple Retraction Of Settlement Claim
Future Power contends the Apple press release is misleading and gives the impression that because Apple settled its claim with Daewoo and stopped the sale of blue-and-white e-Power PCs in the U.S. that the same agreement applies to Future Power.
Opinion
PDA Future
What will the future bring to the PDA? What role will Apple technology play in its future? I have a few predictions, mostly just a wish list drawn from current technologies.
Making Waves With Aqua
I'm anxious to see if Aqua can push the envelope without undermining the Mac's fundamental appeal to its long-time users.
Review
iMac DV Makes Home Video Editing Simple
All in all the iMac DV and the iMovie video editing tool is very easy to learn and use. If Apple could offer a way to import new transitions and other effects, and add a way to create Video CDs, it could be all that you ever need for basic video editing.
Sidetrack
A 12-year-old will probably be expelled from school from brining in a blunt-edged safety scissors to school. What really went wrong?
Wintel
Praise For X-box — But Doubts, Too
Microsoft Corp.'s X-Box game console grabbed praise at the Game Developers Conference on Friday, after founder Bill Gates showed off demos of the technology during his hour long opening keynote. Yet, at least one industry analyst questioned if Microsoft can make its Fall 2001 deadline.
Microsoft Is Still 'The Evil Empire'
Microsoft bashing is just not as fun as it used to be.
Intel Wins X-box Deal At 11th Hour
How did Intel snatch away the coveted role of primary chip vendor for MS' game system?
IBM Reveals Wireless Notebook Strategy
IBM may be coming to the wireless party late, but analysts say its long-term strategy and broad experience could easily propel Big Blue past competitors.
Friday, March 10, 2000
Top Stories
Apple's iMac-alike Victory Limited
Despite the Mac maker's announcement this week, eMacines and Future Power said they remain free to distribute a version of their all-in-one consumer systems.
News
Canvas Goes To Linux
Deneba Software announced Friday that it plans to offer a free Linux version of Canvas 7, its integrated graphics software. The software will work only with Linux releases designed for Intel hardware, but Deneba left the door open to a PowerPC version if there is sufficient user demand.
Ambrosia Resurrects Aperion With USB Support
One of our favorite arcade-style action games has been brought back from obscurity. Ambrosia Software has announced the released of a new version of their clasic game Aperion.
Opinion
The iTeen Solution For Apple's G4 Speed Limit
By beefing up the feature set of the high end PowerMac G4 line, Apple could increase the speed of the lower end iMacs and iBoks without threatening the image of the flagship model.
Honest Speed
While everyone, myself included, talks about the high end of the performance curve, we too often forget to ask the other question: How much power is enough?
Bobcat Gigaramble
'I had just finished congratulating myself for successfully braking on the last blind curve when I saw it: the thing!' A spooky ride through the New Mexico night morphs into a wild dream about panic-stricken pundits and 1GHz PCs from hell. . .
Sidetrack
This link has appeared in lots of weblogs. Have you reached it yet?
Wintel
Microsoft Plans To Try Its Hand At Video Games
In an ambitious step beyond its stronghold in personal computing, the Microsoft Corporation is announcing plans today to challenge Sony, Nintendo and Sega with a video game machine called the X-Box.
Gates Hints Microsoft Serious About Settlement
Microsoft chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates said in a broadcast interview that his compnay was doing its best to reach a settlement with the Justice Department of its landmark antitrust case.
Microsoft Woos Game Developers
On the eve of the anticipated announcement of Microsoft's latest effort to make waves in the game market, industry executives say the company has work to do to convince software developers to sign on to the effort.
Thursday, March 9, 2000
News
Apple Proxy Statement Could Indicate Stock Split; Woolard To Step Down From Board
Apple recently issued a proxy statement announcing the company's annual meeting of shareholders on April 20th in Cupertino. At the meeting, shareholders of record as of February 22, 2000 will vote on a number of pressing issues.
Opinion
PDA Future
What will the future bring to the PDA? What role will Apple technology play in its future? TFT displays, speech recognition just to name a few of my wishlist items. Transmeta's Crusoe chip might help make it happen.
Review
Unleash The Power Of QuickTime: Electrifier Pro Reviewed
As multimedia technology progresses so does the learning curve. It's quite refreshing to find an application that is as feature-filled yet simple to use as Electrifier Pro.
Wintel
Microsoft Security Hole Bugs Web-based Email
Microsoft today confirmed a security hole in Windows 95 and Windows 98 that could result in problems for Web surfers or users of particular email programs.
Wednesday, March 8, 2000
Top Stories
Hanging With Jobs And His Army Of Macheads
The iMac, of course, has brought on board a whole new generation of consumers won over by the sleek contours and cool image. But Mac mania was a diagnosable condition long before anyone saw the tangerine light. It is a devotion that almost defies explanation.
News
Apple Confirms: Resellers To Sell Online With Limits
As of April 1, resellers will be able to sell to their existing customer base via an extranet or secure (password protected) Web site that's not accessible by any search engine, according to Apple spokesperson.
Opinion
Honesty
Between Apple's desire to keep the Power Mac G4 their speed champion and Motorola's production problems, Apple looks hopelessly mired in the past while the Wintel world enters the GHz era.
Review
Eudora's Innovations May Entice You To Make The Switch
Eudora continuously improved through the years, is widely and justifiably acclaimed as the best program in its class, and is loaded with tools and features to tame the ever-growing e-mail monster.
Wintel
Intel Follows AMD With 1-GHz Chip
Hoping that late is truly better than never, chip giant Intel today released a Pentium III chip that runs at 1 GHz, two days after rival AMD unveiled its own processor.
China OKs Windows 2000
Microsoft has won approval to sell its Windows 2000 software in China, laying to rest fears that new rules on encryption technology would snarl the product launch later this month.
Another Data Point For Those Who Are Certain Linux Will Never Win The Desktop Race
It seems that someone writes at least once a week to tell me why Linux can never succeed on the desktop. Invariably, the proof they offer is in the form of a list of the problems they had installing and running Linux or Linux applications.
PC Sales Growth May Have Peaked, Group Says
The last year of the millennium may also be the last year for explosive PC sales.
Analysts Say Settlement Possible In Microsoft Trial
The feeling was there was a near-term opportunity to have this settled, some language being given that they wouldn't have any change in culture or structure.
Tuesday, March 7, 2000
Top Stories
Desktop Video For All?
If you were to believe Apple's TV commercials, you'd think the next killer application will be video editing on PCs. Gosh, now you can take your boring home videos and make them into fabulous productions. You can add titles, edit and clip, and do all sorts of fancy wipes. Fantastic! Yeah, fantastic if you have no life. For the average computer user, this application stinks.
AMD, Intel Pushing Beyond 1 GHz
The need for clock speed isn't abating. Now that AMD's won the drag race to 1,000 MHz, the marathon — pushing into gigahertz-plus realms — begins.
Can IBM And Motorola Get Along?
What are we to make of the claims that Motorola has been nobbling IBM's attempts to supply Apple not only with all the extra PowerPC 7400 (aka G4) processors it needs, but cheaper and faster ones than Motorola itself can provide?
Adding Multiple Users To One-computer Home
Macintosh users have it real easy.
News
Macworld France Now Officially Macworld Europe
The annual Macworld Expo in Paris is now officially dubbed Macworld Europe and will be the only European event supported by Apple now that Apple Expo UK has bitten the dust.
FireWire Vendor Under Fire
A bogus press release and ownership questions added up to big headaches this weekend for FireWireDirect.com, a new e-commerce venture dedicated to selling FireWire products.
Id Software Releases Mac Quake 3 Arena 1.16m
Released simultaneously for Mac, PC, and Linux, the new 1.16m beta version of the popular first person shooter, published by Activision, sports a number of key improvements.
Opinion
Apple To Get Toasted In Processor Speedstakes?
Apple is clearly caught with its proverbial pants down in the clock speed race.
Mac OS X: The Big Change
Steve Jobs has given us high expectations, and I feel that those expectations are not bloated. The transfer [to Mac OS X] will be the maker or the breaker.
Is The Mac Spirit Dead?
Sure, there are consumers out there that won't get it, but it's a limited crowd. The rest can learn why the Mac is so special when compared to the PC world.
Review
My Review Of iRevie: It Sucks
iReview definitely has great potential... but the first thing Apple has to do is let its visitors control the review process.
Sidetrack
From MacAddict, here's probably going a little too far...
Wintel
MS Adds Word, Excel To PocketPC
The company hopes to distinguish itself from rival Palm by adding office applications useful to the business traveler.
U.S. Confident Of Microsoft Victory
Sources close to the government's case say they hope [Judge Thomas Penfield] Jackson will find that Microsoft's behavior was both outrageous and pervasive enough to justify a request for a "substantial" remedy, such as a breakup of the company. They insist, however, that the government has not decided whether or not to ask Jackson to break Microsoft up.
Monday, March 6, 2000
Top Stories
Mac OS X Vs. Mac OS 9: The Dock
I see great things for the Dock, and I know it will improve my daily operations, but Apple should follow the simple rule (particularly regarding the ever-useful Apple menu): if it ain't borken, don't fix it.
News
Operating System Makes Apple Shine
OS X stands out. Apple's unusual attention to detail is crafting a pleasant computing experience realy shows through.
MacLaunch Buys MacOPINION, Hearlding Future Waves Of Consolidation
In what we think will be the first round of consolidationin the Mac web market, MacLaunch has announced the purchase of MacOPINION.
More On Apple's Reseller Revision
Apple's aggressive efforts to stem the gray market have been largely successful and Apple resellers maintain the advantages of price and support over the gray market.
Alternate Hardware
I see cheap PowerPC desktops such as the iMac becoming a preferred choice for Linux desktop users in the future because of its easy installation and increasing device and application support.
Obsolete Floppy Disk Dead At 48
Floppy disk, the abused but loyal companion of computer users everywhere, has died of obsolescence. He was 48.
Mac Fans Can Survive In A PC World
While most of the computer information [on the Web] addresses the problems of the majority of American users who run Windows, some excellent sites specialize in Macintosh information.
Opinion
How Not To Serve
This week's Farr Site features Sprint, Apple, AirPort, & Greedy Pig-Dogs from Hell! Repeat after me: "It's Only Money, It's Only Money. . ." Feel better now? No?? Say it again!
Big
Big gets Bigger. Big tends to take over. Big appeals to the masses. But there's a loophole. Big leaves a lot behind.
Sidetrack
Question for my dear readers: I mainly use the Paint and Draw portion of AppleWorks 5 for simple consumer-type design and such. Do you think I should upgrade to AppleWorks 6?
Mitnick: The founders of Apple Computer Inc. — now worth hundreds of millions of dollar — described manipulating the nation's telephone system decades ago.
Wintel
Intel Tackles Notebook Security
The chip maker plans to announce a new security architecture designed to make stolen notebooks about "as useful as bricks".
AMD Stock Zooms On 1-GHz Victory
AMD beat Intel to the market with a chip that hits the touted 1-GHz speed barrier, and its investors are reaping the benefits today.
Microsoft Sells 500,000 Copies Of Win2000
It's mostly Win2K Professional, but the total doesn't include worldwide or corporate-account sales.
One-gig PCs Offer Speed — At A Price
Fast, brawny 1-GHz, or "one-gig," PCs debut today, but all that power comes at a premium: Many of these systems cost as much as — or more than — a good used car.
Windows 2000: Waving The Flag, Weakly
Microsoft's failure to sell what is really a compelling story is a sign that the times, they are indeed a-changing.
New, Legacy-free Machines Good For Computer "Newbies"
Get used to seeing the term "legacy-free". Never mind that it's yet another bit of maddening computer-industry jargon, it's good news for everyday PC users frustrated with the complexity of these machines.
Compaq Offering A Home Computer With A Faster Chip
The first home computer with a one-gigahertz chip, which can process data 17 percent faster than the top consumer chip now on the market, will be offered for sale on Thursday, the Compaq Computer Corp. said Sunday night.
Sunday, March 5, 2000
News
Jag's World
No tool is ever outdated if it serves the needs of the person using it.
Sidetrack
"Macintosh Programmers understand that the User wants to get a job done that she already knows how to do. Windows Programmers think the Users don't know what they want to do and needs help from the computer. Unix Programmers know they are the only ones using their computers because the OS is far too powerful to be wasted on lowly Users."
Saturday, March 4, 2000
Top Stories
AMD Moves To 1-GHz On Monday
AMD will try to trump Intel by releasing 1-GHz Athlon processor on Monday, sources said today, although it's a good bet that Intel will try to move up the release of their one-gig chip to the begining of the week as well.
News
Macs Get Vertical
Many people use their Macs to cruise the Internet, retouch photos or edit digital video. But what if you need software to run a psychology practice or manage a cow herd?
Opinion
We Don't Need Rude Software
You see, Quicken long ago reached the point where they had added every bell and whistle and refinement imaginable to their checkbook program. So now, the agenda is different.
Fear And Loathing In Software Creation...
Can 100% stable software be written? Theoretically - yes. Practically - no.
Apple Can Make A Difference
The importance of controlling both hardware and software cannot be over-estimated.
Review
Descent 3
Descent 3 is an immersive single-player game and an addicting multiplayer game. It surpasses the graphics and gameplay of its predecessors while remaining true to the fell of the original.
Sidetrack
As discovered by As The Apple Turns, this "water-resistant and durable EVA case" looks a lot like a particular brand of consumer laptop that we all love to get one.
The new AppleWorks 6 is out, and the readers from MacNN have spoken... Overall, many find it disappointing, as there are little new features, and the performance and stability seemed to be worse than version 5.
Wintel
Finger-pointing Begins In Windows 2000 Bug Claims
Microsoft has been unable to douse allegations that one of the hotly anticipated technologies in Windows 2000 Server has a security hole.
HP To Debut Six-processor Servers
In an effort to wrestle some market share away from Compaq, Hewlett-Packard will introduce new Intel-based servers with an unusual six-processor design on Monday at bargain prices.
TI Looks To Overtake Intel
The shift in the electronics industry from PC-centric to one driven by communications and Internet-related appliacne has set the stage for Texas Instruments to supplant Intel in the next decade as the dominant force in the semiconductor industry, said TI executives.
Friday, March 3, 2000
Top Stories
Apple Loosening Online Mac Sales?
Beginning April 1, any authorized Apple reseller will be permitted to sell new Macs online if they restrict sales to existing customers, and require password entry for order placement.
Opinion
The Great G4 Debacle: Why It Is Apple's Fault
Apple shouldn't have released a G4 until they were sure Motorola could supply the chips to run it.
G4 Debacle Not All Apple's Fault
Apple, do whatever it takes to retake bragging rights from Intel and AMD. Whatever it takes.
Apple's OS Face-off
If the Mac OS X interface is ultimately less Maclike than Windows 2000 on anything but a strictly cosmetic level, won't that leave the door open for users to re-evaluate their commitment to Apple's OS?
Review
FireWire PowerBooks
It's difficult to fault a company when the seemingly only downside to their product is that they weren't able to wrap it in an even more stunning enclosure.
MacOS X Vs. MacOS 9: The Dock
This is a very good article that gives a mac users perspective to one of the up coming features in OSX, the dock. The article talks about it's usefulness and drawbacks with a comparison to the current feature set in OS 9. The article includes screenshots and a survey about readers oipinions on the dock. Readers are also encouraged to comment on the article in an open discussion forum. Check it out!
Wintel
What Sam Donaldson Can Teach Microsoft
Can you see Gates taking time out of one of his many keynote addresses to salute the Microsoft folks who have kept the company from completely missing the Internet tidal wave?
Sun, Intel Square Off Over Itanium Support
Sun Microsystems and Intel are in a high-stakes game of chicken in a debate about which company needs the other more in the e-commerce world.
Thursday, March 2, 2000
Top Stories
The Other Steve
Steve Jobs may be the best-known of the company's two founders. But whatever happened to Apple's other Steve, co-founder Steve Wozniak?
Windows 2000, Trial Concerns Hit Microsoft Stock
If the new Windows 2000 operating system is so great, why is Microsoft's stock sliding?
News
Moviemac.com Officially On Line Today
Dixon Chan's new moviemac.com website is dedicated to inform and assist consumers who want to watch, listen and create movies on an Apple Macintosh Computer, including non-DVD machines.
Apple Europe VP: Newton Was A Sacrifice, London Expo Cancellation "My Fault"
It was the matter of concentrating on fewer single winning projects and leave out all useless costly development and engineering charges to bring back Apple into profit and technological leadership.
Novell To Offer Mac NetWare Services
Novell said Wednesday it will deliver NetWare 5 file and print services for the Mac by year-end. The new software will allow Macs to connect to NetWare servers more seamlessly than before, while making it easier for IT administrators to manage networks that include Macs.
Apple Shatters Old Record, Closes Over 130
AAPL's text book classic ascending triangle chart formation shattered into a thousand pieces as Apple busted out to the upside, drowning all resistance with a tsunami of demand.
Space Combat Game Parsec Demo Released
In development since 1996, this game is unique in many ways — it's being developed simultaneously for Windows, Mac and Linux users, and it's not for sale.
Opinion
iBook, Wintel Laptops Compared
I'd love to see Apple offer something like the LifeBook B Series. Just imagine a PowerBook Lite with a touch screen, tiny footprint, and weighing just three pounds.
Don Crabb, I Truly Never Knew You
What made me warm up to Don wasn't anything that he'd written, but the fact that he was one prolific hush-yo-mouth.
Review
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Overall, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is an absolute monster of a game. Firaxis not only developed a worthy successor to Civilization II, but they made an outstanding game in its own right.
PowerPrint 5.0
PowerPrint allows your Mac to connect to over 1600 parallel port-based printers by using a number of different drivers.
Wintel
1-GHz Pentium III Computers Coming This Month
Consumers will likely be able to buy PCs containing 1-GHz chips later this month, a lurch forward in the release date of these systems, sources said today.
Has Intel Fallen Behind In The Chip Race?
The 1 GHz chip is coming soon. Intel and AMD are racing to break the gigahertz barrier this spring.
AMD's Sanders: A Call To Arms!
The controversial chairman and CEO of chip maker AMD discusses his company's death match against mighty Intel — 'It's been trying to crush us since 1986' — and plans for unleashing a 'Sledgehammer.'
Compaq: No Need For BackOffice Logo
Compaq has opted not to seek BackOffice certification for its servers.
Wednesday, March 1, 2000
News
Roger Ebert Joins Mac Luminaries Gather To Celebrate Don Crabb On The Mac Show
A gathering of some of the big names in the Mac community is commencing this evening on The Mac Show to celebrate Don Crabb's life.
Apple Shares Surge After Analyst Comments
Shares of Apple Computer Inc. jumped in active trading after a Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette analyst made positive comments about the PC maker, saying it is poised for a strong March quarter.
QuickTime's Lack Of MPEG-2 Support Hurts Mac DVD Playback
The reason that Macs have such terrible DVD playback performance is because QuickTime doesn't support MPEG-2. This prohibits Mac DVD players from using hardware acceleration of DVD playback.
Going Online At Indian Reservation
It would be a safe bet that the iMac computer Myra Jodie won from a San Jose-based teen Web site will be the first on her block. But then, she doesn't exactly live on a block.
Opinion
Dr. !Seuss On Aqua
You do not like it. So you say. Try it! Try it! and you may. Try it and you may, I say.
Sidetrack
Found on Macs Only!, a new Apple TIL 75050 publicly thanks Don Crabb.
Wintel
Microsoft Takes Aim At Linux With Reworked OS
Microsoft took a swipe at the growing Linux movement today as it joined forces with Intel to tackle the emerging market for "server appliacnes," a new category of special-purpose computers.
AMD Undercuts Intel With Lower Chip Prices
Advanced Micro Devices slashed prices on its Athlon and K6-2 chips in its latest move to steal market share from rival Intel.
Compaq Acknowledges A Defect
The Compaq Computer Corporation has conceded that at least 1.7 million of its Presairo computers have a defect similar to one that prompted the Toshiba Corporation to agree to a $2.1 billion settlement in a class-action suit last October.